Typhoon Dolphin has hit China’s eastern coast after forcing over 300,000 people to preemptively relocate. The storm made landfall Sunday evening, impacting Taizhou in Zhejiang province and northern Fujian province. It brought strong winds and massive waves, creating a risk of severe flooding and landslides in Zhejiang. Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights, affecting about 60% of Sunday’s expected flights. Forecasters predict 7.9–15.7 inches of rainfall over the next few days. The storm’s outer bands hit northern Taiwan on Saturday, causing rain and some flight cancellations.
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Authorities in eastern China are shutting schools and tourist sites as Typhoon Dolphin heads for the coast. The storm is moving toward land on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of about 162 kilometers per hour. It is expected to bring heavy rains, severe flooding and possibly landslides when it hits Zhejiang and parts of neighboring Fujian province late Sunday. National authorities have declared a level III emergency response, the second lowest level. Many tourist destinations in Zhejiang are closed Saturday and Sunday, along with ferries and cruises, while Ningbo city has ordered schools to remain shut this weekend.
The Netherlands and Germany are suffering the consequences of a European heat wave that has brought dought and sparked devastating wildfires in France, Spain, Portugal, Crete and elsewhere. For the Dutch the dry conditions are a threat to hundreds of miles of dikes that protect the low-lying country from flooding in the winter. In Germany, the lack of rainfall has led to record low levels in the Rhine, one of Europe's major rivers and a superhighway for freight that is transported in ships along its navigation channels. Dutch authorities are patrolling dikes to check for possible damage as the structures dry out.
AP Wire
Tropical Storm Bertha brought heavy surf and some flooding to southern Louisiana and Texas as it came ashore on the Gulf Coast before it was downgraded to a tropical depression. The National Hurricane Center says wind gusts of tropical storm force were still possible along the upper Texas coast Thursday evening. Heavy rain into the evening may trigger isolated flash flooding. No deaths or significant damage have been reported since Bertha formed Monday in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm made landfall for the first time Wednesday as it grazed the Louisiana coast. It came ashore again Thursday near Galveston, Texas.
Torrential rains in West Virginia have caused flash flooding that inundated homes and businesses. Authorities say the floods washed out bridges and led to numerous water rescues in portions of the state. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties Tuesday night. Forecasters said up to 7 inches of rain fell in some places. There are no reports of deaths or missing people. Morrisey has sent more than 300 National Guard members to affected areas. The rains were part of wide-ranging storms that produced reports of tornadoes in several states.
Rescue crews in Afghanistan are searching for survivors and bodies among the rubble of buildings destroyed by devastating flash floods that authorities say have killed nearly two dozen people and left more than 100 people missing. The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday that 23 people have died, 80 have been injured and more than 100 are missing after the floods struck the eastern province of Nuristan, causing an undetermined number of buildings to collapse. More extreme weather has been forecast for 10 of the country’s 34 provinces. Decades of conflict, a struggling economy and poor infrastructure, combined with the effects of climate change, have left Afghanistan highly vulnerable to extreme weather events.
AP Wire
Five members of a Utah family have died after a flash flood swept through canyons in southern Utah where they were on a day outing. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said the family had gone hiking Friday when heavy rains triggered a sudden, devastating flood. The bodies of the five were recovered Friday evening and Saturday. Tributes poured out for the family identified them as a fire department captain with the Provo Fire Department, as well as his wife and their three sons. A fundraiser was established to support the couple's surviving daughter.
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Catastrophic flooding has swept across parts of Texas following days of heavy rain, submerging homes and roads, prompting…
Officials in Texas have implemented major changes to improve flood warnings after last year's deadly floods in Hill Country. They passed laws for better early warning systems and infrastructure improvements. This week, slow-moving storms triggered flash floods, but only two deaths have been confirmed so far. Some agencies have been more proactive with alerts, and some new sirens have been installed. Private companies are also creating warning systems. But some residents were also left with no warning, or were only alerted to the rising water by calls from friends. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the changes have saved lives, as the state was better prepared for this year's floods.
First responders in storm-battered Texas are again rushing to people trapped in high waters after more heavy rain widened the danger from floods that have killed at least two people and left hundreds more in need of rescue. A week of punishing downpours dumped more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) in some areas as of Friday. The latest round of showers worsened already swollen rivers and flooded rural communities near the border with Mexico that had largely been spared major damage. Gov. Greg Abbott said emergency personnel across a wide swath of southern and central Texas have rescued more than 570 people, including stranded drivers and people trapped in homes.