Floods
S


Cloud Precipitation

Flood ravages Villa General Belgrano in Argentina

nnnnnnn
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.


Cloud Precipitation

At least 21 dead after floods in Ladysmith, South Africa (UPDATE)

Heavy rains on Christmas eve resulted in the
Heavy rains on Christmas eve resulted in the Bellspruit River, which runs under the Mbonontathu bridge, bursting its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots, in Ladysmith town. Six people are dead and 10 are missing.
Six people have died and 10 people are missing following floods that swept through Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal on Christmas Eve.

KZN department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs said search and rescue teams who worked on Christmas day to find those missing, will resume on Tuesday,

Heavy rains on December 24 resulted in the Bellspruit River, which runs under the Mbonontathu bridge, to burst its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots, in Ladysmith town.

This resulted in severe damage to infrastructure, and several vehicles were swept away.


Comment: Update December 30

The Associated Press reports:
Flash floods killed over a dozen people in the small town of Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal province, South African officials said Saturday.

"As of Friday, 29 December 2023, a total of 21 bodies have been recovered," said police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.

The floods hit the town on Christmas Day, destroying about 1400 homes, with the death toll expected to rise as an unconfirmed number of people are still missing, he said.

Search and rescue teams have been scouring rivers to recover bodies, Netshiunda added. The operation is expected to continue throughout the weekend.

Tragedy hit one family in Ladysmith set to bury seven of its members who were killed when floods swept their vehicle into the river. Rescue teams recovered the bodies of Vincent Msimango, his wife, two children, brother and niece, and nephew earlier this week, local news outlet Eyewitness News reported on Saturday.

KwaZulu-Nata province has witnessed devastating floods lately.

In June, heavy rainfall triggered deluges that killed seven people, and another seven went missing, in and around the city of Durban.

In April last year, devastating floods hit the coastal province killing more than 440 people.



Bizarro Earth

Catastrophic waves flood Calif. beach bringing flooding and rip currents

california storm giant waves mini tsunami
© Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesMen watch from a balcony in Faria Beach as huge waves crash on the shore Thursday in Ventura County, California.
Offshore storms shoved waves toward communities along the California coast, bringing flooding and road closures, as well as fright to nearly 20 people who were briefly swept away along a Ventura beach on Thursday. Eight people were taken to the hospital, officials said.

The swells will not be a one-day thing: Some areas of the California coast will see towering waves - some up to 30 feet - through the weekend. The waves will usher high water and rip currents. Coastal flood alerts and high-surf alerts stretch from the US-Mexico border to north of the Bay Area.

Waves, coupled with high tides, sent torrents of seawater into Santa Cruz along the central coast.

Boat

12 dead, 260,000 affected as severe flooding hits Thailand's south - worst in 5 decades (UPDATES)

Southern Thailand hit by severe floods, people take refuge on rooftops
Southern Thailand hit by severe floods, people take refuge on rooftops
Tens of thousands of people in southern Thailand have been affected by severe flooding that has submerged roads and railways, forced schools to close and left some residents trapped in their homes.

The province of Narathiwat in the country's far south near the border with Malaysia was most seriously affected, with some districts submerged for days, according to broadcaster Thai PBS.

It said that "scores of people" had requested assistance and some were sitting on the roofs of their flooded homes.

At least a dozen schools in the provinces of Narathiwat and neighbouring Yala have been forced to close, while footage from the region showed homes and shops inundated with water.


Comment: Update December 29

Thaipbsworld.com reports:
Seven people have drowned, one is still missing and more than 260,000 people are affected in the worst flooding in the southernmost province of Narathiwat in five decades, according to the Provincial Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office.

All 13 districts of the province have been hit by floods, although the water is receding as runoffs flow downstream towards neighbouring Yala and Pattani provinces, before reaching the sea.

In areas where flooding has receded, many people can be seen cleaning their houses of mud, which came with floodwaters. Others were seen examining damage caused to their property. Flooding is also easing in Yala province.

In neighbouring Pattani province, which is located downstream, the economic zone in the Mueang district was flooded yesterday, although the water is not yet very deep, ranging from 30cm to slightly over 50cm. Some roads have become impassable to small cars, as police put up signs to warn motorists. Draining water into the Pattani River is not possible because the river itself is swollen and has overflowed its banks.

In Pakaharang community, which is located by the Pattani River, more than 300 houses are inundated.

One climate expert pointed out that flood early warning systems are not efficient enough, as many people were had no advance notice of the flooding, leaving them unprepared and unable to move their valuables to higher ground in time.

Flooding in Pattani still remains serious, but the situation is expected to improve in the next few days, if there is no more heavy rain.
Update December 30

Bernama reports:
The devastating floods in southern Thailand have claimed at least 12 lives, with over 18,000 households in the Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala provinces still grappling with flooding.

The Public Health Ministry reported that eight people died in Narathiwat, three in Yala, and one in Pattani.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) director-general Chaiwat Junthirapong said 109,282 households in five provinces — Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla, and Satun — have been affected by the floods since December 22.



Cloud Precipitation

Flash floods hit East, Central Trinidad

mmmmmm
As heavy flash floods hit several parts of the country yesterday afternoon, firefighters were called to rescue people stranded in a car at Eleanor Street in Chaguanas.

Flooding was reported in East and Central Trinidad after rain descended around 2 p.m. for more than an hour, with lesser showers eventually creeping to other parts of the country.

Heavy street and some residential flooding was reported in Chaguanas and environs, and the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Tunapuna, including along the Priority Bus Route, Macoya and Maracas, St Joseph.

Around 3 p.m., the Fire Service was called out after a vehicle attempting to enter Eleanor Street from Chaguanas Main Road stalled in the flooded roadway.


Windsock

Massive California waves injure some onlookers and bring flooding, treacherous beach conditions up the West coast

NNNNNNNN
A powerful offshore storm is driving towering waves into the California coastline, triggering flooding and warnings of dangerous and damaging swells after several people were injured by a wave along Ventura beach on Thursday.

The wave crashed over a barrier along the southern California beach, tossing a wall of fast-moving water at a group of onlookers who rushed to escape the deluge, witness video shows. Seawater quickly knocked some people off their feet and pummeled cars as drivers tried to speed away.

Nearly 20 people were briefly swept away in the incident and eight people were taken to the hospital, Ventura officials said.


Attention

Pedestrian bridge vanishes in Argentina's flash flood fury

mmmmmmm
Argentina is currently grappling with severe flooding, leading to the collapse of a bridge in Catamarca.

The video was captured in a widely circulated YouTube video.

The situation has been exacerbated by intense rainfall in recent days.