Floods and wildfires in western North America

Unprecedented floods in Midwests and wildfires cause evacuations in Alberta, Canada

Levee breached along Arkansas River forcing residents to evacuate

Flash flood warnings and evacuations were issued for rural areas in western Arkansas Friday after a levee was breached along the Arkansas River.

The levee breach occurred at Dardanelle, approximately 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, AR, as reported by officials. The breach was forecasted, prompting Yell County officials and emergency managers to go door to door urging residents to evacuate Thursday, ahead of the breach.

Jeff Gilkey, Yell County Emergency Manager, informed the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that rapid currents from the river ripped a 40-foot (12-meter) section from the levee. Gilkey stated that "there was nothing we could do to stop it."

FarmersAre Using Twitter to Document the Disastrous Effects of ClimateChange on Crops

A terrible, wet planting season is threatening U.S. crops, and farmers are live-tweeting it

#noplant19

ClimateCrisis Brings Historic Delay to Planting Season, Pressuring Farmers and Food Prices

Oklahoma residents are warned to prepare for the 'worst-case scenario' as the Midwest braces for flooding and forecasters predict the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers will rise to 'record-breaking' levels

The Midwest flooding has killed livestock, ruined harvests and has farmers worried for their future

Estimated 10,000 people evacuated as multiple fires threaten northern Alberta communities

Extreme fire conditions continue to challenge firefighters

As Alberta Burns, Jason Kenney Repeals Carbon Tax

Record- Breaking Heat in Alaska Wreaks Havoc on Communities and Ecosystems

Extreme weather in US

Tornadoes and storms sweep central and south US

Deadly storm system continues on destructive path through states including Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Iowa

the Guardian,

t28 April, 2014

More lethal storms have swept the southern and central US, a day after devastating tornadoes left at least 19 people dead.

Tornados on Monday killed three people, flipped vehicles and tore through hundreds of homes and businesses in Alabama and Mississippi in a weather system so big it was visible from space.

Devastating scenes were reported in the northern Mississippi towns of Tupelo and Louisville – where TV footage showed upended cars, downed power lines and damaged buildings – as well as in Athens, Alabama, where two people were reported killed.

"It was real bad. We're trying to pull people out," Tupelo police chief Bart Aguirre told Reuters, referring to emergency crews going house to house searching damaged buildings.

"It's a very serious situation," said the Tupelo mayor, Jason Shelton. "I am just encouraging everyone to stay inside and be weather aware. There is still a very real danger of another line coming through and people still need to be inside."

Tupelo tornado damage just now. #tupelo #tornado pic.twitter.com/f0RpwhqTyf

— Tabitha Hawk (@tabithahawk) April 28, 2014

The Mississippi governor, Phil Bryant, had declared a state of emergency for the state in anticipation of Monday’s storms.

Tupelo residents whose homes were destroyed sought refuge in a Red Cross shelter at a downtown sports arena. "I heard snapping and I said ‘Get down on the floor!' And then the trees started falling over," said Moe Kirk Bristow.

Emergency officials in Alabama said a tornado caused widespread damage and one death in Limestone county and killed two people at a trailer park in Athens.

Western Georgia and Tennessee braced as the storm system moved towards mid-Atlantic states.

The National Weather Service warned of baseball-sized hail and dangerous winds.

"This is a multi-day event and today is the second day of significant tornado risk and unfortunately, probably not the last," Bill Bunting, operations chief at the NWS Storm Predictions Center, told Reuters.

Intense storms have rattled the region since Sunday night when a swarm of tornadoes drove through Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas, hitting communities that are still recovering from a strong storm system that left 316 people dead in May 2011.

The largest tornado hit on Sunday around 7pm local time about 10 miles west of Little Rock, Arkansas. The twister continued for 80 miles, growing to be half a mile wide.

At least 14 people in Arkansas were killed, according to the state’s governor, Mike Beebe. At an earlier conference Beebe mistakenly said 16 people had been killed. Several of the victims were in Faulkner county, where the suburbs of Mayflower and Vilonia are considered to be hardest hit by the storm.

"It sounded like a constant rolling, roaring sound," Mayflower resident Becky Naylor told the Associated Press. "Trees were really bending and the light poles were actually shaking and moving. That's before we shut the door and we've only shut the door to the storm cellar two times."

More than 150 homes were destroyed in Faulkner county and the local hospital, Conway Regional Medical Center, said about 100 people were treated for injuries. Among the rubble in Vilonia was the remains of structures and homes rebuilt after the 2011 storm devastated the city. One of these structures was a new $14m intermediate school set to open in the fall. "'There's just really nothing there anymore,” said the Vilonia schools superintendent, Frank Mitchell. “We're probably going to have to start all over again.”

The US president, Barack Obama, sent his condolences to the affected communities from the Philippines where he was holding a joint press conference with the country’s president, Benigno Aquino. Obama was in the Philippines as part of a trip through Asia.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was working with local officials in the area to co-ordinate recovery and response, said the president. "Your country will be there to help you recover and rebuild, as long as it takes,” he said.

Arkansas emergency workers and volunteers were conducting door-to-door house checks because of the far-ranging destruction in rural communities and loss of power in several areas. The NWS advised emergency workers to be cautious with recovery efforts as the next round of storms loomed.

The only confirmed death outside Arkansas was in Oklahoma, though another has been reported in Iowa. A tornado killed a person in Oklahoma and then crossed into Kansas where 60 to 70 homes were damaged, according to state authorities.

A home in north-west Louisiana was heavily damaged on Monday morning, around 3.15am. A teenager in the home suffered minor injuries but the rest of the people remained safe. The storm took out power in the area and authorities were analyzing damage throughout the morning.

Officials in Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa also reported damage from the storms.

Massive tornadoes in US - casulaties

Tornadoes slam several states; weather service warns to take cover

Tornadoes tore through several states Sunday evening as severe weather slammed into parts of the central United States.

CNN,

27 April, 2014

The Arkansas governor's office confirmed one death after severe weather struck White County in Arkansas.

An extremely large and violent tornado is moving across central Arkansas, north of Little Rock, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.

Damage is "widespread" after a tornado hit Mayflower, Arkansas, and there are numerous reports of injuries, said Matt DeCample, a spokesman for the state's governor. Damage is also widespread in Vilonia, north of Little Rock, he said.

Tornadoes, strike central U.S. Tornadoes, strike central U.S.
                               

Photos: 10 deadliest U.S. tornadoes Photos: 10 deadliest U.S. tornadoes

"I can't even get down the main street down to the middle of town," Vilonia Mayor James Firestone said.

"I am trying to make my way through the downed trees and power lines. What I am seeing, it is a lot of damage. I've been listening to the rescue folks. They're saying people have to be extracted from vehicles. ... It looks pretty bad. From what I understand, there has been a subdivision that's been leveled."

In Mayflower, overturned, smashed cars were visible along the freeway as search and rescue teams combed the area.

Video from CNN affiliate KARK showed a decimated building in Mayflower surrounded by scattered debris and emergency vehicles.

Interstate 40 was shut down as authorities removed debris from the highway after the tornado struck Mayflower, said Arkansas State Patrol spokesman Bill Sadler. Mayflower is roughly 25 miles northwest of Little Rock.

The National Weather Service's Little Rock office tweeted a series of messages warning of tornadoes, reporting damage and telling residents to take cover.

A tornado crossing I-40 "was reported to be as much as a half-mile wide," the weather service said. Officials reported overturned semi-trucks and destroyed homes, the weather service said.

Witnesses also spotted a twister in the Oklahoma town of Quapaw on Sunday, an emergency official said, as severe weather slammed into parts of the central United States.

Joe Dan Morgan, emergency manager in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, said ambulances had deployed after reports of a funnel on the ground in Quapaw, and rescuers were working in an area where a concrete wall crashed onto a car.

Numerous buildings in the town were damaged, said Keli Cain with Oklahoma Emergency Management.

Kelly Flecks, an emergency dispatcher in Ottawa County, also said a tornado hit the town.

"Search and rescue is under way involving several agencies," she said. "Please tell the public to stay away so they can do their jobs. We can't confirm anything else at the moment.

Quapaw is in the northeastern part of the state, near the borders with Kansas and Missouri.

Also Sunday evening, a tornado emergency was declared for Maumelle, Arkansas, the weather service said. Maumelle is also northwest of Little Rock in central Arkansas.

Storm spotters were tracking a confirmed tornado with reports of damage, the weather service said. A tornado emergency is issued when a storm is producing a life-threatening, confirmed tornado capable of significant destruction.

Strong tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail were expected for parts of the Central Plains and along the Mississippi River Valley on Sunday, CNN meteorologists said.

Forecasters from the weather service warned that numerous tornadoes could hit, "with a few intense tornadoes likely." Large hail and damaging winds are also possible, forecasters said.

Mayflower - the Arkansas oil spill

Barrels of Trouble: Mayflower oil spill impaired people's health, made area uninhabitable

Caught up in the middle of an environmental disaster, people in the U.S. state of Arkansas are finding themselves bogged down in barrels of trouble. Almost a year after a pipeline rupture caused a massive oil spill, people are still suffering with the long term effects caused by breathing toxins on a daily basis. And if huge heath risks weren't enough, some are finding it hard to leave the contaminated area, as RT's Gayane Chichakyan found out.

Original April, 2013 coverage is HERE

Pollution

Barrels of Trouble: Mayflower oil spill impaired people's health, made area uninhabitable

Caught up in the middle of an environmental disaster, people in the U.S. state of Arkansas are finding themselves bogged down in barrels of trouble. Almost a year after a pipeline rupture caused a massive oil spill, people are still suffering with the long term effects caused by breathing toxins on a daily basis. And if huge heath risks weren't enough, some are finding it hard to leave the contaminated area, as RT's Gayane Chichakyan found out.

Explosion at Arkansas nuclear facility

Arkansas Nuclear Plant Explosion Goes Largely Unreported By National Media

Political Blindspot,

9 December, 2013

You may not have heard – in fact, you almost certainly didn’t – unless you live in Pope County, Arkansas, but just before 8 a.m. this morning, December 9, an explosion rocked the Arkansas Nuclear One power plant. Only later in the day did a few news wires pick up the story, relaying virtually nothing about it, only giving the official word that the fire was “contained.”

Pope County 911 operators confirmed calls came in reporting this explosion, but have not released details about the explosion or subsequent fires. Firefighters were dispatched and fires at the site were confirmed by the department, and by photos taken by residents near the site. Newswire reports tended to stay away from these local photographs, utilizing safe-looking stock images instead. Local Arkansas stayed far away from actual images of the site, using stock images as well to project the image that the fire was minor.

One resident said otherwise. They reportedly heard a “loud, ground shaking explosion and then saw smoke.” The fire was massive.

There are no reports confirmed of deaths or injuries, and officials are telling the surrounding community of Russellville that they are in no danger, as the fire has been contained. We will update you as more information becomes available beyond the pacifying statements that do not address any concerns about radiation or the like.

(Article by James Achisa; images via River Valley Leader News)

Fire at Arkansas nuclear power plant

Fire At Arkansas Nuclear Power Plant

News3 Channel,

9 December, 2013

A transformer fire that started Monday morning at an Arkansas nuclear plant is now under control according to KTHV-TV.

The Nuclear One plant is located in Russellville, AR and is run by Entergy.

Entergy confirmed, via Twitter, the transformer fire caused no injuries but one unit is offline though another is online.

Entergy Arkansas @EntergyArk

Follow

ANO Unit 2 is offline due to early-morning transformer fire. Fire has been contained w/ no injuries or threats to safety.

4:42 AM - 10 Dec 2013

14 RETWEETS

Arkansas Nuclear Facility Offline Following Fire, Possible Explosion

Zero Hedge,

9 December, 2013

No tsunami or earthquake but Entergy's Arkansas nuclear facility is offline...

• *ENTERGY: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE OFFLINE AFTER TRANSFORMER FIRE
  
  
• *ENTERGY SAYS UNIT 2 OFFLINE, UNIT 1 REMAINS ONLINE

Reassuringly, Entergy explains there was "no damage to the actual nuclear reactor," for now.

Via ArkansasOnline,

Authorities are responding to a fire that was reported Monday morning at an Entergy auxiliary transformer at Arkansas Nuclear One Unit Two in Russellville, company spokesman Mike Bowling said.

 

The blaze started about 7:50 a.m. after there was a "fault in the transformer that resulted in the fire," Bowling said.

 

The facility's Unit Two is offline, but Unit One is still online, Bowling said. No injuries have been reported, and the fire has been contained.

 

The auxiliary transformer is an electrical device that transfers energy and is not a nuclear portion of the plant, Bowling said.

 

The London Fire Department and Entergy's onsite responders are working the scene.

 

Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokesman Tommy Jackson said that the fire was not extinguished within the 15 minutes of detection.

 

"The auxiliary transformer exploded in Unit Two, and there was fire within the protected area," he said.

 

Gov. Mike Beebe said after a speech Monday at the Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Directors' Winter Conference in Little Rock that he had been briefed on the fire and that there was "no damage to the actual nuclear reactor."

The Arkansas oil spill

Barack Obama is about to give corporations the right to completely thumb their noses at public safety issues. Nothing and no one is safe, immune, or exempt.

One planet. One life.

---Mike Ruppert

ExxonMobil Arkansas oil spill poses health risks for locals

After 210,000 gallons of heavy crude spilled into an Arkansas community, ExxonMobil assured residents that toxic chemicals have remained at safe levels. But locals say they are suffering from deteriorating health conditions and trouble breathing.

RT,

14 May, 2013

Residents of Mayflower, Ark., have reported difficulty breathing, sinus problems, burning noses and eyes, extreme fatigue, headaches, stomachaches and unexplained sore throats – often accompanied by a putrid stench.

ExxonMobil, the owner of the Pegasus pipeline that ruptured on March 29, claims that toxic chemicals in the air are at safe levels and no risk to the local community.

But resident complaints, health surveys and air samples tell a different story. Air samples from March 30 contained about 30 toxic chemicals in the small town of Mayflower, according to a press release by the Global Community Monitor (GCM), which conducted the independent tests.

The air samples contained chemicals including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n-hexane and xylenes. Many of these chemicals can cause cancer and reproductive health problems. Breathing n-hexene can cause permanent damage to the nervous system and cause numbness in the genital regions, muscular weakness, blurred vision, and headaches.

The chemicals found in the samples are “regulated under the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act amendments as the most toxic of all known airborne chemicals,” according to the release.

“The chemicals detected in the samples match the health impacts experienced both in the immediate neighborhood of the spill, and in the surrounding community,” Wilma Subra, an environmental health consultant, told The Huffington Post.

Furthermore, the chemicals are most likely to affect young children, since they are much more sensitive to lower levels of toxins than adults. Even if the state considers air toxins to be at a legally safe level, it may only be ‘safe’ for adults.

Mayflower resident Genieve Long told HuffPost that her 5-year-old son has been “wheezing and struggling to breathe” at night, starting a few days after the oil spill. She would constantly wake up panicked, fearing for her son’s health.

And at the local elementary school, eight children were sent home last week due to breathing problems that were accompanied by a strong odor across Mayflower.

“A lot of the released chemicals – benzene, hydrogen sulfide, toluene – are still extremely toxic, especially to children, the elderly and pregnant women, at very low levels,” said April Lane, who is in charge of health and safety at the school and has also been collecting health reports from local residents since the pipeline ruptured.

“Even four weeks later, residents are still feeling symptoms from the chemical exposure,” she said in a GCM press release. “People have consistently talked about gastrointestinal problems, headaches, respiratory problems, skin irritation including chemical burns, and extreme fatigue.”

Sherry Appleman, a resident who lives off of Lake Conway outside of the evacuation zone, said she herself has been suffering from deteriorating health conditions. She blames her symptoms on her proximity to the lake, which is now covered in thick, sticky bitumen. ExxonMobil previously alleged that the lake was not affected by the spill – but dead fish, ducks and wildlife indicate otherwise.

“I couldn’t breathe,” Appleman told HuffPost, describing a night she woke up shortly after the spill. “My throat and nose and eyes were burning really bad. I could smell that horrible smell. I got really scared.”

Appleman said she suffered headaches, stomachaches, and a sore throat for nine days. She also witnessed three men, equipped with a video screen and computer, pulling dead fish from the lake in the middle of the night.

And although Exxon and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality denied that the spill could sicken residents, National Resources Defense Council communications associate Rocky Kistner told KATV that they did little to investigate it.

“I haven’t seen a lot of health authorities going into the neighborhoods and asking people directly, knocking on doors trying to find out well what are people experiencing in terms of their health,” he said.

At a rally in front of the State Department last week, Long asked Secretary of State John Kerry to travel to Mayflower and take a look at the aftermath of the spill to see why transporting Canadian oil sands might be a bad idea. Even though Washington, D.C. is a large city in comparison to Mayflower, Long said the air smelled cleaner and purer than what she experiences at home in Arkansas.

"When I came back home, the putrid stench was still not gone," she said

The Arkansas oil spill

Independent Air Test at Mayflower Oil Spill Reveal 30 Toxic Chemicals at High Levels

• Independent Air Test at Mayflower Oil Spill Reveal 30 Toxic Chemicals at High Levels
• Health Symptoms Persist Despite Denials from Exxon and Agencies

GCMonitor,

26 April, 2013

Little Rock--A citizen based organization responding the recent Exxon Pegasus Pipeline rupture and tar sands oil spill discovered over twenty-five toxic chemicals in the first ambient air sample collected on March 30. Community leader, April Lane, has been collecting health reports from residents since the pipeline rupture on March 29. Lane relayed that “even four weeks later, residents are still feeling symptoms from the chemical exposure. People have consistently talked about gastrointestinal problems, headaches, respiratory problems, skin irritation including chemical burns, and extreme fatigue.” These symptoms are consistent with exposure to the chemicals found in the independent air testing. According to Dr. Neil Carman with the Lone Star Chapter of Sierra Club and former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, “Thirty toxic hydrocarbons were measured above the detection limits. Each of the thirty hydrocarbons measured in the Mayflower release is a toxic chemical on its own and may pose a threat to human health depending on various exposure and individual factors. Total toxic hydrocarbons were detected at more than 88,000 parts per billion in the ambient air and present a complex airborne mixture or soup of toxic chemicals that residents may have been exposed to from the Mayflower tar sands bitumen spill.” Response from Exxon, State & Local Officials Lane is interviewing residents about their health effects and collecting air quality data because state agencies have not been proactive in informing residents of the possible health effects associated with this particular chemical mixture also known as Wabasca Heavy Crude oil. Wabasca Heavy Crude oil, as identified by Exxon, is heavy oil (bitumen) that is diluted with lighter hydrocarbons like Benzene to allow for easier flow through pipelines. Lane is a student at the University of Central Arkansas and President of Environmental Alliance at UCA; she also works with the Faulkner County Citizens Advisory Group. FCCAG was trained last November by Global Community Monitor in Bucket Brigade air sampling techniques. Lane’s initial air sample on March 30 detected over twenty-five toxic chemicals including cancer causing benzene and ethylbenzene. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, chemicals can have varying health effects depending on intensity and frequency of exposure. Short-term, high levels of exposure and long-term low level exposure to benzene and ethylbenzene have led to increased cancer rates. Many of the chemicals have developmental, neurological and reproductive health effects. Chemical detected Long term health effects Short term health effects Benzene Cancer, possible reproductive and/or developmental effects Breathing very high levels of benzene can result in death, while high levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness. Ethylbenzene Cancer and reproductive effects. Exposure to high levels of ethylbenzene in air for short periods can cause eye and throat irritation. Exposure to higher levels can result in dizziness. n-hexane Damage to the nervous system, numbness in the extremities, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache, and fatigue have been observed. The only people known to have been affected by exposure to n-hexane use are at work. Breathing large amounts caused numbness in the feet and hands, followed by muscle weakness in the feet and lower legs. If removed from the exposure, the workers recovered in 6 months to a year. Toluene Breathing very high levels of toluene during pregnancy can result in children with birth defects and retard mental abilities, and growth. We do not know if toluene harms the unborn child if the mother is exposed to low levels of toluene during pregnancy. Toluene may affect the nervous system. Low to moderate levels can cause tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and hearing and color vision loss. These symptoms usually disappear when exposure is stopped. Inhaling High levels of toluene in a short time can make you feel light-headed, dizzy, or sleepy. It can also cause unconsciousness, and even death. High levels of toluene may affect your kidneys. Xylenes Studies of unborn animals indicate that high concentrations of xylene may cause increased numbers of deaths, and delayed growth and development. In many instances, these same concentrations also cause damage to the mothers. We do not know if xylene harms the unborn child if the mother is exposed to low levels of xylene during pregnancy. High levels of exposure for short or long periods can cause headaches, lack of muscle coordination, dizziness, confusion, and changes in one’s sense of balance. Exposure of people to high levels of xylene for short periods can also cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat; difficulty in breathing; problems with the lungs; delayed reaction time; memory difficulties; stomach discomfort; and possibly changes in the liver and kidneys. It can cause unconsciousness and even death at very high levels. Source: Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Tox Faqs and the US EPA Technology Transfer Network, Air Toxics Website Hazardous air pollutants or HAPs detected include seven hydrocarbons identified as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylenes, o-xylene, hexane, and cumene. HAPs are regulated under the 1990 Federal Clean Air Act amendments as the most toxic of all known airborne chemicals. The Bucket Brigade uses a certified laboratory capable of detecting VOC’s in the low level part per billion range because residential health safety levels are set in parts per billion, not parts per million. Air testing in the parts per million range is approved for worker-only exposures and not residential exposures where vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, seniors and sick people may live. Benzene vapors in the Mayflower sample were measured at 220 parts per billion by volume (ppbV), exceeding the Texas short-term effects screening levels (ESL) for benzene of 54 parts per billion (ppb) by four times. Many residents were exposed for several days and are still being exposed to crude remaining in the environment. Global Community Monitor Bucket Brigade Trainer Ruth Breech commented, “The spill and response has been a disservice to the community. People are obviously suffering and experiencing health symptoms from chemical exposure related to the oil spill. State and Federal need to step up immediately to document and prevent any further health issues associated with the Exxon oil spill. Agencies need to share information in a manner to ensure informed decision making and enable access to necessary resources such as medical treatment for chemical exposure.” In addition to exposure to these chemicals associated with the Wabasca Heavy Crude oil spill, residents have many questions about the cleanup operations and long-term exposure to chemicals. On April 22nd, FCCAG held a Town Hall Meeting to discuss issues related to the oil spill. The goal of the event was to make a prioritized list of recommended actions and time frame for completion. Several presentations were given by Board Members of FCCAG, including the results of the Bucket Brigade air testing. Experts in oil spill pollution Dr. Wilma Subra and Dr. Riki Ott also presented an analysis of the available air, water, and soil data that has been collected by Exxon, EPA, and the state. These experts relayed their first-hand experiences while working on the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the BP disaster in the Gulf. Over 100 people attended the all-day event that was held at the Faulkner County Natural Resource Center. The list of recommended actions has been hand-delivered to the Mayflower City Planning Committee. FCCAG will continue to work with the people of Mayflower and state and local officials to ensure the health and safety of the communities and ecosystems that are affected by this disaster.