Floods
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Cloud Precipitation

Catastrophic flood that killed 300,000 people entombed many in the walls of ancient Chinese city

Yellow River
Yellow River
Researchers have investigated a catastrophic Yellow River flood that decimated the Chinese city of Kaifeng—a former imperial capital—in A.D. 1642, providing new insights into a disaster thought to have killed an estimated 300,000 people.

In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the scientists examined geological and archaeological evidence, which revealed the flood "destroyed Kaifeng's inner city, entombing the city and its inhabitants within meters of silt and clay"—backing up evidence found in historical documents.

According to the team—led by Michael Storozum from Fudan University, China—the flood was so catastrophic because the walls of the city had partially collapsed during a siege, meaning that most of the floodwaters became trapped inside.

Cloud Precipitation

At least 18 people killed by floods and landslides after 11 inches of rain in 12 hours in São Paulo state, Brazil

Landslide and flood damage in Baixada Santista region, Sao Paulo, Brazil 03 March 2020.
© Sao Paulo Civil DefenceLandslide and flood damage in Baixada Santista region, Sao Paulo, Brazil 03 March 2020.
At least 18 people have died and many more are missing after a storm and torrential rain hammered the coastal Baixada Santista region of São Paulo state, Brazil on 03 March, 2020.

State Civil Defence said that some areas recorded over 280mm of rain in just 12 hours.

Among the worst hit are the cities of Guarujá, Santos and São Vicente. Roads have been blocked by fallen trees or landslides and houses damaged or destroyed. Dozens of people have been displaced, including 156 in Guarujá and 18 in São Vicente.

Civil Defence said that as many as 30 people are missing, raising fears the toll could rise further. As of 03 March, 15 fatalities had been reported in Guarujá, with 22 people still missing. Two people died in Santos (6 missing) and one in São Vicente (2 missing).


Cloud Precipitation

Wettest February in Ireland since records began in 1850

Floods in Ireland
© Laura HuttonPadraig McNiffe stands in the flooded fields near his farm in Newtownflood, outside Athlone.
It was the wettest February since records began in many parts of the country, with some places experiencing once-in-100-years levels of rainfall.

Two of the oldest weather stations in the country, PhoenixPark in Dublin and Malin Head in Donegal, had their wettest February since recording started in 1850.

Other weather stations that broke records were Shannon Airport, Co Clare (record length 74 years); Newport, Co Mayo (60 years); Claremorris, Co Mayo (56 years); Casement, Co Dublin (56 years); and Knock Airport (23 years).

Weather stations at Claremorris and Shannon Airport had once-in-100 years amounts of rainfall. Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, recorded once-in-90-years amounts of rain. Finner, Co Donegal; and Gurteen, Co Sligo, recorded once-in-60-years levels of rain.

Met Éireann long-term forecasters said the frequency of extreme weather such as the February floods could be attributed to climate change. However, they cautioned: "Without further detailed analysis, it's not possible to assess the role of climate change in this complex event."

The extreme weather, which mostly affected the northern half of the country, was caused by a strong stratospheric polar vortex that left the jet stream farther south than normal, steering a series of vigorous Atlantic depressions towards the northern half of the country.


Cloud Lightning

2 dead and 17,000 affected by floods and landslides in Honduras

COPECO reported that 2 people died in a swollen river in La Masica, Atlántida
© Bomberos HondurasCOPECO reported that 2 people died in a swollen river in La Masica, Atlántida
Disaster authorities in Honduras reported severe weather, including strong winds and heavy rain, affected northern departments of the country from 28 February, 2020.

The Office of Risk Management and National Contingencies (Copeco) almost 800 people hav been displaced as a result of the severe weather, mostly in the department of Cortés where3 shelters have been set up.

Overall 17,700 people were affected in the 6 northern departments of Gracias a Dios, Colón, Atlántida, Cortés, Yoro and Islas de la Bahía.


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rain triggers deadly flooding and landslides in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

flood damage
Heavy rain from 29 February triggered flooding and landslides in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, causing widespread damage and at least 3 deaths, according to local media.

Some areas recorded more than 180mm of rain from late 29 February to early 02 March. A weather station in Mendanha recorded 61.4mm of rain in 1 hour late on 29 February, with 17.6mm falling in 15 minutes.

The rain triggered flooding and landslides causing severe damage in the Metropolitan Region of Rio, particularly western areas, and also in the Baixada Fluminense region of the state.

Dozens of roads were flooded, cars swept away and houses damaged. Two people were injured when a house collapsed in Magé, in Baixada Fluminense. Rio Metroplitan Civil Defense responded to 161 calls in total, many of them for collapsed or damaged buildings.


Cloud Precipitation

New record for wettest February set as 90mph winds set to batter UK

The River Taff in Cardiff.
© @rebecca_melenThe River Taff in Cardiff.
The UK has suffered its wettest February on record after three successive storms brought heavy downpours and flooding.

A UK average of 202.1mm has fallen this month, surpassing February 1990 when 193.4mm fell, the Met Office said.

Householders across the country were bracing themselves on Saturday night for further damaging high winds - of up to 90mph.

Some areas were deluged by more than a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours, as safety teams worked quickly to erect flood defences in vulnerable areas.

Cloud Precipitation

Widespread flooding after rivers overflow in Lorestan Province, Iran

Floods Iran
Flooding in Iran
Flooding in Lorestan Province in western Iran has left villages cut off and prompted flood rescues and evacuations.

Heavy rain that began around 24 February increased levels of rivers in the province, including the Khoram, Kashkan and Poldekhtar, according to media reports. Rain also triggered some landslides in hilly areas of the province.

Roads have been damaged or blocked by flooding and landslides, and several bridges have been destroyed, leaving numerous villages cut off, particularly in Kuhdasht County, according to Tasnim News Agency.


Cloud Precipitation

Major flood in Indonesia's capital Jakarta for 2nd time this year with at least 9 dead - month's worth of rain in 24 hours (UPDATES)

Right away rains triggered rivers to burst their banking companies in larger Jakarta sending muddy drinking water into residential and commercial places, inundating 1000’s of houses and paralyzing elements of the city’s transport networks, officers said.
© Tatan SyuflanaRight away rains triggered rivers to burst their banking companies in larger Jakarta sending muddy drinking water into residential and commercial places, inundating 1000’s of houses and paralyzing elements of the city’s transport networks, officers said.
Floods that have crippled much of Indonesia's capital worsened Tuesday, inundating 1000's of properties and buildings, which include the presidential palace, and paralyzing transportation networks, officers and witnesses explained.

Right away rains prompted far more rivers to burst their banking institutions in better Jakarta setting up Sunday, sending muddy h2o up to 5 feet deep into additional household and business spots, explained Agus Wibowo, the Countrywide Disaster Mitigation Agency's spokesman.

Floodwaters entered parts of Indonesia's presidential palace complicated Tuesday early morning but the scenario was brought under manage with h2o pumps, stated Bey Machmudin, an official at the Presidential Office.


Comment: Updates:

Al Jazeera reports:
A month's worth of rain in 24 hours has left parts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, underwater.

Residents carry a young girl as they walk in a flooded street in Jakarta, Indonesia
© Adi Weda/EPAResidents carry a young girl as they walk in a flooded street in Jakarta, Indonesia
Fortunately, there were no reports of loss of life following the downpours on Monday night, which hit Jakarta and the satellite cities of Bekasi and Tangerang. A total of 87 floods were reported across Jakarta by the morning rush hour.

Unsurprisingly, in a city which struggles to deal with traffic congestion, there was disruption to road and rail services. Both Gambir and Sudirman railway stations were closed.

Jakarta Observatory reported a 24-hour rainfall total of 277.5 millimetres, which is the equivalent of one month's worth of rain

It has been less than two months since Jakarta was hit by the heaviest rainfall the city has seen in more than a decade. Then, 60 people were reportedly killed in the flooding. In the January floods, 377mm of rain fell in a similar period of time.

The current situation remains critical, however, with the Ciliwung river continuing to rise and posing a threat to many parts of the city as it is already at a dangerously high level.

The rainfall is probably the result of a change of wind direction brought about by two tropical cyclones, one over the Northern Territory of Australia and the other just off the coast of Western Australia.

Heavy showers will remain a risk for Jakarta over the next few days, although there is nothing in the forecast predictions to suggest anything as heavy as Monday night.
Floodlist reports on 27th February:
The flood situation in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia, has worsened, with disaster authorities reporting at least 9 people have now died since the current floods began on 23 February.

Indonesia's disaster management agency, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) reported on 27 February that 4 people have died in Bekasi City, 3 in Greater Jakarta and 2 in South Tangerang.

Floods in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia February 2020
© BNPBFloods in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia February 2020
Flooding has been affected parts of Greater Jakarta over the last few days. As of 25 February, Karawang Regency and East Jakarta were the worst hit areas.

Since then flooding has affected areas of Bekasi City and the bordering Bekasi Regency, Subang Regency and parts of and Tangerang and South Tangerang in Banten Province.

BNPB said that, as of 27 February, a total of 35,891 people had been displaced in the Jakarta metropolitan area (known locally as Jabodetabek), including 13,754 in Karawang, 8,582 in Subang and 7,106 in East Jakarta.



Cloud Precipitation

At least 8 dead after flash floods and landslides in Santander and Caldas, Colombia

Flash flood damages in Piedecuesta, Colombia, 26 February 2020.
© Government of PiedecuestaFlash flood damages in Piedecuesta, Colombia, 26 February 2020.
At least 8 people have died in floods and landslides in the departments of Santander and Caldas in Colombia after heavy rain over the last few days.

Santander Department

Colombia's National Unit for Management of Disaster Risk (UNGRD) reports that at least 3 people died and 6 are still missing after flooding in Piedecuesta Municipality in Santander Department.

UNGRD said the heavy rain caused several small rivers and creeks to break their banks in the affected areas.
Flooding caused damage to roads and houses in the area, leaving 150 people displaced. At least 7 people were injured, including 3 who were rescued.


Cloud Precipitation

Emergency evacuation in Ironbridge, UK, as flooding overwhelms River Severn defences

Ironbridge
© PA MediaPolice are evacuating residents in Wharfage, Ironbridge
An emergency evacuation is taking place as rising waters on the River Severn "overwhelmed" a town's flood defences.

A kink in the barriers at Ironbridge, Shropshire, meant water seeped underneath, resulting in police evacuating part of the town.

West Mercia Police said the defences "appear to be buckling", adding "virtually everyone" in the Wharfage area had agreed to leave.

Residents were earlier evacuated from their homes in Bewdley, Worcestershire.

A severe flood warning for the River Severn has been issued for Ironbridge following days of heavy rain.

Comment: And more rain is predicted this weekend: