Major Disaster Declared in Kentucky

Kentucky Declared Federal Disaster Area

Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4239)

The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of July 11-20, 2015.

The areas that are worst affected by the extreme weather events include Bracken, Breathitt, Carroll, Carter, Clay, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Magoffin, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Spencer, Trimble, Washington, and Wolfe counties.

The latest Federal Disaster Declaration is the fourth major disaster declaration for Kentucky since April.

The government has proclaimed 35 Major Disaster Declaration [DR 4205-4239] for a U.S. state/tribal area/territory so far this year. Additionally, the federal government has issued 14 Fire Management Assistance Declarations for the year to date.

Fire Management Assistance Declarations (2015)

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Related Links

• Major Disaster Declared in Iowa [DR-4234] August 3, 2015
• Super Typhoon SOUDELOR: Federal disaster declared for Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands [DR-4235] August 6, 2015
• Major Disasters Declared in Missouri, W. Virginia, Pine Ridge Reservation, S. Dakota August 9, 2015
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

 

Kentucky Declares State of Emergency

Deadly Storms sweep through Kentucky causing widespread damage

Severe storms have left at least 5 people dead and 6 others missing, causing widespread damage in the State of Kentucky and prompting Gov. Beshear to declare a state of emergency.

Part of a statement posted on the State website read:

According to the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM), numerous counties were impacted by Monday’s storms that caused flash flooding. Areas reported with the heaviest damage include Johnson and Rowan counties. In Johnson County, one fatality was reported, and state and local rescue workers there continue to search for others who are missing or unaccounted for. In Rowan County, homes were also damaged by floods, and minor injuries were reported.

The Kentucky National Guard, KYEM and Red Cross officials are on the ground in Johnson County and will continue to monitor areas statewide for further reports of damage. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on Monday waived certain highway restrictions for out-of-state utility vehicles traveling nationally to areas with widespread power outages. Shelters are in place in Rowan, Johnson and Jefferson counties.

Flash floods in Indiana reportedly killed at least one person, according to local reports.

Kentucky has already been declared a major disaster area three times, so far this year.

Third Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky

Kentucky Declared Federal Disaster Area

Kentucky Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4218)

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the areas affected by the severe winter storm, snowstorm, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of March 3-9, 2015.

Some 57 counties worst affected by the severe winter storm, snowstorm, flooding, landslides, and mudslides are Anderson, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Breathitt, Bullitt, Butler, Calloway, Carter, Casey, Clay, Daviess, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Grant, Greenup, Hancock, Harrison, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, LaRue, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Metcalfe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Owen, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Robertson,  Rockcastle, Rowan, Spencer, Trigg, Washington, Webster, Whitley, and Woodford.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

This is the third Major Disaster Declaration proclaimed for Kentucky so far this month.

Related Links

• Disaster Aid for “Kentucky Survivors of April Storms” (DR-4217) May 7, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky (DR-4216) May 1, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Georgia (DR-4215) April 22, 2015
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Disaster Aid for “Kentucky Survivors of April Storms”

Another Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky

Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4217) 

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the areas affected by  severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides during the period of April 2-17, 2015

Nineteen areas worst affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides include  Bath, Bourbon, Breathitt, Bullitt, Clark, Elliott, Estill, Franklin, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lee, Lewis, Madison, Magoffin, Metcalfe, Morgan, Owsley, and Wolfe counties.

Kentucky Survivors of April Storms Can Register for Disaster Aid
FRANKFORT, KY – Residents of 10 Kentucky counties who suffered damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides of April 2-17, 2015 may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) announced jointly that assistance is available to affected individuals in Bath, Bourbon, Carter, Elliott, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Madison, Rowan and Scott counties.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

This is the second Major Disaster Declaration issued for Kentucky in one week.

Related Links

• Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky (DR-4216) May 1, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Georgia (DR-4215) April 22, 2015
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky

Kentucky Declared Federal Disaster Area

Kentucky Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4216)

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the areas affected by the severe winter storms, snowstorms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of February 15-22, 2015.

Areas worst affected by the severe winter storms, snowstorms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides include the counties of Boyd, Boyle, Caldwell, Estill, Floyd, Jackson, Jessamine, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Lyon, Menifee, Morgan, Pike, Powell, Simpson, Taylor, Washington, and Wolfe.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

Related Links

• Major Disaster Declared for Georgia April 22, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Massachusetts April 15, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Connecticut April 9, 2015
• Major Disaster Declared for Rhode Island April 5, 2015
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
MAJOR DISASTERS
SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING
LANDSLIDES, MUDSLIDES
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
SCENARIOS 900, 444, 111, 101, 066, 027, 023, 022, 09, 02
.

Kentucky Declared a Federal Disaster Area after Extreme Weather Damage  (DR-4196)

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides  during the period of August 18-23, 2014.

Areas worst affected by the disasters include Floyd, Johnson, Knott and Pike counties.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Latest Federal Disaster Declarations

• Major Disaster Declared for Michigan September 28, 2014
• Major Disaster Declarations for Hawaii, California and Guam – September 13, 2014
• Major Disaster Declaration for American Samoa – Sep. 11, 2014
•  Major Disaster Declared for North Dakota August 21, 2014
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Tennessee  August 15, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared in Washington August 15, 2014
• Major Disaster Declared for Iowa August 7, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared in Minnesota July 23, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared for Iowa  July 16, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared for New York  July 11, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Deadly Tornadoes Attack U.S. Midwest

“Particularly dangerous situation” for parts of central US: NWS

Up to 80 powerful twisters [unconfirmed total] wreak havoc in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, causing deaths, injuries and destruction.

Sunday Storm Attacks

At least SIX people were killed and dozens more injured after 67 tornadoes [confirmed total] spawned by a massive weather system struck parts of 9 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. Some 442 events have so far been reported across NINE states after Sunday storm attacks, which flattened large section of the city of Washington, Ill.

UPDATES:

• Indiana – The city of Kokomo, Howard County, Greentown, and Russiaville have declared states of emergency after Nov. 17 storms swept through the state causing “significant damage.”
• “A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” near Washington, Illinois, about 145 miles southwest of Chicago was reported to SPC, the National Weather Service said, adding that the twister was moving northeast at about 55 MPH.

“These storms will be moving very fast … They will be at your location and on to the next location in a matter of minutes. As a result, people cannot wait for visual confirmation of the threat.” —Russell Schneider, Storm Prediction Center.

The storm was moving east at dangerous speeds of up to 97 km/hr, reported the NWS’s Storm Prediction Center.

SPC Storm Reports [unfiltered] for 11-17-13 updated 11-18-13. Some 398 events  including 67 tornadoes [filtered totals] so far reported across NINE states—IL, IA, IN, KY, MI, MO, OH, TN, and WI—during Sunday storm attacks. The bulk of the tornadoes struck Illinois.

Entire neighborhood wiped out

Washington is reportedly the hardest hit area, with one resident saying his neighborhood was wiped out by tornadoes in a matter of seconds, said a report.

“I stepped outside and I heard it coming. My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room and all of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone,” resident Michael Perdun told the Associated Press.

“The whole neighborhood’s gone, the wall of my fireplace is all that is left of my house.”

Probability (%) of Tornado in November (1980 – 1994). Source: NSSL

“Pandemonium. It looks like a war zone”

I saw a “car completely mangled, the houses gone… telephone wires [are] down everywhere, live wires are still down.” Karen Harris, a food truck operator in Washington, told the BBC she saw  “I’m pretty traumatized  from what I saw”

“I actually saw a vehicle in the middle of the road, their left signal light turned on, like they were getting ready to turn, all the windows were out of it, blood was in the back seat. Pandemonium. It looks like a war zone,” Ms Harris added.

“From the window I saw this huge tornado, tonnes of debris flying through the air,” said Laura Nightengale, a reporter with the Journal Star newspaper in Peoria, Illinois, witnessed the approach of a tornado from inside a house in the town.

“I took shelter in the basement. The area that was hit, it’s just absolutely devastated – entire blocks where homes stood this morning right now are just rubble.”

NWS: “particularly dangerous situation”

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of a “particularly dangerous situation” for parts of Midwest.

“Several rapidly moving, intense tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, large hail events and damaging winds are expected in these watch areas,” reported the service.

Dark Storm

The fast-moving storm system darkened downtown Chicago an hour or so after the tornadoes devastated large sections of Washington city, forcing officials to evacuate football fans from a local stadium as a fierce twister swept through the city suburbs.

Tornado Probabilities [Monthly]

Any Tornado	Signif. Tornado (F2-F5)	Violent Tornado (F4-F5)
Java animation	Java animation	Java animation
Monthly frames	Monthly frames	Monthly frames
January	January	January
February	February	February
March	March	March
April	April	April
May	May	May
June	June	June
July	July	July
August	August	August
September	September	September
October	October	October
November	November	November
December	December	Dece

The probability of having one or more days with a tornado within 25 miles of a point sometime during a month. The base data for all tornadoes are the reports from 1980-1994 and for significant and violent tornadoes are the reports from 1921-1995. The values are probabilities in percent. Source: Severe Thunderstorms Climatology

US Composite. (Source: SSEC/Wisc-Uni). Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.

Related Links

• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

• Deadly Tornadoes Attack U.S. Midwest
• Disaster Declared in 3 Texas Counties
• Powerful Tornadoes Attack Dallas Area
• Tornado Death Toll Climbs to 49

• Tornadoes Devastate 2 Small Towns, Kill 12 in 3 States
• Deadly Tornadoes Slam Midwest
• U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012

• Deadly Tornado Hits Rome, Ga
• 43 Tornadoes Reported in 5 States
• Joplin tornado official death toll rises to 151

• Deadly EF2 Tornado Strikes Louisiana Town
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• Fierce Storm Dumps 160mm of Rain over SoCal

Flooding in Kentucky, Raging Wildfires in California

Many rescued in Kentucky amid severe flooding caused by heavy rains

At least 12 people were rescued from floodwaters and about 400 others evacuated after torrential rains hit Louisville area.

“The deluge swamped low-lying areas and flooded streets, trapping people in their homes and cars, as the area was drenched with 6 inches of rain in less than 24 hours,” said a report.

Wildfire burns 1,500 acres, forces hundreds of evacuations

A raging brushfire at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base forced the evacuation of 230 residents from the O’Neill Heights housing area and 22 patients from the base hospital, said a report.

The blaze damaged at least four buildings, but no injuries were reported.

“More than 200 firefighters from the Camp Pendleton Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were battling the blaze. They were assisted by six air tankers and five helicopters,” said the report.

Large blaze reported in southeast Orange County

Meantime, a large blaze was burning out of control in Silverado, an unincorporated area of southeast Orange County, near the edge of the Cleveland National Forest.

The blaze was driven by Santa Ana winds of about 10 mph amid extremely dry conditions, with relative humidity of 7%, LATimes reported.

“The fire started about 10:10 a.m. in a large mulch pile at a nursery in the 27900 block of Baker Canyon Road, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.”

More than 125 fire personnel were trying to contain the flames, so far without any success. The exact size of the fire was not known, as of posting.

Fracking Fluid Likely Killed Threatened Kentucky Fish: USGS

Hydraulic fracturing fluids probably caused widespread death of aquatic species in Acorn Fork, KY

Hydraulic fracturing fluids were probably responsible for the “widespread death or distress of aquatic species” in Kentucky’s Acorn Fork creek. The spilling occurred in the nearby natural gas well sites, according to a joint study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Acorn Fork, a small Appalachian creek, is habitat for the federally threatened Blackside dace, a small colorful minnow. The Acorn Fork is designated by Kentucky as an Outstanding State Resource Waters.

“Our study is a precautionary tale of how entire populations could be put at risk even with small-scale fluid spills,” said USGS scientist Diana Papoulias, the study’s lead author. “This is especially the case if the species is threatened or is only found in limited areas, like the Blackside dace is in the Cumberland.”

The Blackside dace typically lives in small, semi-isolated groups, so harmful events run the risk of completely eliminating a local population. The species is primarily threatened with loss of habitat.

After the spill of hydraulic fracturing fluid, state and federal scientists observed a significant die-off of aquatic life in Acorn Fork including the Blackside dace as well as several more common species like the Creek chub and Green sunfish. They had been alerted by a local resident who witnessed the fish die-off. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commonwealth of Kentucky are currently working towards restoration of the natural resources that were injured by the release.

Water and fish samples collected immediately following the chemical spill in 2007 clearly showed that the hydraulic fracturing fluids significantly degraded water quality in Acorn Fork causing the fish to grow gill lesions, and suffer liver and spleen damage.

“This is an example of how the smallest creatures can act as a canary in a coal mine,” said Tony Velasco, Ecologist for the Fish and Wildlife office in Kentucky, who coauthored the study, and initiated a multi-agency response when it occurred in 2007. “These species use the same water as we do, so it is just as important to keep our waters clean for people and for wildlife.”

The gill lesions were consistent with exposure to acidic water and toxic concentrations of heavy metals. These results matched water quality samples from Acorn Fork that were taken after the spill.

After the fracturing fluids entered Acorn Fork Creek, the water’s pH dropped from 7.5 to 5.6, and stream conductivity increased from 200 to 35,000 microsiemens per centimeter. A low pH number indicates that the creek had become more acidic, and the stream conductivity indicated that there were higher levels of dissolved elements including iron and aluminum.

Blackside dace are found only in the Cumberland River basin of Kentucky and Tennessee and the Powell River basin of Virginia, and are listed as a federally-threatened species since 1987.

Hydraulic fracturing is the most common method for extracting natural gas in Kentucky.

The report is entitled “Histopathological Analysis of Fish from Acorn Fork Creek, Kentucky Exposed to Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Releases,” and is published in the scientific journal Southeastern Naturalist, in a special edition devoted to the Blackside dace.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – 29 April 2013

Devastating Floods in Kentucky Wash Out Bridges, Destroy Infrastructure

Two weeks of severe flooding in eastern and southeastern Kentucky have devastated the region. Many bridges are washed out and dozens of roads and culverts in the region are severely damaged prompting Gov. Beshear to declare a state of emergency for 12 counties on Friday.

• The 12 counties covered by the declaration are Bell, Clay, Crittenden, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lee, Leslie, Owsley, Rockcastle and Whitley, said a report.

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North Dakota and Minnesota

Flood Threat increases for Red and Souris Rivers in North Dakota and Minnesota: River levels on the Souris and Red Rivers in North Dakota are rising as warmer temperatures allow the snowpack to begin a more aggressive thaw. Stream and river rises will continue, along with an increased risk of overland flooding. Flood Watches and Flood Warnings are now in effect in northern North Dakota and Minnesota. —NWS

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Flash floods injure 10, force about 1,000 to flee their homes in North Sumatra, Indonesia

The Aek Mata and Aek Ranto rivers in North Sumatra, Indonesia overflowed on Sunday following an extreme rain event, injuring at least 10 people, 6 of them severely, and forcing about 1,000 people to flee their homes.

• Scores of houses were swept away by the floods, according to a report.
  

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Bangladesh: Death toll from Dhaka building collapse nears 400

At least 385 people are now confirmed dead following Rana Plaza building collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Reuters reported.

• Hundreds of other mostly female garment workers remain unaccounted for.
• The Bangladeshi garment industry employs up to 4 million people, most of them female, some of whom earn just over $1 a day.
  
• About 60 percent of Bangladesh’s low-cost garment exports go to Europe,  23 percent to the U.S., and 5 percent to Canada.

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Famine in Somalia killed 260,000 people in 2011

The 2011 famine in Somalia killed an estimated 260,000 people, half of them aged 5 and under, according to a new report, which is being made public on Thursday by FEWSNET, a Western official briefed on the report told AP.

• The report more than doubles previous death toll estimates by the U.K. government which said between 50,000 and 100,000 people had died in the famine.

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 29, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,048 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,048 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs