WEATHER / PREPARING FOR THE WORST

Storm, flood disaster plan approved by cabinet

POST REPORTERS

A five-year master plan to cope with floods, storms and mudslides was endorsed by the cabinet yesterday amid widespread floods in the provinces.

The plan will be implemented next year deputy government spokesman Natthawat Sutthiyothin said. It provides a framework and directions for providing effective emergency aid to victims and strengthening the ability of communities to cope with natural disasters.

These include preventative measures, irrigation management and emergency measures.

The weather office warned that some provinces in the North would feel the effects of tropical depression Francisco which was last night centred in the Gulf of Tonkin and moving westwards into Vietnam. Although it was weakening as it hit land, rainstorms and strong winds were predicted for the Northeast and northern provinces such as Phetchabun, Nan, Phayao, and Chiang Rai.

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Hopes afloat on anti-flood plan Friday, September 21st 2007

According to Works Minister Colm Imbert a new drainage system will be in place in Port of Spain by the end of the year. This may not mean that the flooding with which the country's capital is often plagued when rain falls will come to an end by year's end since, according to acting city Mayor Rishi Lakhan, the new system will not be fully installed until 2010. Full Story

Lib Dems unveil £1bn flood defence plan

By Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent

Last Updated: 3:54am BST 21/09/2007

Spending on flood defence would increase to £1 billion a year by 2010 under plans unveiled by the Liberal Democrats.

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Flood defences 'inadequate'

By Chris Buratta

Oxford City Council leader John Goddard has launched an attack on the Environment Agency over what he says are inadequate flood defences.

He said he was fed up with 'excuses' and wanted action to be taken.

Floods in July wreaked havoc for many residents as the River Thames teetered on the brink of bursting.

Mr Goddard said the damage was bad enough - but added the city had been millimetres from a complete catastrophe.

The council is to conduct a wholesale review of its planning policy to ensure any new development does not add to the flooding problems.

But he has called for civic leaders and Oxfordshire MPs to join forces in a campaign for action.

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California Flood Policy Is Like...Gymnastics?

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

Negotiations are in full gear, primarily concerning the interim land use measures which would be put in place until a flood control plan for the Central Valley is completed in 2012. (These discussions principally affect AB 5 and SB 5.)

PCL staff member Jonas Minton is playing a key role in these negotiations. He is seeking to ensure that new flood policy incorporates wise land use into the flood control plan and provides complementary benefits to both public safety and the environment.

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Climate warning raises long-term flood fears

Sábado, Setembro 1st, 2007 in global warming, climate

Plans to protect Britain do not heed the risk of rising river levels caused by global warming, a study finds

• Steven Morris and Alok Jha
• The Guardian
• Thursday August 30 2007

Scientists have urged the government to consider the full impact of global warming when drawing up plans to protect Britain from flooding. A study from the Met Office’s Hadley Centre predicts that river levels will rise higher than anticipated because existing computer models do not take into account the effects of climate change on plant life.

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Byram participates in flood program

Byram — The township planning board is seeking public input about potential flooding sites as part of a Delaware River Basin Commission project. The township joined the commission project in March along with other municipalities in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon counties. Once potential downstream flooding areas are identified, the township and commission will jointly plan mitigation measures.

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Issues on China's Present Flood Defense and Drought Relief

Ministry of Water Resources

I. Information of Flood, Drought and Disasters

China has experienced extreme climate this year and there are several features. First of all, summertime north-west Pacific Sub-tropical High is continuously heading west and growing strong. Secondly, the number of typhoons that have landed or influenced China in early summer is significantly fewer while more typhoons landed later with stronger influence. Thirdly, precipitation increases in Huaihe River and the Han River, upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River, etc while rainfall in south China , northeastern China and area south to the Yangtze River decreases substantially. Fourthly, extreme disastrous climate events, including storms with short duration and high intensity, storms with lightening took place frequently. Besides, the worst whole-basin flood since 1954 took place in Huaihe River Basin and first-time recorded extraordinary floods occurred in some small and medium-sized rivers. Flash floods are reported frequently meanwhile some areas witnessed extreme droughts.

According to statistics, by August 21, about 145 million mu or 9.67 million hectare of crops is affected, and 79.75 million mu or 5.32 million hectare of crops damaged. 139 million residents are affected while 1,098 died due to disaster, and 192 missing. 883,000 houses collapsed. The total direct economic loss amounts to 75.9 billion YUAN or US$10 billion, including 13 billion YUAN or US$1.72 billion loss of water structure. Around 88.53 million mu or 5.9 million hectare of arable land suffered from drought while 76.46 million mu or 5.1 million hectare of crop is affected by drought. 6.57 million residents and 5.15 million big livestock experienced temporary difficulty of water supply.

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Needed: A 50-year flood plan

By Robert Bea
August 27, 2007

After two years, there's a lack coherent vision on how to provide adequate flood protection. The Army Corps of Engineers is doing 5,000 different things, one of which is flood protection. The state is even more muddled. You don't have modern technology; the quality is not what you would call world-class.

Money has been coming in dribs and drabs. Billions of dollars is big, but before you get adequate flood protection for New Orleans, you better start thinking about $50 billion to $100 billion, and 50 to 100 years to do it. The Netherlands had its Katrina in 1953, and it is still developing its system. It has expended about $50 billion. You don't have to be a professor to get it.

But we can see some strides going forward. Local citizens who want protection are now involved in getting that protection. There's a recognition that flood protection is not just a New Orleans problem, it's a national problem, it's a problem in our own Sacramento Delta; it extends to Kansas, Chicago. We've been watching it unfold across the U.S. last week.

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