Floods
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Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rainstorms in Asunción, Paraguay leave at least 3 people dead

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After no casualties were reported initially following heavy rainfalls in the Paraguayan capítal of Asunción, fresh reports Wednesday mentioned that at least three people had died, in addition to houses and schools destroyed.

The storm that hit the Central Department and other areas of Paraguay between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning left three people dead, families displaced from their homes, houses, and schools unroofed, and countless damages in the streets.

In San Lorenzo, 34 years old Sergio Ortiz died Tuesday when the storm caused the collapse of one of the walls of his house, according to Telefuturo. The other family members had to be evacuated.

According to Paraguay's Meteorology and Hydrology Department, the rainfall registered during Tuesday's storm reached 70 millimeters. The highest amount of rainfall was in San Lorenzo.


Cloud Precipitation

Mozambique - Death toll from Cyclone Gombe rises to more than 50

Floods in Mozambique after Cyclone Gombe, March 2022.
© National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD)Floods in Mozambique after Cyclone Gombe, March 2022.
Over 50 people have now lost their lives in Mozambique as a result of severe conditions brought by Tropical Cyclone Gombe. Satellite imagery shows over 500 km2 of land in Nampula and Zambezia provinces was under water.

The Southern Region of Malawi was also severely impacted, with over 100,000 people displaced according to Red Cross reports.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gombe made landfall over the coastal area of central Nampula province in the early hours of 11 March 2022, with strong winds and heavy rain.

As of 14 March, 100,441 people had been affected in Nampula and Zambezia provinces, with 50 people and 15 fatalities.

These figures have increased dramatically over the last few days as access to affected areas has opened and damage assessments carried out.


Cloud Precipitation

Flooding after heavy rain in Auckland, New Zealand

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New Zealand: Warnings for thunderstorms, after heavy rain in Auckland, Northland.


Cloud Precipitation

New floods hit Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -16 inches of rain in just 10 hours

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Heavy floods hit Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil today, on March 20th 2022.

Heavy rains caused flooding throughout the city, with drains overflowing due to the volume of water.

Streets filled with fast moving water, as cars were washed away. Roads were closed as they became impassable.

Homes were flooded, with possessions destroyed. Businesses were forced to close, as produce was ruined. Shelters are in place to help those affected.


Comment: Floodlist reports:
Brazil - Deadly Floods and Landslides Strike Again in Petrópolis

Torrential rain from 20 March 2022 caused flooding and landslides once again in the metropolitan area of Petrópolis and surrounding areas of Fluminense Mountain Region, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

As many as 233 people lost their lives in landslides and flash flooding that ripped through the city on 15 February 2022.

Heavy rainfall struck again from 20 March 2022. Petrópolis Civil Defence reported 415 mm of rain fell in São Sebastião in just 10 hours, with 217.4 mm of that total falling in a 4 hour period between 14:00 and 18:00.

Around 100 incidents of landslides and flooding have been reported across the city, with roads inundated and buildings damaged or destroyed. Emergency teams have carried out search and rescue operations and as of early (local time) 21 March, the Military Fire Corps of the State of Rio de Janeiro reported 5 fatalities and 4 people missing.

Warnings were issued for severe weather and local authorities opened 19 emergency accommodation centres in advance. As of 21 March, 149 people had evacuated their homes and moved to emergency accommodation in the neighbourhoods of Morin, Vila Felipe, Sargento Boening, Alto da Serra, São Sebastião and Quitandinha among others.
Details of the February event: Mudslides and floods kill at least 152 after 10 inches of rain in just 3 hours in the city of Petropolis, Brazil


Cloud Precipitation

Flash flooding in the area of Birmingham, Alabama

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Severe storm weather hit the state of Alabama, USA between March 16th and today March 18th 2022.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding in the area of Birmingham, Jefferson County on March 16th.

Roads flooded as drain systems were overwhelmed by the volume of rain. Fast moving water filled the streets, washing away vehicles and knocking down pedestrians.


Cloud Precipitation

Deadly floods in South Kivu Province, DR Congo

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At least 3 people have died in flash floods in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo following heavy rainfall on 16 March 2022.

Flooding struck in Bukavu City and surrounding areas of South Kivu Province, on the sores of Lake Kivu and close to the border with Rwanda. Local media said homes, roads and vehicles were damaged.

Powerful flood waters swept away cars and dumped them into Lake Kivu. One of the worst affected areas was the commune of Kadutu. As of 17 March, authorities reported 3 fatalities and 3 people missing.


Boat

Floods affect 50,000 in Java, Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia

Floods rescue in Purworejo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, 16 March 2022
© BNPBFloods rescue in Purworejo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, 16 March 2022.
As many as 50,000 people have been affected by floods and landslides in Indonesia over the last 4 days.

The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) reported flooding and landslides in several locations of Java Island, Indonesia, from 14 to 17 March 2022, including Grobogan, Purworejo, Kebumen and Banyumas Regencies in Central Java, and Lumajang Regency in East Java. More than 30,000 people were affected and almost 10,000 displaced.


Cloud Precipitation

1 missing after flash floods and landslides in Loja, Ecuador

Landslide in Loja, Ecuador, March 2022.
© SNGRELandslide in Loja, Ecuador, March 2022.
One person is reported missing after heavy rain caused flash floods and landslides in the Province of Loja in southern Ecuador.

Flooding struck in the city of Loja after a heavy downpour on 15 March. Streets in the city were flooded and several houses damaged. Emergency service ECU 911 Loja reported one person was missing after being swept away by flood waters. Teams from the military, National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE) and the Loja Fire Department are carrying out searches.

SNGRE also reported flooding and landslides in other areas of Loja Canton, including in Gualel where 2 buildings collapsed affecting 6 families.


Cloud Precipitation

More deadly floods hit New South Wales, Australia - An inch of rain in just 30 minutes

Floods in Broken hill NSW Australia, 15 March 2022.
© NSW SESFloods in Broken hill NSW Australia, 15 March 2022.
Flash flooding in the outback city of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, on 15 March 2022 has prompted flood rescues and caused one fatality.

While many areas of northern and eastern parts of the state are recovering from the widespread flooding that began in late February, heavy rain caused flash flooding in the far west of New South Wales (NSW) on 15 March 2022.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said "26mm of rain fell in 30 minutes at Broken Hill with thunderstorms earlier this afternoon. Heavy rainfall is likely with slow moving storms over western NSW. A severe thunderstorm warning is in place."

A total of 72.4 mm of rain fell in 24 hours at Broken Hill Airport. Local media said numerous locals have reported more than double that amount.


Info

Did volcanic dust from Hunga Tonga cause flooding in Australia?

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai.
© JoNovaHunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai.
Unusual rain in Australia started within days of the Hunga Tonga dust cloud travelling across the continent

On January 15th, Hunga Tonga launched a magma-powered thunderstorm that sent atmospheric shockwaves around the world. Ash, salt and particulates were carried through rising columns, right through the stratosphere, into the mesosphere and all the way up to 58 kilometers above Earth. For hours 400,000-odd lighting bolts zapped the airborne chemical soup.

The dust from Hunga-Tonga travelled West and reached Australia on Jan 18 - 20th. On Jan 21-22 flooding rain washed out the main railway line and roads in central Australia. Over the next few weeks, rains soaked the ground across parts of Queensland and New South Wales. By February 15th, the remnant volcanic dust that had circled the Earth and was back again creating rich red sunsets over Australia. A week or so after that, the rain bombs fell on South East Queensland, and travelled south through New South Wales to Sydney.

The big unknown is that the Hunga-Tonga volcano launched water vapor, salt and dust incredibly high — almost too high. The aerosols are far above the troposphere where rainfall originates and some of that floating ash was still too high even as it returned on the second lap of the Earth at 25km above sea level. On the other hand, some particles will fall out faster than others, others will be highly charged and possibly novel entities created in the monster lightning storm above the volcano, and some ash and particles will have been released at lower heights.

This post was inspired by Jennifer Marohasy who pointed out the weak La Nina conditions don't really explain the floods in Australia this year. She wondered if the recent Australian rain was fueled by aerosols from Hunga Tonga and describes how rainfall has been linked to past eruptions in scientific papers: after "El Chichon spewed 20 million tonnes of aerosols into the stratosphere in 1982, Hong Kong recorded very high rainfalls as the dust arrived across the Pacific".