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Powerful storm system brings tornadoes and flooding, killing at least 8 in Dallas, Texas
Death toll from a week of severe weather in the southern United States has now climbed to at least 26, with hundreds of homes destroyed or damaged by tornadoes, and flooding.
At least 6 tornadoes touched down in Dallas, Ellis and McClain counties on Saturday, according to the reports received by the storm prediction Center.
Meanwhile, forecasters have warned a “historic blizzard” could hit Texas and Oklahoma with up to 41cm of snow.
Dangerous Weather Continues Through Sunday Across the Middle of the Country
A variety of dangerous weather conditions will continue across the middle of the country through Sunday. Blizzard conditions will stretch from the High Plains of west Texas into northwest Oklahoma and Kansas. Hazardous ice accumulations will occur in Oklahoma. Dangerous flooding will extend from north Texas to central Illinois. Thunderstorms and a few tornadoes are possible in Texas. [NWS]
UK homes evacuated after ‘unprecedented’ flooding
Police have advised hundreds of people to evacuate near the River Ouse and River Foss in York, as floods threaten thousands of properties, said a report.
Hundreds of flood alerts and warnings are in place for England, Wales and Scotland, including more than 20 severe warnings—indicating danger to life.
UK PM David Cameron has called the flooding “unprecedented” and the situation for many as “incredibly serious” in an emergency conference call, promising more troops.
Super gonorrhea ‘could become untreatable’
“Gonorrhea is at risk of becoming an untreatable disease due to the continuing emergence of antimicrobial resistance,” the UK Chief Medical Officer has warned.
The warning follows the detection of a highly drug-resistant strain of the infection in the north of England in March.
The strain can resist the antibiotic azithromycin, which is normally used alongside another drug, ceftriaxone.
The bacteria that cause gonorrhea can mutate and develop new resistance, so we cannot afford to be complacent, said a UK health official.
North of England ‘super gonorrhea’ outbreak triggersnationwide alert
‘Highly resistant’
“This azithromycin highly resistant outbreak is the first one that has triggered a national alert,” a consultant in sexual health based in Bristol, told the BBC News website.
“If this becomes the predominant strain in the UK we’re in big trouble, so we have to be really meticulous in making sure each of these individuals has all their contacts traced and treated.”
In 2011, Japan reported a case of complete resistance to cephalosporin-class antibiotics, which included the main treatment ceftriaxone.
About 35,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported in England in 2014, an increase of almost 20% compared with the previous year. It is the second most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK after chlamydia.
Emergency declared as train carrying sulfuric acid derails in NW QLD
A freight train carrying 200,000 liters of sulfuric acid has derailed east of Julia Creek in NW Queensland, Australia.
The locomotive and all 26 carriages derailed at 10:20am about 20km east of the outback town, prompting authorities to declare an emergency and impose a two-kilometer exclusion zone around the crash site.
Brazil warns against pregnancy amid surge in ZIKV birth defects
States of Emergency have been declared in six Brazilian states after a surge in the number of suspected microcephaly among the newborn linked to Zika virus (ZIKV).
In Pernambuco State, about 1,000 cases have been reported. In Rio de Janeiro, about 400 pregnant women are suspected of having Zika infection. About 3 dozen related infant deaths are being investigated.
Brazilian health authorities are advising would-be parents not to get pregnant, especially in the country’s northeast. The advice follows research that have linked the potentially deadly virus Zika, a mosquito-borne infection, to newborn microcephaly—a neurological disorder that can result in a severe birth defect in which the brain fails to develop properly and the head is much smaller than normal.
“Microcephaly can be caused by genetic factors, infections, or injuries. In recent years, there have been between 150 and 200 cases in Brazil per year. As of 30 November, more than 1,200 cases had been reported in 10 states, all of which have also reported Zika virus infections, says Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, head of the flavivirus laboratory at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”
However, the number of suspected infections have now doubled to more than 2,400 cases and spared to 20 Brazilian states (compared with 147 cases last year).
Storms kill at least a dozen, injure dozens more, leave trails of destruction across the U.S. South
Gov. Haslam approved the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s recommendation to go to a Level III State of Emergency, after storms moved across the state Wednesday night, killing at least two people.
Gov. Deal declared a state of emergency in Georgia for Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens counties through January.
“Following severe weather that resulted in flooding, damage to roads and properties and downed trees, the state is working to ensure the affected counties have access to the resources necessary for response efforts,” said Deal.
Gov. Bryant has declared a State of Emergency in seven Mississippi counties after storms pummeled the state late Wednesday..
Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Prentiss and Tippah counties have all reported damage, at least six dead and more than 40 injuried.
Macon County North Carolina issued a state of emergency after the storm caused severe flooding across the area.
An unknown number of people were injured after the storm overturned planes at a local airport northwest of the state, said reports.
A large tornado, one of at least 3 dozens, landed in Mississippi and raked along a 240-km trail to Tennessee.
SPC received hundreds of severe weather reports including 39 tornadoes, as of posting. Tornadoes left trails of destruction across multiple states: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Beijing air pollution worsens significantly
Air pollution index (AQI) in China hit a high of 592 on Friday and persisted at 562, as of posting.
[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period. —Editor]
There’s apparent confusion among officials concerning the severity and duration of the smog events, on the one hand, and the extent of willpower exercised by government to shoo away the potentially deadly pollution, on the other. The official news agency, Xinhua, wrote:
Even though Beijing has lifted the red alert for severe pollution, the capital city will remain in haze for a few more days. [How dare smog worsens “even though” the authorities have downgraded the pollution warning to the lowest level. Ed.]
The Beijing municipal heavy pollution emergency response headquarters issued a blue alert for heavy pollution in the city on Thursday afternoon, saying smog will hit central Beijing and southern suburbs on Thursday night. It called on residents in these areas to take protective measures.
“Red” represents the most severe warning level on China’s four-tier warning system, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
In addition to Beijing, at least 50 other cities in northern and eastern China have issued air pollution alerts for potentially deadly smog this week.
Powerful storms pound Pacific NW, prompt emergency declaration in Oregon
Gov. Brown has declared a state of emergency for 13 counties following deadly storms that hit the region. Record rainfall and strong winds unleashed widespread flooding and landslides across NW Oregon, destroying roads and other infrastructure, forcing people from their homes and leaving at least two people dead.
The Emergency Proclamation currently covers the counties of Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill.
“Heavy rains and wind have required the evacuation of residences, and mudslides and high water have severely damaged or blocked major roadways in these areas of the state,” said Brown.
State of Emergency Declared in Washington State
Gov. Inslee declared a state of emergency in Washington on Wednesday as record-breaking storms continue to dump historic amounts of precipitation over the region.
The storms broke multiple weather records for the Seattle area, unleashing severe flooding and landslides, closing major roadways and schools and forcing evacuations.
Texas governor has now declared States of Disaster in 70 counties, as severe weather and deadly flash flooding leave trails of death and destruction across the state.
Governor Abbott has expanded his Disaster Proclamation of May 11, 2015, certifying that the extreme weather events, including severe weather, tornadoes and flooding, that began on May 4,2015, has now caused a disaster in 70 Texas counties, said the Executive Clerk to the Governor.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, issued Emergency Disaster Proclamations on May 11, May 15, May 25 and May 26, 2015, certifying that the severe weather, tornado and flooding event that began on May 4, 2015, has caused a disaster in many Texas counties. Severe weather, tornadoes and flooding continue in these and other counties in Texas.
THEREFORE, in accordance with the authority vested in me by Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code, I hereby amend these aforementioned proclamations and declare a disaster in Angelina, Archer, Bastrop, Blanco, Bosque, Bowie, Burleson, Caldwell, Cass, Cherokee, Clay, Collin, Comal, Cooke, Denton, Dewitt, Eastland, Edwards, Ellis, Fannin, Fayette, Gaines, Garza, Gillespie, Grayson, Grimes, Guadalupe, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hood, Houston, Jasper, Johnson, Kaufman, Kendall, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Lynn, Madison, Milam, Montague, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Parker, Real, Red River, Refugio, Rusk, Sabine, San Jacinto, Smith, Travis, Tyler, Uvalde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wharton, Wichita, Williamson, Wilson, Wise and Zavala counties.
The initial Disaster Proclamation was for 13 counties, amended twice previously to include first a total of 37 and then 46 counties (see below links).
Meantime, a quasi-stationery storm system dumped more than 15cm (6 inches) of rain across North Texas overnight. Collin County recorded 17.4cm (6.85in) of rain.
This week’s deadly storms dumped about 3.86 bbls (162 billion gallons) of water on the Houston area, destroying or damaging thousands of homes, washing away roads and cars and causing flooding across much of Houston.
PRECIPITATION DATA for May 1 – 28
Station: Houston International
Total Rainfall: 35cm (13.59in)
Departure from Normal: 23cm (9.01in)
Greatest 24hr: 13.0cm (5.11in) on May 25-26
[National Weather Service, NWS]
Oklahoma Gov. amends Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency for all 77 counties
“In light of continued storm and flooding damage over the weekend, Governor Fallin today amended an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 44 counties to a statewide emergency declaration. All 77 counties are now in a state of emergency. Under the executive order, state agencies can make emergency purchases and acquisitions needed to expedite the delivery of resources to local jurisdictions,” said a statement issued by her office on Tuesday.
The storms, flooding and tornadoes have killed at least 40 across Texas, Oklahoma and the Mexican city of Ciudad Acuna, with more than a dozen people still unaccounted for.
State of emergency declared in New South Wales amid deadly weather
More than two days of cyclonic storms with pounding rain and gale-force winds have prompted the NSW premier Mike Baird to declare disaster in a dozen areas between Sydney’s Northern Beaches and the Hunter Valley in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
The disaster declarations cover Dungog, Newcastle City, Maitland, Cessnock, Gosford, Warringah, Great Lakes, Lake Macquarie, Pittwater, Port Stephens, Singleton and Wyong, said the Baird in a statement.
At least three people were killed in the town of Dungog, north of Newcastle, on Tuesday, and police retrieved the body of a fourth victim near Maitland, north-west of Newcastle, late Wednesday, said a report.
The State Emergency Services (SES) issued an evacuation order for several areas warning residents to leave immediately.
Powerful storms packing “cyclonic” winds and torrential rains have battered the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), killing at least three people, destroying many homes, and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of customers.
The deaths occurred in Dungog, where 312mm of rain fell in under 24 hours.
The worst affected areas are Sydney and the regions of Hunter, Central Coast and Illawarra, said officials.
“There is no doubt this is a very severe storm event, indeed it is a once in 10-year event,” said NSW Premier Mike Baird.
“We have lost some homes. There is a number of roofs taken off. We have also lost life. It is a huge storm event that is wreaking havoc across NSW.”
“We haven’t seen this sort of weather pattern, this east coast low or one as severe as this in years,” said SES Deputy Commissioner Steven Pearce told ABC News.
“The consistent gale force winds which are actually cyclonic in some areas with gusts up to 135km/h.”
“I haven’t seen a storm of this magnitude in my time here at the SES and, indeed, this would be the largest storm operation in the last 10 years,” he said.
“We’ve never seen these cyclonic winds last for 24 hours straight. That’s what’s caused the majority of the damage.
Media player: “Space” to play, “M” to mute, “left” and “right” to seek.
“We’ve had over 6,500 requests for assistance and on top of that, with the enormous amount of rainfall – up to 320 millimetres in over 24 hours – we’ve seen about 80 flood rescues. We’ve seen homes washed away, whole streets decimated.”
Haboob strikes Ukraine/Belarus border turning daylight into night in Soligorsk, Belarus
A haboob laced with high winds and torrential rains swept through portions of Belarus, including the capital, Minsk, cutting-off electricity, felling trees and damaging buildings this week, the local media reported.
A haboob (Arabic:”blast/ draft”) is an intense dust storm propelled by an atmospheric gravity current.
The following video from YouTube was available only in the original language.
Major air and sea traffic disruptions as hurricane-force winds batter N. Europe
Hurricane-force westerly winds, with gusts of up to 120 km/h sweeping in from the North Sea, disrupted air, land and marine traffic throughout the Netherlands, prompting the Dutch meteorological office (KNMI) to issue a “code red” warning for the country’s coastal provinces.
Some ferry services and scores of flights to and from Schiphol airport were cancelled, local media reported.
The flight cancellations were the second in three days, following a major power outage at Schiphol Airport on March 27, which also led to air traffic chaos.
Authorities also closed two container terminals at the port of Rotterdam, forcing ships to queue out at sea.
Storm triggers deadly mudslides in Southern California
Heavy rain and high winds brought by a Pacific storm lashed Southern California, triggering flash floods and mudslides that killed at least one person, and damaged scores of homes, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.
In Glendora, a suburb of Los Angeles, where a major wildfire had scorched the land, mudslides blocked several roads and prompted the authorities to place at least 1,000 homes under evacuation orders.
In Camarillo Springs, a town located about 75km NW of LA, mudslide destroyed about 20 homes.
The storm dumped about 4 cm of rain in Downtown Los Angeles on Friday, reports said.
Destructive storms kill at least 5 in New York, Maryland
Fierce, tornado-spawning storms have killed at least 5 people, destroying homes, uprooting trees and downing power lines across larges swathes of the country from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic region.
The storms cut power to more than 500,000 homes and businesses, mostly in New York and Pennsylvania, according to reports.
Severe thunderstorms, heavy rains, EF-1 tornado cause widespread damage in Louisiana
The tornado targeted Marathon Petroleum Corp. refinery, damaging a cooling tower and shutting down the unit.
Floodwaters have inundated hundreds of homes and businesses across the state, and Gov. Jindal could issue a State of Emergency soon.
Heavy rains and the threat for flash flooding will continue along the central Gulf Coast, NWS forecast.
“Heavy rain will continue on Friday across parts of the southeastern U.S. The heaviest rain will be along the central Gulf Coast, where there is a risk of flash flooding. Strong thunderstorms are possible for the northern Plains Friday and Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms are also possible across the Carolinas and New England”
EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS ‘WORST EVER’ STORM IN ARGENTINA EXTREME RAIN EVENT MASS EVACUATIONS STATE OF EMERGENCY .
State of Emergency Declared in Argentina as Powerful Storm Batters the Country
Thousands of people have been evacuated to temporary shelters, as a major storm system dumps more than 210 mm of rain, or the equivalent of entire year’s rainfall, in six days.
The storm, named LUCREZIA on Internet, and said to be the country’s worst cyclonic storms in decades, pounded multiple provinces, including Neuquén, Rio Negro, Santa Fe, Cordoba, Entre Rios, Catamarca, and Santiago del Estero, according to local reports.
The military are assisting in the search and evacuation of civilians in areas affected by the storm, especially in the worst hit province of Nequén, where hundreds of homes are flooded.
About 118mm of rain fell across the province in less than 24 hours, just short of half the annual total. More than 1,300 people were evacuated from the provincial capital, Neuquén City, and smaller towns throughout the usually arid Patagonian province, said Buenos Aires Herald.
The electricity is cut off and transport system has shut down; offices, shops and schools are closed.
Original caption: Strong storms struck much of the country in recent days leading to thousands of evacuations since Saturday. Neuquén (pictured) was the worst-hit province, where some 1,000 people were evacuated. Other provinces badly hit by floods include Río Negro, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Mendoza, Catamarca and Santiago del Estero. Credit BA Herald. Image may be subject to copyright.
“One-in-100-year” storm inundates Christchurch, New Zealand
Hundreds of homes have been flooded in Christchurch, New Zealand, after a storm “quickly escalated” battering the city with hurricane-force blasts and extreme rains.
Residents have been warned of health risks from contaminated floodwaters that have inundated homes, businesses and streets, while the storm was graded as a one-in-100-year event, said the city mayor.
“This was a significant, escalating event that moved very quickly from a one-in-five-year event to a one-in-100-year event,” she said.
“The weather forecasts did not predict an event of this gravity.” [The weather forecasters were caught by surprise. Editor]
WE TOLD YOU SO!
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS .
Massive Waves, High Tides Overwhelm Towns in Ireland, SW England, W France
Multiple storms packing up to hurricane-force winds and generating significant waves, combined with driving rain and high tides have flooded large coastal areas in Ireland, Wales, SW England and western France.
At least three separate storm systems have wreaked havoc across western Europe since late last week.
British Isles: Infrared satellite image. Source: EUMETSAT/ UK Met Office. The image was enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog. Yes! We’ve noticed the unusual formation to the right of the image.
In England, dozens of towns and villages in several counties were flooded. The worst hit areas included the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire and Somerset in SW England.
“Places flooded in Cornwall include Looe, Fowey, Newlyn, Porthleven and Mevagissey. Devonport in Plymouth and Kingsbridge, Devon, have also been flooded,” said a report.
“There’s been flooding in Mevagissey, the main road in Fowey and the seafront is closed in Penzance because of the concern of debris being thrown by waves on to the road,” said a County official in Cornwall.
“Clearly there’s a severe amount of coastal damage and we need a clear weather window to start repairs.”
A woman was killed in Sussex after being carried out to sea by strong currents on Saturday, the report said.
UK Police warned that flood-hit villages were being targeted by thieves.
On Sunday, the UK Environment Agency issued hundreds of flood warnings and flood alerts including 9 severe flood warnings (danger to life) for the coastal areas.
In Wales, additional warnings of for more severe wind and torrential rain were issued as clean-up from the weekend storms continued, said a report.
“Very strong winds are likely, with gusts of up to 70mph and perhaps even 80mph along some coastlines in the south west,” reported the UK Met Office, warning that very strong winds will cause coastal flooding.
Storms devastate many areas in Ireland
Storms and widespread flooding have devastated many areas in Ireland, leaving hundreds of families homeless. An Orange Alert remained in effect around the country.
Many people “had to be rescued from their homes as the country was hit with gale force winds, heavy rain and serious flooding in various parts, said a report.
Residents in the Aran Islands have been cut off from local resources after roads were destroyed by massive walls of water.
“Many of the inland roads are gone meaning people can’t get out of their homes,” explained a resident. “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
“We have been devastated this time round,” she added.
Meanwhile, a violent storm battering the west coast of Ireland left a beach submerged in 7 feet of sea foam, said a report.
We Told You So!
In November 2009, EDRO/FIRE-EARTH Models forecast Climate Change could directly affect about half the population in the UK within 3 to 5 years. Our Forecast and most of the links posted below have since been filtered, censored, blocked or buried by Google, WordPress and others.
Tens of Thousands of UK homes remain without power, 1,200 flooded, as more hurricane-force winds and heavy rains threaten Europe
The UK authorities have warned of further significant disruption from floods in southern England, and issued more than 200 flood warnings and alerts throughout England and Wales.
Damage from the last round of storms has caused power cuts and travel delays, as more severe storms approach the country.
River Medway. Photo taken from the Redhill Police and Air Ambulance reveal the extent of the flooding on the Medway, Kent, England. Source: Kent Police Pictures.
Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded before Christmas, with scores of flight delays and cancellations after flooding caused a major power failure in the airport, said a report.
The authorities at Gatwick airport called the weather “unprecedented.”
Meantime, the UK Met Office is warning of another storm system from the Atlantic which is forecast to hit the country by early Friday.
Hurricane force winds with gusts of up to 150 km/h (80mph) are forecast for some coastal areas, said the report.
Deadly storms cripple transport, cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes in UK and France
At least threepeople have been killed in storm-related incidents as storms with winds of up to 100mph continued to batter the UK, crippling the transport network and cutting power to at least 100,000 homes in southern England.
The UK’s Environment Agency has issued hundreds of flood warnings across England and Wales with the highest warning level, “danger to life,” for the South West, where flooding is forecast to inundate large areas.
The chaos began just as millions of Britons were planning to return home or travel out of the country for Christmas holidays.
In the Southern England the impact of the storm system “has been greater than that of St Jude’s a few weeks ago and the railway has suffered flooding and dozens of trees have fallen on the tracks,” said the operator, Network Rail.
“A man in England and a woman in Wales died when heavy rain and strong winds lashed the UK on Monday. A woman has also died in a car crash in ‘difficult conditions’ in Shropshire,” reported BBC.
“Gusts of 87mph were recorded at Capel Curig in Conwy, North Wales, and disruption has been caused across Wales.”
“Northern Ireland will face some of the worst weather in the UK on Christmas Eve, with warnings of winds of up to 90mph.”
UK High Streets have reported a 6% fall in shopper numbers compared with last year, said the report.
IR Satellite Image of Northern Europe at 08:00UTC on December 24, 2013. Copyright EUMETSAT/UK Met Office.
Wind Warning by the UK Met Office:
A spell of very strong winds will affect Northern Ireland through Tuesday morning. Gusts of 60-70 mph are expected inland with 80 mph gusts possible along the North coast and over high ground. Along with the winds there will be sleet and snow showers these mainly affecting County Derry and County Antrim.
The public should be prepared for disruption, particularly to travel, and interruptions to power supplies.
France: 240,000 homes without power
High winds and torrential rains battering France have severely damaged the country’s power grid, leaving at least 240,000 homes without electricity, said Électricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF), the country’s largest electricity distribution network on Tuesday.
At least one person has died in storm-related incidents so far.
“Brittany and Normandy were among the regions worst hit by winds reaching speeds of 130 km an hour (80 mph) on Monday and which have so far caused one death. The storms began abating on Tuesday morning,” reported Reuters.
Gale-force winds, rain batter western UK, damaging property, felling trees and cutting power to thousands
Thousands of homes in NW England, SW Wales and Northern Ireland were left without electricity as gale-force winds and rain battered western UK.
Gusts of 145km/h (90mph) were reported in exposed areas of western Scotland and the Western Isles, said BBC.
Multiple flood warnings are in effect in Scotland, Wales and south-west England and an amber warning of severe gales has been issued by the UK Met Office.
Highlights from the report:
Scottish Environment Protection Agency flood warnings, indicating “flooding is expected, immediate action required”, are in force for a large part of the west and central Scotland.
At least 25 Environment Agency flood warnings are in effect, as authorities urge homeowners in Wales, south-west England and north-west England to take action.
Northern Ireland Electricity said more damage to power lines during the night is expected.
Officials have warned of a possible tidal surge affecting in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.
Two South West Trains hit trees on railroads in southern England.
Northern Ireland Electricity said, “we are expecting the winds to peak in the early hours of the morning causing additional disruption to electricity supplies.”
Several injuries have been reported, at least two people are missing.
Disasters affected 5+ million people across China in November: Officials
[Human-enhanced] natural disasters across China left 330,000 people displaced, dozens dead, and an unknown number of others injured in November, according to official figures.
Official Toll
Number of People Affected: More than five million
Displaced: 330,000
Fatalities: 24
Injured: Not known
No. of homes destroyed or damaged: 255,000 dwellings
Crop area affected: 661,900 hectars (ha)
Cropland destroyed: 67,600 ha
Direct economic losses: 6.81 billion yuan ($1.12 billion)
Source: the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction/via Xinhua.
“Natural disasters last month were mainly earthquakes and typhoons, while droughts, floods and snowstorms also played their part. The overall damages were heavier than those from the same period last year,” the report said.
Ten beached whales die in Florida Everglades, dozens stranded
At least ten beached whales have died as rescuers tried to save dozens more that were stranded in shallow waters in Florida’s Everglades National Park, said wildlife officials.
The whales, believed to be short-finned pilot whales, were first spotted on Tuesday pm near the Gulf of Mexico, according to the park officials.
Adult short-finned pilot whales weigh 1,000 to 3,000kg with females and males averaging 12 and 18 feet long receptively. They typically travel in pods of about 30 animals.
Wildlife officials said the rescue efforts to save the whales by pushing them into deeper waters would resume Thursday morning.
Video footage showed at least one carcass reduced to a bare skeleton and large chunks of flesh missing from others, possibly bitten by sharks.
NSA collects and anal-yzes 5 billion cellphone records each day
The US National Security Agency collects and analyzes about 5 billion cellphone records each day indicating location data around the world, according to a new report by Washington Post based on the records leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
FOUR Canadian soldiers commit suicide in one week
At least four Canadian soldiers have committed suicide in just one week, probably overcome by pangs of conscience.
At least three of the soldiers had “served” in Afghanistan, according to Canadian Defense officials.
In the latest incident, a married 46-year-old soldier apparently committed suicide on Monday. His body was found near his base in Quebec. Sylvain Lelievre had served in Bosnia and Afghanistan, according to reports.
Last week, the bodies of three other soldiers were discovered. They were Michael McNeil, William Elliott and Travis Halmrast. They were based in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta respectively.
30,000 Eritreans “abducted to Sinai desert for ransom”
Up to 30,000 Eritreans have been abducted since 2007 and taken to Egypt’s Sinai desert to suffer torture and ransom demands, according to a new research.
Victims are kidnapped in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan and taken to Sinai where they are held captive in the mostly lawless desert.
The abductors have extorted at least $600m from families in ransom payments, says the study.
“The study, presented to the European parliament, says Eritrean and Sudanese security officers are colluding with the kidnap gangs,” according to a report.
Ferocious storm cuts power to 25,000 homes in Scotland, shuts rail network
>Winds of up to 116 mph (187 km/h) battered parts of Scottish highlands cutting power to at least 25,000 customers and forcing the authorities to shut down the entire rail network due to debris on the tracks.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency has warned of flooding risks in coastal areas and Traffic Scotland advised drivers to avoid traveling in multiple areas due to “extremely dangerous” conditions, reports said.
Fast-food workers in 100 US cities will walk off the job
The strike is part of a nationwide movement, which began a year ago to increase federal minimum wage, unchanged since 2009, from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. The workers also want the right to unionize.
“We have people going to work every day and coming home to no utilities or having to make tough decisions on whether to eat or pay rent. But they go to work and work hard every day and they’re good at their jobs and these companies should take care of their employees and do better. We know that they have the profit,” said a worker.
“Dramatic increases in a starting wage such as those called for in these rallies will challenge that job growth history, increase prices for restaurant meals, especially in the value segments and lead to fewer jobs created,” said the National Restaurant Association.
The Met Office in the UK has Issued the following Warning and Assessment for Saturday – Sunday
Warning Westerly winds will strengthen through Saturday afternoon and into the evening, bringing gusts of 50-60 mph to many parts of the warning area, and locally around 70 mph along exposed coasts.
The public should be aware of the risk of localized disruption, particularly to travel.
Chief Forecaster’s assessment A deep area of low pressure will track east across Ireland and southern Scotland during the course of Saturday and early Sunday, bringing a spell of windy weather to many parts of the UK.
The strongest winds are expected to affect parts of southwest England and south Wales later on Saturday afternoon and during the evening, accompanied by squally heavy showers, including the risk of hail and thunder. With many trees still in leaf, the forecast wind gusts are likely to lead to some branches and trees being brought down, whilst leading to difficult driving conditions and also affecting outdoor events such as firework displays. Large waves and over-topping are also likely along some stretches of coastline.
Large tree uprooted by storm in Pendine in Carmarthenshire. Image credit: Lewis Hancox, via Bbc
High Winds and Flood Warnings
Storm-force winds gusting up to 130 km/hr have uprooted numerous trees, blocking roads and causing difficult driving conditions in Wales, said a report.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued 10 flood warnings are for the coastal areas, with concerns over high tides.
High winds have knocked out power to thousands of homes in SW Britain.
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High Winds Knock Out Power to Thousands in the U.S., Canada
Meantime, back in the U.S., high winds from Halloween Storm have knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers across a vast region including parts of Ohio and West Virginia.
In Canada, near hurricane force winds knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of Quebec residences on Friday.
Environment Canada issued a wind warning early Friday as storms uprooted trees, shattered windows, tore roofs off buildings and left more than 350,000 customers without power.
“Just north of Montreal, the Centre Laval shopping mall was evacuated Friday afternoon after severe weather sent scaffolding crashing into the building, severing a gas line in the process,” said a report.
Arkansas Gov. Beebe has declared disaster in six counties in the northern part of the state due to the losses and damages that have occurred to the county’s critical infrastructure following the August 8 flooding.
The counties of Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion and Newton were declared state disaster areas due to damage caused by severe storms and flooding over the past week.
Damages have occurred to the critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, as a result of the deluge, said Carroll County Department of Emergency Management.
Other Disasters/ Significant events
State of Emergency Declared in Washington County, FL
A State of Emergency, has been declared in Washington County due to severe flooding.
Extreme rain events since Sunday have flooded numerous roads, prompting officials to urge people to stay off the road, said a report.
The provincial governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan has declared disaster in the area, after eight districts were buffeted by powerful storms.
Prachuap Khiri Khan is a central province of Thailand located in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, about 240 km (150 miles) south of the capital Bangkok.
“The storms hit the province at 3am on Saturday followed by heavy rains and high waves up to four metres in the Gulf of Thailand,” said a report.
Latest States of Emergency Declared in the U.S. and Canada
Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada: Massive power outage as ice storm hits region
Three Ontario townships — Wellesley, Woolwich and North Perth — have declared states of emergency after ice storm hit Waterloo Region, said a report.
Minnesota: Gov. Dayton has declared a state of emergency in SW Minnesota, after activating the National Guard.
“Six to 8 inches of wet snow fell early Thursday on top of the thick layer of ice that accumulated Tuesday night in Nobles and Jackson counties,” said a report.
Missouri: Gov. Nixon has declared a state of emergency in Missouri after severe storms, strong thunderstorms, straight line winds and tornadoes caused damage in the St. Louis region and and power outages across southern Missouri, according to the governor’s office.
Tennessee: Officials have declared a state of emergency after reports of a possible tornado and damage in Monroe County, Tennessee, said a report.
Mississippi. Gov. Bryant has declared a State of Emergency for Kemper and Noxubee counties due to the damage caused by severe storms and tornadoes, according to the governor’s office.
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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 15, 2013— SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,062 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,062 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
Severe storm, tornado cause significant damage to Arkansas counties
Arkansas Governor Beebe declared 15 counties across Arkansas disaster areas on Thursday, a day after a severe storm and at least one tornado swept through the state.
An EF-2 tornado touched down in the Botkinburg area of Van Buren County on Wednesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.
The tornado had peak winds of up to 135 mph and a width of about 400 yards; it damaged or destroyed dozens of houses.
Counties covered under the declaration are Cleburne, Conway, Garland, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Lincoln, Montgomery, Polk, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, and Yell Counties.
Damage assessments continue, and additional counties may be added to the disaster declaration, according to Gov. Beebe’s Office.
Iowa Disaster Declaration
Governor Branstad has declared disaster for 10 counties in northwest Iowa following the losses and damage caused by severe weather.
Counties included in the proclamation are Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth and Sioux.
Beginning April 9, severe storm systems affected the state of Iowa. The storm systems spawned severe weather, including damaging winds, heavy rains, thunderstorms, freezing rains, and ice storms and caused significant damage to public and private property, power outages resulting from downed power lines and poles, and large debris piles. Full declaration posted here.
Iowa Disaster Declaration #2
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 22 Iowa counties as disaster areas due to the combined effects of freezing temperatures and continuing drought conditions.
Other Disaster Declarations in Iowa
“Kossuth County, Iowa has been designated as a primary disaster area for drought conditions beginning March 15, 2013 and continuing. Seven Iowa counties are contiguous to this designated disaster area, making these producers also potentially eligible for program based on this designation. The contiguous counties are: Emmet, Hancock, Humboldt, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Winnebago, and Wright,” said a report.
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
N. Korea threatens nuclear strike on Tokyo
Pyongyang has decried Japan’s standing order to shoot down any North Korean missile heading toward Japanese islands, threatening a nuclear strike against Tokyo.
If Japan maintains its “hostile posture,” N. Korea has warned, Tokyo would be “consumed in nuclear flames.”
At least 50,000 Sudanese flee to Chad amid Darfur clashes
More than 50,000 Sudanese have fled into southeastern Chad since last week following renewed tribal conflict in the Darfur region, UN officials said. Some 74,000 refugees have fled to Chad in the past two months, the UN High Commission for Refugees said, Reuters reported.
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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 12, 2013— SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,065 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,065 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
Severe Storms to Hit Ohio/Tennessee Valleys, Southern Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S.
Another round of severe weather is forecast for Thursday across the eastern Ohio, Tennessee River Valleys, the southern Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. The storms will bring damaging winds, tornadoes and large hail, targeting parts of Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, NWS reported.
A powerful storm will bring a variety of weather hazards to parts of the central & eastern U.S. on Thursday. In addition to winter weather conditions over parts of the Upper Midwest & Great Lakes, there is a risk of severe thunderstorms for a large portion of the Ohio Valley & Southeast. Flash flooding will also be a threat for much of the lower & mid-Mississippi Valley into the lower Great Lakes. —NOAA
Filtered storm reports gathered by SPC. The map shows some 180 reports including 2 tornadoes.
U.S. weather hazards Map for April 11, 2013. Source: NWS
Washington, USA. Gov. Gregoire has declared a State of Emergency for all counties east of the Cascades on due to destructive wildfires.
“This is one of the worst fire situations that I can recall during my time as governor. Firefighters have done a tremendous job to keep people safe, and keep the number of homes lost to a minimum. But they need more resources – especially as we expect weather conditions to remain less than favorable.” Gregoire said.
Multiple fires “currently threaten over 500 homes, resulting in numerous evacuations,” she added.
The Wenatchee Complex includes over 50 lightning-caused fires burning in Chelan County.
Alaska. “An unseasonable storm of considerable size and strength is affecting the southern mainland this weekend with strong winds and heavy rains. The low is near the Alaska Peninsula moving towards Bristol Bay.” NWS reported.
Utah. Washington County has declared a state of emergency after flash floods damaged Santa Clara, Ivins and St. George, reports said.
Idaho. Up to a million acres are being consumed by wildfires across Idaho. The largest blazes include:
Mustang Complex: 315,000 acres
Trinity Ridge Fire
Sheep Fire
Mcguire Complex
Halstead
Porcupine Complex
Powell Sbw Complex
Portugal. In the first 8 months this year, 16,168 forest fires consumed 73,055 hectares of forest, up 81 percent from 2011, said a report.
“One single giant blaze at Tavira, in the Algarve, which broke out on 18 July, ravaged 21,347 hectares of forest – some 29 percent of the total for all of Portugal from January and August.”
Okinawa.NEWS BLACKOUT IN EFFECT CONCERNING THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY TYPHOON SANBA
Fire Earth 