Floods
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Cloud Precipitation

Floods death toll rises to 11 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Heavy rains battered the KZN North Coast on Sunday night.
© IPSS Medical RescueHeavy rains battered the KZN North Coast on Sunday night.
Eleven people have now been confirmed dead due to floods in KwaZulu-Natal.

Five people died last night in the eThekwini metro.

Search and rescue teams are searching for two people after their shack was washed away in the Tongaat area.

Hundreds of houses have been damaged in several parts of the province.

The heavy rains have also damaged water and electricity infrastructure.

Meanwhile, eThekwini municipality has closed beaches in the north, and a few in the south, until further notice, due to concerns about water quality.

Meanwhile, more heavy downpours are expected on Sunday.


Cloud Precipitation

Syria floods kill four

Flooded fields in Akkar area of Tartus province, northwestern Syria.
Flooded fields in Akkar area of Tartus province, northwestern Syria.
Four people were killed on Saturday as their car slid off a bridge into a heavy rainfall-induced water stream in the northwestern Syrian province of Tartus, the local Sham FM radio reported.

Numerous villages in the province had experienced heavy downpours and suffered the subsequent widespread flooding, said the report, citing Provincial Governor Hassan Hassan.

The governor added that plastic houses were submerged, and vast areas of agricultural land were inundated, as the rivers, streams, and channels overflowed onto surrounding villages' fields.

Meanwhile, the rainwater seeped into residential areas in the nearby Karad and Kartou villages, with damage still unknown.

XINHUA


Cloud Precipitation

Torrential rains leave at least 11 dead in Brazil - month's worth of rainfall in 24 hours

People look at a car that was swept into the flooded railways of the Acari metro station after heavy rains caused destruction in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday.
© AFPPeople look at a car that was swept into the flooded railways of the Acari metro station after heavy rains caused destruction in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday.
Torrential rains that turned avenues into rivers killed at least 11 people in Rio de Janeiro, the fire department said Sunday.

The rainstorm hit northern parts of Rio particularly hard, where people died in a landslide, drownings, and electrocutions. Firefighters were still searching for a woman who went missing after her car fell into a river as of Sunday evening.

Water from the storm reached the roofs of cars on some stretches of Avenida de Brasil, a major thoroughfare in the city.

Mayor Eduardo Paes decreed the situation an "emergency" and urged people to stay home for their own safety, and so as not to disrupt rescue and recovery efforts.


Arrow Down

36 dead in Colombian highway landslide due to heavy rain (UPDATE)

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Eighteen people were killed and 35 injured in a landslide in the Choco region of Colombia on a highway near the town of Carmen de Atrato.

The landslide occurred due to heavy rains.

Governor of Antioquia, Andres Julian Rendon, said search and rescue teams had been dispatched to the region and many victims were trapped under the soil.

Vice President Francia Marquez wrote on X that the government is closely monitoring the situation.

An announcement from the Emergency Center said it received reports of landslides simultaneously, and it was noted that many more victims could be under the soil than initially thought.


Comment: Update January 15

AFP reports:
The death toll from recent landslides in northwestern Colombia rose to 36, according to an official tally Sunday, as rescuers continued to look for at least seven people.

Earlier, officials had put the toll from Friday's landslides, which hit a road linking the cities of Medellin and Quibdo, at 23 dead.

"To all the families of the victims, my heartfelt condolences," said President Gustavo Petro.

Pope Francis also offered prayers for the victims from the Vatican.

Rescuers, using sniffer dogs and bulldozers, have been racing against the clock to find survivors.

Videos shared on social media showed part of a mountain breaking loose and crashing down onto a line of cars, as screams broke out.

The landslides in Colombia's Choco department, which lies on the Pacific Ocean, followed more than 24 hours of intense rain.

The Ombudsman's Office warned of "high risk of new landslides."

"We call for all necessary actions to be taken in order to safeguard the lives of people who are at risk in the area," the office said in a bulletin.



Cloud Precipitation

Evacuations ordered, homes inundated by summer floodwaters after record rainfall in Victoria, Australia - 3 months of rain 24 hours

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Residents in north-eastern Victoria are bracing for further flooding in the coming days, after heavy rainfall inundated the state and forced two towns to evacuate.

An evacuation order was issued for parts of the Goulburn Valley town of Seymour, in central Victoria, shortly before noon on Monday, before similar orders were put in place for sections of nearby Yea.

An emergency evacuation order was issued for the northern Victorian town of Rochester on Monday evening.

About 30 homes in Goornong, about 30km north-east of Bendigo, and six homes in Redesdale have been evacuated after water inundated the properties.

Emergency services said the rain was expected to move to Shepparton and Wangaratta midweek.


Boat

Thousands evacuate as floods, landslides hit West Java, Indonesia

Purwakarta Regency was hit by a landslide (Instagram/@bpbdpurwakarta).
Purwakarta Regency was hit by a landslide (Instagram/@bpbdpurwakarta).
Several regions in West Java, including Cimahi, Karawang and Purwakarta, have been hit by natural disasters including floods, landslides and windstorms, forcing thousands of residents from their homes.

According to the West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), 1,643 residents have been evacuated due to major flooding since Jan. 1 in Karawang regency, which has impacted four districts and five villages.

Meanwhile, more than 1,700 residents have been displaced due to landslides around the foot of Mount Anaga in Purwakarta regency, which occurred on Thursday.


Cloud Precipitation

Flood ravages Villa General Belgrano in Argentina

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On a day of relentless rain, Villa General Belgrano, a quaint town nestled in the Córdoba province of Argentina, found itself at the mercy of a fierce and unforgiving flood. The incessant downpour led to an alarming surge in water levels, transforming peaceful streets into turbulent rivers, and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Houses, public infrastructure, and life as the residents knew it, were all caught in the relentless grip of the floodwaters.

The Onset of Crisis

The storm descended upon Córdoba with unrelenting vigor, causing severe flooding across various cities within the province. Villa General Belgrano bore the brunt of its fury, with overflowing streams flooding the streets, turning them into torrents of rushing water. The neighboring city of Los Reartes wasn't spared either, as it too faced intense rainfall, hail, and strong gusts. The storm's impact wasn't just limited to flooding, it also disrupted the rhythm of daily life, leading to the suspension of events like the Festival of Dressage and Folklore of Jesús María.


Boat

France - Hundreds evacuated again after further floods in north

Floods in the Pas de Calais Department, France in early January 2023.
© Sapeurs Pompiers du Pas de Calais SDIS 62Floods in the Pas de Calais Department, France in early January 2023.
Wide areas of the Pas-de-Calais department in the north of France have been flooded for the second time in recent months after heavy rainfall caused rivers to rise.

Christophe Béchu, Minister of Ecological Transition, visited affected areas on 04 January. "I understand the exasperation, I understand the fatigue, I understand the anger and I understand the fear of reliving it again," the Minister said.

Rivers in the north of France have been on alert since late December 2023. As of 04 January, the Aa River was at Red Alert stage (highest) while the Hem, Canche, Lys-Plaine and Lys-Amont remained at Orange level. Authorities said levels of many rivers including the Aa peaked on 03 January but will likely remain high for some time.

According to the latest report from the government of Pas-de-Calais department, around 189 municipalities have been affected by the recent flooding. At least 1,299 homes have been damaged, some of them severely, promoting the fire departments and local authorities to evacuate a total of 371 people.


Windsock

Trains disrupted, hundreds of flood warnings after Storm Henk lashes UK

West Midlands Police praised a bystander who waded into flood water and rescued a three-year-old child and the driver, before securing the vehicle to a bridge
© WEST MIDLANDS POLICEWest Midlands Police praised a bystander who waded into flood water and rescued a three-year-old child and the driver, before securing the vehicle to a bridge
Transport delays will continue on Wednesday as train services get back on track after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk lashed large parts of the UK.

More than 300 flood warnings were also in place across England and Wales on Wednesday morning, while 10,000 homes remained without power.

The UK's rail network was hit by flooding and power cuts on Tuesday afternoon, with many operators reporting ongoing issues for the morning commute.

Greater Anglia said it was still experiencing "severe disruption", with "do not travel" warnings in place on routes in Norwich, Colchester, Peterborough and Cambridge, while South Western Railway said disruption linked to the storm was likely continue throughout the day.

Great Northern Rail said services would be delayed from Cambridge to Ely and Kings Lynn until 10am on Wednesday as they work to repair damaged overhead wires and remove a damaged train.


Cloud Precipitation

Flash floods ravage eastern Australia following heavy summer rainfall - 20 inches in 48 hours

The flooded Coomera river on the Gold Coast,
© Dave Hunt/AAPThe flooded Coomera river on the Gold Coast, Queensland. The region’s popular theme parks were closed on Tuesday due to rain.
Eastern Australia is grappling with the repercussions of heavy rainfall that has sparked flash flooding in parts of Southeastern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Over the past 72 hours, these regions have endured an intense deluge, with some areas witnessing more than two months' worth of rainfall. In a startling report, the town of Springbrook in Queensland recorded a staggering 514 mm (20 inches) of rain in a span of 48 hours, significantly overshooting the average for January.