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Cloud Precipitation

Cyclone Freddy flooded 3 African countries, killed 579


Ens-newswire.com
Tue, 21 Mar 2023 19:17 UTC
Malawi (pictured above) and Mozambique were devastated by the Cyclone Freddy, which lasted at least 36 days and made landfall twice in Mozambique.
© Thoko Chikondi/APMalawi (pictured above) and Mozambique were devastated by the Cyclone Freddy, which lasted at least 36 days and made landfall twice in Mozambique.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy is a record-breaking storm that has astonished meteorologists with its longevity. As part of its final act, the cyclone unleashed destructive floods and landslides on the southern African countries of Malawi and Mozambique and the island nation of Madagascar off Africa's southeastern coast.

After a record-breaking rampage, Freddy has caused 579 deaths in the three countries. Malawi was hit the hardest with at least 476 victims and nearly half a million people displaced.

"In the face of crisis and chaos, it is children who are the most vulnerable," said Mohamed Malick Fall, UNICEF's regional director for East and Southern Africa.

In Malawi more than 490,000 primary and secondary school-aged children are unable to attend school due to the damage caused by Cyclone Freddy, the nonprofit Save the Children says. The government has closed all schools in the affected southern districts, as classrooms and toilets are unsafe as the result of heavy rains, floods and landslides due to Cyclone Freddy, which first made landfall in Malawi 10 days ago.

Comment: View also: Cyclone Freddy dumped 6 months worth of rain in 6 days on Malawi - 326 killed, 200 still missing and 500,000 affected

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Cloud Precipitation

Brazil - Hundreds displaced after floods in northern states

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:28 UTC
Floods in Itupiranga, Pará, Brazil, March 2023.
© Civil Defence of ItupirangaFloods in Itupiranga, Pará, Brazil, March 2023.
Thousands of people have evacuated their homes after flooding and landslides in several northern states of Brazil. At least 6 people have lost their lives in the state of Maranhão and 3 in the state of Ceará.

Maranhão

Authorities in the state of Maranhão report that multiple municipalities in the state have declared a state of emergency in response to the recent heavy rainfall. Around 800 households have been displaced. Federal and state governments are distributing relief supplies including mattresses and food, mostly in Pedreiras and Santa Luzia.

One of the hardest hit areas is the municipality of Santa Luzia, where 2 people died in a landslide. Firefighters and the Tactical Air Center (CTA) participated in an operation to provide assistance to the population. In Açailândia, a vehicle was swept away by the flood and three people died. Dam failures caused flooding in the municipalities of Barra do Corda and Santo Antônio dos Lopes.

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Cloud Precipitation

More than 135,000 power outages reported in California after another atmospheric river brings heavy rain and hurricane-force winds

Nouran Salahieh and Christina Maxouris
CNN
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:42 UTC
Houses sit partly underwater after the San Joaquin River flooded following rainstorms in Manteca, California on Sunday.
© Fred Greaves/ReutersHouses sit partly underwater after the San Joaquin River flooded following rainstorms in Manteca, California on Sunday.
More than 135,000 California homes and businesses were without power Wednesday morning after another atmospheric river walloped the storm-fatigued state with heavy rain and hurricane-force winds.

The storm's ferocious winds downed trees and damaged power lines across California, where at some point Tuesday most of the state's population - more than 35 million people - were under some kind of weather alert, including a brief tornado warning in Ventura County.

Utility company Pacific Gas and Electric said the storm system "exceeded all expectations," damaging electric infrastructure and knocking out power to thousands. The company said its crews are working as quickly as possible to assess equipment damaged by the storm, but spokesperson Carina Corral warned that flooding, fallen trees and other obstacles can slow down restoration efforts.

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Arrow Down

Brazil - Three people killed in landslide in Ceará State

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Mon, 20 Mar 2023 20:36 UTC
Three people died in a landslide in Aratuba, Ceará, Brazil, 16 March 2023.
© State Government of CearáThree people died in a landslide in Aratuba, Ceará, Brazil, 16 March 2023.
At least 5 municipalities in Ceará State in northeastern Brazil have declared a state of emergency after days of heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides. Dozens of people have been displaced and at least 3 fatalities reported.

Three people from the same family died after heavy rain triggered a landslide which destroyed their home in Aratuba on 16 March 2023. A further 15 homes were damaged or deemed unsafe by authorities, forcing around 50 people to evacuate.

"The municipal government deeply regrets what happened and will provide full support to the families of the victims and survivors," the Municipal Prefecture of Aratuba said in a statement. A three-day period of mourning was declared. State Governor Elmano de Freitas visited the area on 17 March.

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Apple Red

Strawberry fields forever? California crops lost after floods - how much of the US will feel the shortage?

Hillary Andrews
Fox Weather
Sun, 19 Mar 2023 13:17 UTC
Flooded strawberry fields in Pajaro, California,
© David Paul MorrisFlooded strawberry fields in Pajaro, California on March 15.
Too much thing, rain, is sinking farmers' bottom lines across California's Central Coast. The area some call "America's salad bowl" more resembles a soup bowl as round after round of atmospheric river-fueled storms overwhelmed farmland. We all may start to notice a difference in the grocery store as some staples become harder to find.

FOX Weather brought you to Pajaro, California when the levee failed recently. The farming community in the Pajaro River Valley disappeared under feet of water. Similar scenes played out across the Salinas River Valley, another iconic farm area in Monterey County which is the fourth top agricultural producer in the state, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

"For the farms that were flooded, this catastrophe hit at the worst possible time," said California's Strawberry Commission President Rick Tomlinson in a statement. "Farmers had borrowed money to prepare the fields and were weeks away from beginning to harvest."

Acre after acre of strawberries and lettuces are literally underwater at a time when farmers should be getting ready to harvest. While the state grows about half of all the fruit and vegetables for the country, Monterey County is responsible for over $4 billion in revenue primarily through strawberries, lettuce and broccoli.

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Cloud Precipitation

At least 10 killed in Balochistan, Pakistan floods

Saumya joshi
Republic World
Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:23 UTC
Torrents sweep away 10 in Balochistan
Torrents sweep away 10 in Balochistan, Pakistan
At least 10 people have been swept away in a flood in the Awaran and Zhob areas of Balochistan due to the heavy rainfall on Sunday, reported Dawn.

According to the disaster management officials, of those 10 people who died in the Balochistan flash floods, eight belonged to a family which was on its way to Kalat from Awaran in a vehicle. The eight family members included three women, two children and three men, as per multiple media reports.

The heavy rains started on Friday (night) in Khuzdar and Awaran districts which have caused floods in seasonal streams, as per a local news agency.

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Cloud Precipitation

Cameroon - Severe floods hit Buea, south west region

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Sun, 19 Mar 2023 11:19 UTC
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Powerful flash floods raced through streets in the city of Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, on 18 March 2023.

Dozens of buildings and homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving families homeless. One person reportedly died after being dragged by flood water. A further five people were reported injured. The situation is still developing and authorities have yet to confirm any details or figures. Some local media sources said the death toll was much higher, while others reported at least 6 people were thought to be missing.

The city of around 300,000 inhabitants is situated on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon. Local observers said heavy rain on 18 March flowed down the steep slopes and into residential and business areas of the city. The city's poor drainage infrastructure was unable to cope. Buea experienced flooding in similar circumstances in March 2020.

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Cloud Precipitation

Best of the Web: Cyclone Freddy dumped 6 months worth of rain in 6 days on Malawi - 326 killed, 200 still missing and 500,000 affected

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Fri, 17 Mar 2023 18:36 UTC
Flooding in Nsanje, Malawi, 16 March 2023.
© Malawi Red Cross SocietyFlooding in Nsanje, Malawi, 16 March 2023.
As the full extent of the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy becomes clear, disaster authorities in Malawi report a steep increase in the number of fatalities, people missing and people displaced from their homes.

Around 500,000 people are estimated to be affected by floods, mudslides and wind damage following the passage of Tropical Cyclone Freddy in southern Malawi. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi estimated Cyclone Freddy dumped the equivalent of 6 months of rainfall in 6 days.

Affected areas now include Balaka, Blantyre City and District, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mwanza, Neno, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, and Zomba City and District.

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Cloud Precipitation

100,000 Californians have no power as storms whip hurricane-force winds, flood homes

Nouran Salahieh, Joe Sutton and Holly Yan
CNN
Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:08 UTC
California has been slammed by 11 atmospheric rivers this season, and a 12th is on the way.
© Alekz LondosCalifornia has been slammed by 11 atmospheric rivers this season, and a 12th is on the way.
The storm system that's hammered California this week is heading east - but not before dousing the state with more torrential rain and knocking out power with ferocious winds.

Daily rainfall records were shattered Tuesday in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. The deluge will keep hitting Southern California on Wednesday before moving east, threatening 25 million people in the central US.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded a state of emergency to cover 43 of the state's 58 counties Tuesday night as high winds and intense rain wrought havoc in the state.

Some cities endured hurricane-force winds. Top wind gusts of 97 mph were measured at Santa Clara County's Loma Prieta, 93 mph at Alameda County's Mines Tower and 74 mph at San Francisco Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

In San Francisco, firefighters believe fierce winds sent out glass falling from a downtown high-rise building, they said.

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Cloud Precipitation

Cyclone brings rare flooding rains to Peruvian capital Lima


Laprensalatina.com
Thu, 16 Mar 2023 13:47 UTC
Rains in Lima: 26 streams were activated and generated landslides in various districts of the capital
Rains in Lima: 26 streams overflowed and generated landslides in various districts of the capital
The heavy rains accompanying Cyclone Yaku led to flooding Wednesday in seven districts of Peru's capital, a desert city that rarely experiences significant precipitation.

Prime Minister Alberto Otarola said the government will declare a state of emergency in the beachfront district of Punta Hermosa, which suffered a massive mudslide during the overnight hours.

Cabinet ministers are "directing aid and coordinating with the local authorities" in all of the affected areas of the Lima metropolitan area, which includes the port city of Callao and is home to nearly a third of Peru's 34 million people.

In Cieneguilla, on the eastern side of the capital, district Mayor Emilio Chavez told TVPeru that rain-driven mudslides forced some 2,500 residents from their homes.

The houses of at least 100 families were completely destroyed, he said.

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