January 11, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
South East Africa – Floods Hit Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique
 |
| Floods in Zimbabwe – Photo: Financial Gazette Zimbabwe |
Heavy rainfall in parts of south east Africa over the last 2 weeks has resulted in flooding in
Zimbabwe,
Malawi and
Mozambique.
As
reported earlier this week, as many as 10 people have died in flooding
in Zimbabwe. According to media reports, 6 people have been killed in
Malawi and as many as 9 people have died as a result of recent severe
weather in Mozambique. Heavy rainfall has also been reported in
Madagascar and
Zambia although no flooding has as yet been reported.
Change in Monsoon – Rainfall 150% Higher Than Normal
According to a
report (pdf)
on Africa Hazards Outlook by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, the
heavy rainfall is a result of a change of the southern Africa Monsoon.
The report says:
“Since
late December, the character of the southern Africa monsoon has shifted
considerably, as several regions of southeastern Africa continue to
experience a significant increase in rains and available ground
moisture. This increase has helped both alleviate and completely offset
seasonal moisture deficits associated with a poor/delayed start of the
monsoon during November and December.”
The report goes on to say that areas of south east Africa have seen rainfall amounts 150% higher than normal.
“During
the last 30 days, analysis of rainfall anomaly tendency shows the
greatest positive changes (greater than 100mm) have occurred throughout southern
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and western Madagascar. It is these
areas that are now experiencing approximately 150 percent of their
normal precipitation for the season.”
Further Rain and Flooding Expected
NOAA
predicts further heavy rainfall over the coming days, and possibly for
the rest of January. This makes the possibility of more flooding highly
likely, in particular as river levels are already high.
“These
torrential rains not only reportedly triggered flooding in central
Zimbabwe during the last week, but are also expected to elevate the risk
for downstream inundation along the Zambezi, Save, Buzi, Pungwe, and
Limpopo Rivers in Mozambique.”
Cahora Bassa Dam
Such
heavy rainfall in this area invariably focuses attention on the Cahora
Bassa dam. Mozambique’s Disaster Management Technical Council (CTGC) say
that the reservoir still has plenty of storage capacity, and so
Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), the company that operates the dam,
is currently only discharging 2,500 cubic metres a second.
But if
the current scenario persists, HCB may be obliged to increase the
discharges in order to guarantee the safety and integrity of the dam
itself. Increased discharges from Cahora Bassa will inevitably increase
the threat of flooding on the lower Zambezi.
 |
| Floods at Moatize Bridge, Tete Moza delaying traffic to Malawi |
 |
| Floods at Moatize Bridge, Tete Moza delaying traffic to Malawi |
 |
| Floods at Moatize Bridge, Tete Moza delaying traffic to Malawi |
 |
| Red Cross volunteers re-building houses in flood affected areas. Photo: Zimbabwe Red Cross Society |
 |
| Aid distribution in flood hit areas of Zimbabwe. Photo: Zimbabwe Red Cross Society |
 |
| Flood damage assessment. Photo: Zimbabwe Red Cross Society |
A dambreach would
prove disastrous for communities downstream of the dam. The flood wave
would reach Tete (with a population of more than 150,000) just 10 hours
after the breach.
See the report by Marc Hartman of HKV Consultants for an
animation of the potential flood resulting from a dambreach in the Cahora Bassa dam.
Mozambique
Yesterday
134 mm of rain fell was recorded in 24 hours in Nampula, Mozambique.
Severe weather has been affecting Nampula Province for the last 2 weeks
and 9 people have been reported as killed in Nacala city. The deaths
were thought to have been caused by lightning strikes and by the
collapse of a wall during a thunderstorm.
According to a statement
made by Mozambique government’s Disaster Management Technical Council
(CTGC), around 2,500 houses have been damaged or destroyed in the floods
and rainstorms since late December 2014. Almost 10,000 families have
been affected, with Maputo province and city are thought to be some of
the worst affected areas.
Zimbabwe
At least 10 people have died in the floods in Zimbabwe.
The latest assessment from the Zimbabwe Red Cross says that over 160
houses have been destroyed. Other media reports says this total should
be closer to 2,000. Assessment work is still being carried out by the
Red cross and Zimbabwe authorities.
Malawi
Six
people have been reported as killed in recent flooding in Malawi – four
in Mangochi, two in Zomba. Further deaths are likely, according to Paul
Chiunguzeni, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, who spoke to
Anadolu News Agency.
World Bulletin report that at least 500 families have been displaced by the floods, which have destroyed houses and crops
Zimbabwe Floods Expose Government's Lack of Preparedness
Government's capacity to deal with floods has been brought into question following its dismal failure to mitigate against the floods that wreaked havoc around the country in the last few weeks when incessant rains fell. With early warnings of the consequences of heavy rains that lashed most parts of the country in the past few weeks, it was expected government and its arm, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU), would be pro-active by preparing well for the threat of floods.
Disaster management experts said the recent flood, which claimed more than a dozen lives, leaving some more marooned on tiny islands for days, has exposed government’s lack of preparedness in dealing with calamity of this magnitude. Experts said the floods showed that Zimbabweans are dangerously exposed to multifaceted hazardous situations, compounded by a perilous combination of geographical and socio-political factors that complicate disaster and risk management.
An inquiry by the Financial Gazette established that the vulnerability of Zimbabweans to natural calamities is evident from the very lack of a proper disaster management institutional framework given that CPU is chronically weak owing to deficient functioning resulting from severe lack of funding and shortage of manpower and resources. Zimbabwe was also heavily affected by floods during the previous rainy season and experts say the failure to draw lessons from that experience is a stark reflection of the dysfunction of CPU.
The CPU depends on the Air force of Zimbabwe for helicopters to airlift marooned people from affected areas and its director, Madzudzo Pawadyira, has lamented poor funding from government saying it was hindering their operations. Scores of villagers in Mbire District were left marooned on an island for days without evacuation and only survived when the water level subsided while in Mashonaland West province, six people were marooned for two days as the Air Force failed to dispatch its helicopters citing bad weather.
“Our preparedness is compromised by lack of funding. We have asked for US$3,4 million but so far we have received only US$50 000 which we have immediately used to dispatch our rapid assessment teams to the worst affected areas in Mashonaland West and Central provinces which proves our sincere commitment.
“The major issue is getting money available for us to be able to operate effectively. Right now with the money available, we have fuelled our units in the provinces to do the assessment which will inform the response that we are going to take. This is an inter-agency assessment involving many players like the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), several United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organisations and the Air Force of Zimbabwe,” Pawadyira said.
Disaster management has many facets, key of which include early warning systems which consist mainly of weather forecasts and education of citizens, taking precautionary measures in advance, response, effective rescue, relief and rehabilitation among other aspects. Disaster and risk management expert, Albert Maipisi, who specializes in floods and their effects, said the government has been found wanting in all disaster management aspects.
“Disaster-specific action plans were found lacking in many ways and vulnerability assessment of blocks was only partial. The ideal situation would be instituting timely preparation of annual disaster management plans indicating specific work to be undertaken at all levels. Some of the areas like Mbire and Muzarabani that have been affected are known to be a perennial flooding zone which means that by now there should be a mechanism to deal with the situation but we still see the people getting affected all the time. The question is why are we always taken by surprise when the floods hit,” he queried.
“What has happened in the past ideally gives precedence to the disaster management framework but the CPU has clearly shown it is not up to the game. Its role has been reduced a mere coordinative role bringing in donor agencies in times of calamity and it is not doing anything,” he said.
Mapisi also said government did not have an effective monitoring mechanism to identify potential disasters and has no political will to urgently address the situation.
“If you look, for example at South Africa, they have got the disaster management act, a law designed to capacitate it to fight such disasters but we do not have that in Zimbabwe. The law should be put in place so that CPU can have the basis for financing of the unit as well as making it a legally operational unit with a clearly defined mandate,” he said.
He added that emergency operation centres at the district level were not working round-the-clock except during monsoon and lacked dedicated manpower, which should be rectified. He said the floods have also exposed the high levels of vulnerability of Zimbabweans. “The floods have also indicated that the government has failed to build disaster resilient lifestyles because where people have got strong livelihoods, they can withstand a disaster. In this case, affected people always wait for some to come as assist them and it follows that the government has failed to strong disaster management systems,” Maipisi said.
Red Cross head of marketing and public relations, Takemore Mazuruse, said the most effective way of dealing with the issue is to decentralise disaster management structures to empower communities so that they could withstand the disasters.
“While have are currently witnessing an unprecedented situation whereby areas that were not experiencing floods are now getting flooded, we have areas like Muzarabani that have been affected by floods for a long time. Why do we still have people in such dangerous low lying areas? The answer to that is to empower communities so that they can be able to prepare and respond effectively when disasters strike. Community leaders should be capacitated on how to handle such situations.
“Studies have shown that when communities are empowered and own the initiatives, it is easier for the people to respect early warning systems and makes information dissemination easier and faster other than relying on a such a highly centralised system which has limited reach because of some communities’ lack of access to radio, television and newspapers that are favourable to the system,” Mazuruse said.
The meteorological department, which is also a vital tool in disaster management and is part of the CPU, has also come under fire for failing to give early warning systems, especially considering that some areas that were hit by floods were experiencing abnormal rainfalls amount to 150mm in the case of areas upstream of Angwa River.
Principal Meteorogist, Linear Mashawi, was not immediately available for comment. Stakeholders have also called for the formation of the National Disaster Management Commission saying it would go a long way in managing disasters is an area which calls for technical expertise, ranging from early warning, to rescue, relief, recovery and rehabilitation.“Given that government is handicapped on account of technical expertise to respond to the flood calamity the National Disaster Management Commission would be uthorised to constitute advisory committees for managing disasters comprising of experts in that field. Only strong and efficient institutions can help in managing disasters effectively,” said Maipisi.
Evacuations after Uruguay River Threatens to Overflow
 |
| Flooded street in Paysandú, July 2014 Photo: presidencia.gub.uy |
Two days of heavy rainfall in
Uruguay has increased levels of the Uruguay River, prompting evacuations in the cities of Bella Unión, Salto and Paysandú.
So
far, Sistema Nacional de Emergencias (SINAE), the Uruguay disaster
management authority, says that 32 people have been evacuated from the
threatened areas in Bella Unión (6), Salto (13) and Paysandú (13). The
evacuations have so far all been precautionary and no damage to homes or
property has been reported.
River Levels
The
Uruguay at Bella Unión currently stands at 7.05 metres. During the
floods of 2009 it reached 9 metres prompting the evacuation of around
300 people.
In Salto the river levels are currently 12.1 metres –
more than 3 metres under the 2009 floods where it reached 15.75 meters
and a total of 3230 people were evacuated.
In Paysandú the river
levels are just over 6 metres. In 2009 as many as 4,355 people were
forced to evacuate after the river reached 9.07 metres.
The
Uruguay river also overflowed in July 2014 when almost 2,000 people were evacuated.
Rainfall
Rainfall figures below according to WMO, for a 24 hour period between 6 and 7 January 2015.
Mercedes – 71 mm
Gualeguaychu – 182 mm
Paysandu – 75 mm
Durazno – 120 mm
Salto Grande Dam Release
Local media
in Uruguay are reporting that the heavy rain and increased levels of
the Salto Grande Dam have forced authorities to release water from the
dam, therefore increasing river levels downstream.
The Salto Grande Dam is a large hydroelectric dam on the Uruguay River, located between Concordia, Argentina, and Salto,
Uruguay.
Argentina and Brazil
Heavy rainfall has also been affecting parts of
Argentina and
Brazil
over the last 48 hours. Flooding has been reported in parts of Brazil,
in particular Sao Paulo, the country’s most populous city and one
notorious for its poor drainage system. At one point yesterday,
Congonhas Airport had to be closed as a result of floods (
see our article on airports and flooding here).
Flash floods and 200mm+ of rain leaves Gold Coast motorists stranded in Australia
 |
| This motorist was going nowhere after being
caught in flood water at the Brisbane Rd and Arundel Dr intersection.
Photos: Regi Varghese |
Fast-rising floodwaters wreaked havoc across the Gold Coast’s northern corridor last night with people forced to abandon their cars for fear of being trapped as up to 214mm of rain fell.
Floodwaters rose over Smith St, Olsen Ave, Arundel Drive, Brisbane Rd and areas of Coombabah, Helensvale and Southport as tow trucks struggled to remove empty vehicles from the westbound side of Brisbane Rd.
An alleged drunk driver was charged with driving without due care and attention after he ignored road closure signs and became stuck in bonnet-high floodwaters.
Police allege the 46-year-old man deliberately drove his 4WD through flooded Siganto Drive, Helensvale at 11pm and was forced to wade to safety with his two passengers as the waters rose above his bonnet.
He will appear in Southport Magistrates Court on February 4.
More than 85mm of rain was dumped on the Gold Coast in the space of two hours, with the Bureau of Meteorology reporting Coombabah had 107mm in the two hours until 9.15pm.
Overnight, that total reached 214mm at Coombabah, 155mm at Pacific Pines, 124mm at Evandale, 123mm at Monterey Keys, 120mm at Molendinar, 112mm at Biggera Waters, 106mm at Tallebudgera, 78mm at Carrara, 70mm at Burleigh Waters, 45mm at Coolangatta, 42mm at Gold Coast Seaway, 26mm at Currumbin and 21mm at Mt Tamborine.
Emergency crews responded to multiple calls for help from people who had escaped from their vehicles before the floodwaters swamped their cars.
One woman on Smith St was able to escape from her car before it submerged near Olsen Ave about 8.40pm.
 |
| High tide: the heavy downpours last night were bad news for this vehicle, caught in water on Arundel Dr. |
 |
| This 4WD made it through the flood waters but the vehicle at the rear, left was not so lucky. |
 |
| Police control traffic after flash flooding on Arundel Dr last night. |
The SES was unable to locate the vehicle.
At 9.15pm a family managed to escape from their vehicle near Helensvale Rd and Discovery Drive in Helensvale before it was flooded.
Police issued a stern warning at the height of the downfall last night for motorists not to drive into floodwaters under any circumstances.
Cars were bumper to bumper on the M1’s southbound lanes near Gaven.
The severe weather also forced the suspension of tram services across the city.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning at 9.35pm for flash flooding across the northern suburbs of the city.
By 9.40pm the SES had received more than 30 jobs from residents requiring assistance, with some worried that their houses were at risk of flooding.
“The rain is backing up traffic and causing havoc,” a police spokesman said.
Police said Siganto Drive and Napper Rd were flooded and two cars were pulled from floodwater on Arundel Drive near Brisbane Rd, which reopened around 9.45pm.
Two more cars were reported stuck in floodwaters at Pacific Pines around 9.55pm.
Police called for urgent traffic control at Pacific Pines around 10pm “before someone kills themself”.
An officer reported the “water is in a dark area where you (motorists) can’t see it until the last minute.”
Wet weather is forecast to continue, with two local offshore troughs bringing a 90 per cent chance of light showers today and tomorrow with heavier falls on Wednesday.
Similar patterns of showers under 10mm are expected throughout the week with a possible storm on Thursday.
-
Floodlist | Gold Coast Bulletin.
