DUBAI – Saudi’s King Abdullah has ordered the government to compensate families hit by the last week’s severe flooding in Jeddah that floods killed more than 100 people, local daily Arab News reported on Monday.
The newspaper said families are to receive 2,400 riyals ($640) a week, while the government will also meet the cost of treatment for flood victims at both state and private hospitals.
A huge rainstorm on Wednesday sparked the flash floods in the city, with many victims caught in their cars and drowning in two metres (6.5 feet) or more of water.
Roads were destroyed and cars and trucks left in piles after the waters receded on Thursday.
The flooding also caused blackouts in parts of the city, with electricity yet to be restored in some of the worst hit areas.
Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal bin Majed has called on clean-up teams to restore electricity and remove debris as quickly as possible, the newspaper said.
NORTH COWICHAN — Heavy flooding caused by relentless rain and high tides forced hundreds of people Friday to flee their homes in the Cowichan Valley.
A state of emergency covering North Cowichan, Duncan and Cowichan Tribes land was declared after residents awoke to rapidly rising waters in the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers.
“We barely got out of here,” said Rob Kloosterman, as he carried two yowling cats to dry ground from his home on Beverly Street in North Cowichan.
When his wife woke up at 7 a.m., everything was normal, Kloosterman said. But half an hour later, neighbours knocked on his door, and Kloosterman saw his Cobble Hill Taxi vehicles were almost underwater. “When I left in one cab I had three inches of water inside on the floor,” he said.
Inside his house “things are bad. There’s four inches of water everywhere. It’s sad, very sad,” Kloosterman said.
Over on Trunk Road, the waters came earlier.
“We got a phone call at 4:30 a.m. from our neighbour and she was flipping out,” said Chris Halpin, clad in hip waders, standing on a dry part of the street. “The water was up to here,” he said, holding his hand about a metre above the ground.
Neighbour Bill Bowers awoke to see water flowing through his garage. Then his hot tub was picked up and floated across his yard.
The flood was almost too much for Tina Baker, 30, to take. She lost nearly everything from her Heather Street rental property. “I just went through a divorce, I just went through back surgery two weeks ago — what do you do?” she said, her eyes still brimming with tears.
Her sons, ages three and five, were upset at the loss of favourite toys. The family’s cat is missing. Her dad died in 2003 and the belongings he left behind are underwater, she said.
“It’s stuff I can’t replace and he’s not here anymore,” she said.
North Cowichan-Duncan RCMP Const. Ed Power said many streets were flooded, and the homes alongside. In some areas, search-and-rescue crews were called in to help evacuate homes. Roads were closed all over the valley.
The Cowichan Community Centre offered hot coffee and a place to rest for occupants of about 300 homes that had been evacuated.
The flooding forced Cowichan Valley school district officials to close several schools for the day along Beverly Street. Volunteers used unflooded parts of the school grounds and parking lots to fill sandbags.
“This is the worst it’s been since I’ve been here, almost 60 years,” said Bill Mann, a school district carpenter.
North Cowichan spokesman Mark Ruttan said this type of flooding, which is centred around the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers, has not been this severe for some time.
“Not for many years,” he said. “There are dikes along Beverly Street, and Lakes Road was built up years ago. It’s protected it until now, but this is just an extremely unusual rain event. It’s a lot of rain combined with some high tides.”
Bill Kuhnke, manager of forecasting and information for the Ministry of Environment, said the Cowichan-area flooding was caused by similar factors that led to flood problems around Courtenay earlier this week. He said at noon that flood levels had begun to fall.
Ruttan said more rain was forecast for today, as well has high tides about mid-morning. “We have not lifted the evacuation order yet,” he said, adding he expected the state of emergency in the area to remain in place for a few more days.
The provincial government said Friday that flood victims in Cowichan, Nanaimo and Comox would be eligible for disaster financial assistance, which covers 80 per cent of claims exceeding $1,000.
On the mainland, meanwhile, residents can expect rain, sun, rain and more rain over the next few days. The next storm was expected to blow in later today. “It doesn’t appear to be a big storm, but it will pack some punch with some rain and increasing southeast wind,” Global BC senior meteorologist Mark Madryga said.
A high-pressure ridge will bring a slight break to the windy, wet weather Sunday afternoon. “Everything points toward at least a few bright spots,” Madryga said.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/approves+disaster+
relief+flooded+communities/2247349/story.html
Flood-stricken parts of the UK are bracing themselves for more rain after an “unprecedented” deluge swamped homes and brought down bridges.
Forecasters predict Saturday will bring 15mm (0.5in) to 40mm (1.6in) of rain to Cumbria, where police said 100 people spent the night in emergency shelters.
There are 24 flood warnings in force across Scotland, northern England, the Midlands and Wales. Four are “severe”.
They all affect Cumbria, where Pc Bill Barker died after a bridge collapsed.
Pc Barker, 44, was directing motorists off the bridge in Workington when a swollen river caused it to cave in.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8371796.stm
