Ahmed Al-Haj Yahoo! News Sat, 01 May 2021 12:11 UTC
Floods swept through parts of Yemen amid heavy seasonal rains, leaving at least 13 people dead, including two children, security officials said Saturday.
Fatalities were reported in the provinces of Sanaa, Ibb, Shabwa and Hodeida, where it began raining late last month, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
Heavy rains also pelted the provinces of Aden, Taiz and Hadramawt, where flooding damaged houses and vehicles, they said. Rescuers managed to save some residents trapped in their cars.
At least 5 people died and 8 are still missing after landslides hit the Batang Toru hydropower plant area in Marancar, South Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia on 29 April 2021.
Indonesia's disaster agency BNPB said the landslides were caused by heavy rainfall in the area. Two buildings and a vehicle were buried in the slide, with 12 people feared missing.
Since then search and rescue operations have found the bodies of 5 victims, with 8 people thought to be still missing. The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of South Tapanuli Regency said search operations are ongoing but the remote location on steep slopes has made it difficult to use heavy digging equipment.
Heavy rain has caused floods, landslides and lahars (volcanic mudflows) in several areas the Caribbean island country of St Vincent and the Grenadines according to the country's National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO).
As of 30 April the worst affected areas were in parts of the main island of St Vincent. NEMO reported rainfall accumulations ranging from 75 to 125 mm during a 6 hour period on 29 April 2021.
Flooding brought traffic to a standstill after roads were swamped in areas around the capital Kingstown. Landslides blocked roads on the city's outskirts. At least 2 houses collapsed and several others were damaged in areas around the capital.
The country is still struggling with the effects of ongoing eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano that began 09 April 2021. Following the heavy rain the government issued warnings to residents and drivers, saying "persistent rain and ash build-up on the roads and in drains have created conditions for flooding."
The overflowing Telembí river caused flooding in the municipality of Barbacoas in Nariño Department, western Colombia from 21 April 2021.
The flooding came after a period of heavy rainfall in the region. According to the local government, 23 areas of the municipality were flooded. Damage to roads and homes was reported and 1,700 families were affected. The municipal government said.
Three people are presumed dead, and nearly 4,000 have been displaced due to flooding after heavy rains pounded Weru-Weru and Masama wards in Hai District in the past few days.
The three people were in a family vehicle that was washed away by floods following a heavy rainfall, which hit the district on April 21 and swept away the Namwi river banks.
District officials say efforts to recover their bodies were still ongoing.
Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Anna Mnghwira said yesterday that the floods have destroyed nearly 700 homes, leaving over 4,000 people homeless.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported on 25 April 2021 that flooding from the rising Lake Tanganyika had affected thousands of families in areas of Burundi over the last few weeks.
Levels of the lake have been slowly rising since February 2021. Heavy rainfall since the start of April has worsened the situation with further rainfall predicted until mid-May.
As of 19 April 2021, the level of Lake Tanganyika at the port of Bujumbura stood at 776.45 metres above sea level. The average level is 772.7 metres. Media said if the level exceeds 777 metres, areas around Bujumbura port will be flooded.
UNOCHA reported around 8,000 families have been affected and 2,000 displaced by flooding in lakeside communities including Bugarama, Kanyenkoko, Muhuta, Nyanza-Lac, Gatumba, Rukaramu, Kibenga, Gisyo and Kabondo.
Overflowing rivers have caused flooding in several areas of Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia over the last few days.
Civil Defence and the Bolivian Navy evacuated families in the municipality of Ivirgarzama and surrounding areas after flooding began from late 23 April 2021.
Flooding also blocked parts of the Cochabamba - Santa Cruz highway (National Route 4) at the Chimoré-Ivirgarzama sector, causing major transport disruptions. A bus and several other vehicles were trapped in the waters and than 50 passengers and motorists had to be rescued.
Authorities in the municipality of Oriximiná in the state of Pará, northern Brazil, declared an emergency on 22 April after days of flooding.
Flooding first struck around 19 April 2021 after the Trombetas river broke its banks.
As of 22 April, the municipal government said flooding approximately 14,020 people are directly affected. An estimated 3,000 homes were flooded and affected in some way. In the city of Oriximiná, streets, businesses, public buildings and infrastructure also suffered damage. Surrounding rural areas along the river also experienced flooding. The municipal government said dozens of communities were affected, with homes, schools, livestock and crops damaged.
Last month authorities declared an emergency situation after flooding in the municipality of Rio Maria in Pará.
