State of Disaster Declared in Michigan due to Flooding

19 Michigan counties, two cities declared disaster areas after flooding

Gov. Snyder has declared a state of disaster for 19 counties and two cities—Grand Rapids and Ionia—due to damage caused by flooding to homes, businesses, public facilities and infrastructure.

• The declaration is in response to flooding, which occurred April 9 through May 3.

• Along with Grand Rapids and Ionia, the governor’s disaster declaration also covers the following counties: Baraga, Barry, Benzie, Genesee, Gogebic, Gratiot, Houghton, Ionia, Kent, Keweenaw, Marquette, Mecosta, Midland, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Ottawa and Saginaw, according to the Governor’s website.

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Panama Paralyzed by Drought

The Panamanian government declared a drought emergency in four provinces, comprising about 35% of the nation’s territory.

• Panama ordered government offices and private businesses to slash their power consumption, and temporarily closed schools in response to a drought that has decimated the tropical Central American nation’s hydroelectric power supply, which accounts for more than 60% of electricity production, said a report.

• “Opening hours for government offices will be reduced, while supermarkets, bars, cinemas, restaurants, casinos and other night spots would have to close between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, according to a statement from the president’s office.”
• Private businesses must cut air-conditioning use by 4 hours a day, starting Wednesday.

• “The drought has killed hundreds of cattle, damaged crops, and caused some $200 million in losses in Panama.”

Coastal districts of Los Santos and Guararé, Panama, have been experiencing a drought since 2011. Image source: NewsroomPanama

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State of Emergency Declared in Catawba County, North Carolina

Extreme rain events triggered severe flooding in the High Country of North Carolina, sparking a State of Emergency in Catawba County, said a report.

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State of Emergency Declared in Swan River, Manitoba, CA

The Town of Swan River in Manitoba was under a state of emergency, as of posting, due to rising waters along the banks the Swan River, which was expected to reach flood stage sometime Wednesday, said a report.

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Dhaka building collapse death toll reaches 807

Death toll from the collapse of Rana Plaza, the stricken factory building near the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, has climbed to 807, officials said.

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DISASTER CALENDAR – May 8, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,039 Days Left 

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

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,039 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

Disaster Diary – April 22, 2013

Earthquake in China: Up to 208 dead, 11,500 injured, 150,000 displaced, 1.5 million affected

The magnitude 7.0 quake, which struck the mountainous Lushan County of Sichuan Province in SW China on Saturday, has killed up to 208 people (184 bodies recovered, 24 others missing), injured more than 11,500, including about 1,000 serious injuries, left an estimated 150,000 people homeless, and directly affected at least 1.5 million people.

More than 2,300 aftershocks have been recorded in Lushan County as of 4 p.m. Beijing time on Monday, the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) reported; however, only four of the initial shocks were significant, measuring greater than 5.0Mw.

More than 200 major landslides have blocked 57 roads and highways  in 3 areas within the quake damage zone, China’s CCTV reported. The landslides have also severely damaged much of the vegetation in the disaster zone increasing the likelihood of more landslides triggered by rain.

Freeze frame from a CCTV video clip showing one of more than 200 major landslides that have caused 57 road and highway blockages in the quake hit area of Sichuan Province, SW China.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Nigeria fighting: Scores killed, more than 2,000 homes destroyed

Intense fighting between the Nigerian military forces and Boko Haram militants in Baga, northern Nigeria has reportedly killed about 200 people.

• Much of the town was torched, including some 2,000 homes, causing many of the fatalities. Most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
• “Residents of Baga fled into the bush and only returned on Sunday afternoon to find much of the town destroyed and human and animal corpses strewn through the streets,” said a report.
• Since 2009, thousands of people have lost their life in the Boko Haram insurgency.

CHINA: Avian Flu Cases Steadily Rising

China confirmed two new cases of human H7N9 avian influenza in Zhejiang Province. The total number of reported infections stand at 104, including 21 deaths, as of 4:00 pm Monday, Beijing time, said a report.

US: City of Grand Rapids Declares a State of Emergency

Rising Grand River has inundated scores of homes in several western Michigan towns and communities, prompting the authorities to declare states of emergency in Grand Rapids and Kent county.

The mayor of small town of Beardstown, has also declared a state of emergency, as Illinois River water levels continued to rise.

Illinois Gov. Quinn has declared 3 additional counties disaster areas from flooding, raising the disaster declaration total  to at least 41 counties.

Flooding and high water across the Midwesthave been responsible for at least 6 deaths, reports said.

Flooding have been reported in six states, and Flood Warnings were in effect across parts of 14 states, as of posting.

US Flood Map shows 174 locations in flood as of 04/22/2013 at 11:50 am EDT [04/22/2013 15:50 UTC]

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 22, 2013 —  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,055 Days Left 

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

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,055 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

Flood News

Flooding News Headlines

More rain, snow, National Guard troops for Montana

The governor of flood-plagued Montana ordered more National Guard troops to join the anti-flood effort, while states downstream along the bloated Missouri River strengthened levees and laid sandbags ahead of the release of waters from dams and reservoirs. More …

Lake Champlain inching again toward destructive level

Lake Champlain, responding to the immense volume of rainfall that struck northern Vermont and the Adirondacks last Thursday, has risen to 102.75 feet above sea level as of 2 p.m. Sunday and will keep rising toward a potentially destructive level, the U.S. Geological Survey and National Weather Service reported. More …

Storms cause flooding in Chicago, suburbs

Severe storms with intense downpours caused flooding on roads and in basements throughout the city and suburbs Sunday. More …

Dakota Dunes braces for rising river; Sioux City put on alert

Rising waters all along the Missouri River mean flooding problems in Siouxland this spring. More…

Flash flooding hits Sydney – One Dead

Torrential rain caused chaos across Sydney on Monday, with city motorists rescued from flash floods and one man dead in a major freeway pile-up. More …

Floodwaters in Quebec’s Richelieu Valley expected to peak today

For the third time in 45 days, floodwater in the Richelieu Valley southeast of Montreal is expected to peak today. But, unlike other high water marks this spring, flood forecasters are finally promising better days ahead. More…

B.C., Alberta prepare for floods as Manitoba, Quebec prepare for cleanup

As the flood waters recede in Manitoba, parts of Alberta and British Columbia are being threatened by overflowing rivers and Quebec’s Richelieu River valley remains submerged. More …

From 2011 Disaster Calendar – May 30

Mass die-offs resulting from planetary response to the harm caused by humans could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,752 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• South Dakota, USA. Clay County Commission has issued a countywide State of Emergency “to prepare for significantly higher water levels as the Corps of Engineers increases releases from the dams,” a report said.
• Alberta, Canada. The Municipal District of Foothills in Alberta has declared a state of emergency because of widespread flooding.
• China.  At least one million people died of tobacco-related diseases (10 percent of them from secondhand smoke), accounting for 13 percent of China’s total of 9.43 million of deaths in 2010, a report said.
• “China has more than 300 million smokers, and those smokers are not only damaging their own health. Second-hand smoke attacks about 740 million people, including 180 million children and teenagers, according to the 2011 China Tobacco Control Report released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) Thursday in Beijing.”

2011 Disasters

• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar