All articles tagged with #floods
As a developing El Niño nears, scientists warn that releasing ocean heat will mix with ongoing human-caused warming to heighten heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfires globally, potentially producing unprecedented extremes even as long-term warming remains the primary driver of dangerous climate conditions.
Kenya's rainy season has turned deadly, with 18 people killed and about 54,000 households affected in a week as heavy rains trigger flooding nationwide, with Western Kenya among the hardest hit.
Heavy rains in northeastern Brazil have left at least six people dead and about 3,000 displaced, mainly in Pernambuco and Paraiba as floods and landslides hit Recife, Olinda, Joao Pessoa and Campina Grande. Authorities issued 22 emergency alerts and raised the response to maximum, with President Lula offering support. The event adds to a record of rising rain-related disasters in Brazil, including studies showing floods have tripled since 1991.
Camp Mystic, a Texas private Christian girls’ camp where 28 people died in July floods, will not reopen for the 2026 season after withdrawing its license renewal; state officials say the license may not be renewed without major revisions to the emergency plan, and an internal investigation is underway alongside a Texas Ranger probe. Families of victims criticize the decision, while attorneys say accountability and stronger safeguards for campers will continue to be pursued in court.
Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas withdrew its license application and will not reopen this summer after a fatal flood last July that killed 27 campers and counselors. Families of victims welcomed the decision as investigations continue, with state lawmakers and Gov. Abbott noting closures are part of ongoing probes and lawsuits alleging safety failures.
Camp Mystic in Texas has withdrawn its plan to reopen this summer amid ongoing criminal and civil investigations into the deadly July 4, 2025 floods that killed 27 campers and staff, plus a wrongful-death lawsuit. State leaders urged regulators to deny approval until investigations and corrective actions are complete, and a Texas judge has ordered many damaged buildings to remain untouched during litigation.
Northern Michigan floods reveal aging, underfunded infrastructure: about two-thirds of Michigan’s 2,600 dams are past their 50-year design life and need roughly $1 billion in repairs, with several undersized dams overwhelmed by extreme weather; communities from Cheboygan to Bellaire to Escanaba face overwhelmed water systems and road damage as climate-change–driven floods intensify, fueling renewed calls for dam-safety reforms and bigger infrastructure investments.
A Texas judge heard emotional testimony about Camp Mystic’s flood response during deadly July floods that killed at least 116 people, including 28 campers and staff, with lawsuits alleging negligence and questions about preparedness. Directors described limited means to contact campers and missed warnings, amid questions about battery-powered alerts and a policy restricting devices. The Steward family’s suit is one of several, and the Texas Rangers are reviewing hundreds of complaints; a ruling on a temporary injunction to cordon flooded areas is expected as Camp Mystic plans to reopen in May.
FEMA announced federal disaster assistance for Washington state for damages from Dec. 5–19, 2025, including storms, winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides, with aid available to individuals (grants for housing and repairs, loans) and to state/tribal/local governments and certain nonprofits through Public Assistance. Applications can be made at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362, with timelines varying as funds move from federal to state to local agencies. John F. Harrison was named federal coordinating officer. Local leaders in Whatcom County emphasize that aid helps but isn’t a complete solution amid ongoing recovery, and residents are urged to keep receipts and documentation for reimbursement.
Forecasters warn a potentially historic super El Niño could develop by fall, with NOAA predicting a >90% chance of El Niño and up to a 50% chance it will be strong; if it arrives, Southern California could see a wetter winter that replenishes water supplies but raises the risk of floods, debris flows and coastal erosion, even as it may reduce wildfire risk. Forecasters caution that even strong El Niños don’t always deliver predictable weather, citing past events (1982-83, 1997-98) that varied widely in rainfall. The pattern is tied to warmer Pacific waters and altered jet streams, and climate change could be intensifying swings; impacts may extend to marine life as warmer seas affect plankton and sea lion rookeries along the Channel Islands. More clarity is expected between May and June as models improve.
Severe weather across Afghanistan, including floods, landslides and thunderstorms, has killed 17 people with damage reported in Kandahar province.
Historic floods across Hawaii have left about 2,000 people without power, damaging neighborhoods from Haleiwa to Waikiki and prompting assessments and cleanup as authorities call it one of the worst floods in decades.
Two back-to-back storms drenched Hawaii with up to 50 inches of rain, driving about $1 billion in damages and prompting hundreds of rescues and mass evacuations across Oahu and Maui; officials say the flooding is the worst since 2004, with ongoing road closures, dam monitoring by the National Guard at Wahiawa, and advisories to avoid driving through deep water, while the White House has offered support and there have been no reported fatalities so far.
Two powerful storms drenched Hawaii, pushing Wahiawa Dam on Oahu toward potential failure from overtopping and prompting evacuation orders for Waialua and Haleiwa, affecting about 4,000 residents. The 1906, 9,200-acre-foot earthen dam, owned by Dole and forming Lake Wilson, has a spillway that could be overwhelmed in a major flood. Officials say the risk is evolving, with flood watches in effect and more rain expected; Governor Josh Green urged residents to evacuate as state offices closed except emergency management.
A Texas judge declined to shut Camp Mystic after a family sued to keep it closed following last year’s floods, ordering preservation of damaged cabins but stopping short of a reopening-block, meaning the camp can continue operating while the lawsuit proceeds.