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National Situation Update: Wednesday, April 5, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West:  Rain showers and mountain snow will affect the vast majority of the West, but much of western and central Washington state, including Seattle, should stay dry. Showers will continue to soak most of California, although the precipitation should be tapering off by late in the day. Heavy snow will fall in the mountains of the Interior West, especially from western Montana southward through western Wyoming and the mountains of Utah. Gusty winds will whip over the plateaus and mountains of the Southwest. The breezes, along with generally low humidity, may lead to critical wildfire conditions in far eastern Arizona, southern and eastern Colorado and New Mexico.

Northeast:  An unseasonable chill will persist in most of the Northeast, and  snow showers will fall in many areas of New England, New York state, Pennsylvania and the mountains of West Virginia. Some slushy accumulations are possible in far northern New England. Rain may mix with the snow showers in western New York and western Pennsylvania.

Midwest:  Except for the chance of isolated rain or snow showers in parts of Michigan and eastern Ohio and a few showers or thunderstorms in southern Missouri and eastern Kansas, the Midwest and Great Plains should be dry today. Gusty southerly winds will move unusually mild air northward over the western Midwest and Plains while conditions remain chilly in southeastern Michigan and Ohio.

South:  Locations east of the Mississippi River in the South should stay dry, while west of the river, a few showers or thunderstorms may develop over eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas. Farther west, isolated storms could roll up over West Texas. Despite the threat of a storm or two, high wildfire danger is expected to exist over all of western Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle due to gusty winds, low humidity and temperatures well above seasonal means.  (NWS, Media Sources)

FEMA Regional Incident Reports

Kentucky: Beginning on April 3, widespread severe weather occurred including numerous super cell thunderstorms that tracked east across Kentucky, beginning in southeast Missouri late in the afternoon and exiting to the east of the region by midnight. 

The Governor, Adjutant General and KyEM Assistant Director toured the area on the afternoon of April 3, 2006. They observed wide spread damage.  The Governor has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Through the executive order, the Kentucky National Guard has been directed to be on standby to send troops to impacted areas as needed.

Damage Assessments are being conducted in Christian and Todd counties.  Christian County Emergency Management reports 100 homes destroyed. Effected county governments are providing assistance.

There has been no formal request for FEMA assistance and the State has not requested a response liaison.  The Regional Duty Officer will continue to monitor the situation and be in contact with the Commonwealth of Kentucky.   (FEMA Region IV)

Arkansas: A series of severe thunderstorms moved through Arkansas late afternoon and early evening on Sunday, April 2, 2006, producing large hail, wind, heavy rain, and tornadoes.  

Highways into marmaduke (including us hwy 49) have been opened for through traffic only.  Side streets are still blocked.  Schools there will be closed all week and reopen possibly on monday.  A nighttime curfew will be enforced by local and state police.

Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) teams for Individual Assistance, including FEMA, Small Business Administration, and ADEM representatives, began surveying the affected coutnies starting April 4, 2006.   PDA teams for Public Assistance  (infrastructure) will start surveying the affected counties on April 5, 2006.  (FEMA Region VI)

Missouri: An upper level disturbance and associated cold front moved through the Mid-south Sunday evening, April 2, 2006. As the system moved through the area, dangerous storms were created.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is activated at Level I.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is assisting with drinking water for the communities of Caruthersville, Deering and Braggadocio.  DNR deployed liaisons to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) where they assisted in procuring generators to power the sewage system lift stations in Caruthersville.  DNR is providing technicians to Caruthersville to advise regarding sewage systems and drinking water systems.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is coordinating water and mass care issues. DSS has deployed a liaison to the SEOC and has coordinated four shipments of bottled water to Caruthersville.  Bulk water shipments are on standby if needed.  DSS has coordinated with America Second Harvest and associated Food Banks to arrange bottled water shipments and to arrange for additional bulk food shipments if required.   DSS is coordinating with the major mass care partner agencies (Red Cross, Southern Baptist and Salvation Army).

The American Red Cross is running a shelter at the Community Center in Caruthersville. A second shelter is on standby. ARC has five damage assessment teams in the city.  Forty people are sheltered at the Red Cross shelter.  American Red Cross has two Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) on scene.  Two additional ERVs are arriving from out of state.  An operational headquarters team is in place.  A Red Cross service center is being established at the First United Methodist Church.

Americorps Emergency Response Team of 20 team members is on scene and coordinating the human services in the EOC.  The team is assisting with coordination in Caruthersville, Braggadocio and rural Pemiscot County.   Southern Baptist Relief Services has established a fixed feeding site in Hayti on Tuesday, April 4th and is providing chain saw crews for debris clearing on private property.  Salvation Army has three canteen service units serving in Caruthersville and surrounding areas.  Salvation Army is assisting with donations and other human needs.  A multi-agency service center (MARC) is established.

A logistics point of distribution (POD) is established at the Caruthersville Catholic Church. Compassion Alliance is helping with logistics.  All human services agencies are being asked to coordinate with the Human Services unit in the EOC.

FEMA Region VII is in contact with SEMA for incident updates and briefings.  FEMA Region VII received a request for an expedited major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation from Governor Blunt at 6:00 pm CDT on April 3, 2006. The request is currently in process.

Federal and State combined Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Teams are beginning damage assessments. The projected schedule is: Andrew, Dunklin and Stoddard Counties-Wednesday; Ralls, Marion and New Madrid Counties-Thursday; St. Charles and St. Louis Counties-Friday.  (FEMA Region VII)

California: Two Central Valley levees broke Tuesday, April 4, 2006, flooding up to 50 homes in Merced and inundating farmland in Sacramento County as heavy rain continued to fall across Northern California.  A breach on Black Rascal Creek at the confluence of Bear Creek was threatening the homes. On the other side of the creek, a trailer park was flooded as water topped the levee.

 A levee east of Highway 99 at the crossing of the Consumnes River south of Sacramento failed and swamped agricultural fields but posed no threat to homes, the highway or railroad tracks. There are no communities affected by this levee break. A flood warning continues for the Consumnes River at Michigan Bar. The same area broke in January during heavy storms.  Water officials said the levee breaks were minor. Rain has saturated Northern California for the past month and is expected for the next 10 days.
The Sacramento River reached flood stage Tuesday at the Tehama Bridge near Red Bluff, which commonly floods ranchland during high-water years. Reservoir operators released water from a variety of dams in the valley, including Friant Dam outside Fresno, to make way for the rainwater.

The chief hydrologist for flood operations at the State Department of Water Resources indicated that they don't have a concern with what the releases are right now. He also stated that the releases are cumulative and manageable.  There will be rain showers and isolated thunderstorms for the rest of today into this evening. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall and small hail with winds from the east up to 10 mph. High temperatures today around 57 and lows around 45.

Response to the levee failures has been by local Incident Command.  The State has responded with technical expertise via the Department of Water Resources.  Assessments and monitoring of levees continues at both State and Local levels.

No Federal assistance has been requested at this time.  FEMA Region IX continues monitoring of events. 

The two levee breaches reported for April 4, 2006, are not in the areas listed under Governor Schwarzenegger's proclamation on February 24, 2006 or addressed as risk sites in the FEMA Region IX coordinated Sacramento Valley Levee Response Plan Project (SVLRPP).   The breach in Merced County is three counties south of Sacramento and not a part of the Sacramento Valley system.   The breach on the Consumnes River is in southern Sacramento County, south of the 24 critical erosion sites referenced in the Governor's proclamation.  The Consumnes breach was a private levee that flooded agricultural areas and posed no risk to communities, rail lines or highways.  The break is near an existing break that has not been fixed since the 2005-2006 Winter Storms (FEMA-1628-DR-CA) flooding.

The California Department of Water Resources and local agencies continue to monitor the river stages.  The US Army Corp of Engineers (Corps) deployed a team to Reclamation District 501 on Ryer Island (an inland island surrounded by waterways) to deal with a pre-existing slip.  The Corps deployed on their own accord.  (FEMA Region IX)

North Dakota: The rapid snowmelt of heavy winter snow accumulations compounded by spring rains and sudden warm temperatures is causing spring flooding along the Red River Valley.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast a thunderstorm for the Red River Valley will be developing and spreading up into the south valley the evening of April 5, 2006, into the morning of April 6, 2006 followed by continued rain into April 7, 2006. The analysis indicates street flooding may occur if the area receives one and one-half to two inches of rain within a two- to three-hour period, particularly since the Red River Basin tributaries are high and storm sewer pumping operations are underway.  The rural area will likely see rapid runoff, which could result in overland flooding.  Flows in ditches and smaller streams will increase during the next 24 hours. The basin's larger rivers will see a second rise of high water crests.

Local agencies responding to the emergency include law enforcement, city and county administration offices, city, county and township public works departments, communications centers, emergency management offices, private contractors and other emergency services; as needed.

The Governor's office, State Water Commission (SWC), North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP), North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH), North Dakota Department of Human Services (NDDHS), North Dakota National Guard (NDNG), North Dakota Air National Guard (NDANG), and the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) are monitoring the situation.

The ND Department of Transportation (NDDOT) advises that the ND Highway 44 is closed through Drayton (2000 Population - 913) due to diking on the roadway as a flood prevention measure for the town. Water is crossing the roadway of ND Highway 54 east of US Interstate 29 (west of Oslo, MN.). Through-traffic is being allowed at this time; NDDOT is monitoring the conditions.

The ND State Operations Center (SOC) was notified that US Interstate 29 at Harwood (2000 Population - 607) has water over the road.  Local officials are working with NDDOT officials regarding traffic control.

On April 4, 2006, the Salvation Army provided assistance to 4,658 people; served 2,593 meals; 4,602 snacks; and 5,723 drinks.  The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) has volunteers in the Wahpeton and Fargo area.

The United Methodists has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Salvation Army (SA) for the provision of cooking and running canteens. Money is being raised in support of case management. In Grafton, the Federated Church will be the main headquarters for the United Methodists. Clean-up kits are not available, but can be assembled if necessary. Illinois may be able to send clean-up kits once they know how many homes will be affected.

The Church World Service (CWS) has 50 clean-up kits that will be shipped to Grafton. Other kits are available as well.  The Adventist Community Services (ACS) can activate warehouses as soon as notified.  Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) in Fargo is calling for volunteers. LDR is expecting a prolonged need for case management.

Region VIII continues to coordinate closely with state officials.   Other than the assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there has been no request for Federal Assistance at this time.   (FEMA Region VIII)

Minnesota: Region V has deployed a FEMA State Liaison to Minnesota to interface with the State on matters related to the rising waters in and around the Red River. Mike Dombroski was deployed this morning and is currently on scene at the Minnesota EOC. He will maintain a presence until relieved or no longer required.  (FEMA Region V)

Calif. Levees Break, Flooding Trailer Park

Two levees broke Tuesday in California's chief agricultural region, flooding a trailer park, threatening other homes in Merced and inundating farmland near Sacramento.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries across the Central Valley.

The breaks occurred as rain continued to fall across Northern California, with some residents evacuating their homes near San Francisco because of the threat of landslides and forecasters predicting continued wet weather through next week.

Water breached a 30-foot section of levee along a creek in Merced, sending up to 18 inches of water pouring through a mobile home park, said Michael Miller, a spokesman for the Department of Water Resources.  Three trailer parks were evacuated, a total of 200 people, said Elaine Post, spokeswoman for the Merced County Office of Emergency Services.

South of Sacramento, a Consumnes River levee gave way, swamping pastures but not threatening any homes. The same area broke in January during heavy storms. The amount of land under water was not immediately known.  Sacramento had 5.29 inches of rain in March - 2.49 inches more than average, according to the National Weather Service. Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, San Rafael and Santa Rosa all broke rainy-day records last month.  The rain also is melting snow in the mountains, swelling streams in the Central Valley.  (Media Sources)

Red River Threatens to Flood N.D., Minn.

Farm land sat under water and city residents stacked sandbags Tuesday as the Red River, swollen with melting snow and heavy rain, spread across its broad valley.
The river, which runs north along the North Dakota-Minnesota line, was already at 36.9 feet in Fargo late Tuesday morning, well above the 18-foot flood stage. It was expected to crest Tuesday night around 37.5 feet, just two feet shy of the 1997 flood, the city's worst in a century.

Even after all the levee construction and property buyouts following the 1997 flood, city officials estimated about 75 homes in the Fargo area were still in danger.  In the surrounding rural area, officials sent out boats to check on residents whose homes were no longer accessible. They had already shut down dozens of roads, said Cass County Commissioner Vern Bennett.

Just across the Red River, near Moorhead, Minn., about a dozen homes were surrounded by water, and residents were using boats to get supplies, Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said. Moorhead officials built a dike in a park on the city's south side, where about 100 homes were at risk. 

Weather forecasters had some unwelcome news as well: More rain is expected in the area later in the week, and it could extend the flooding in some areas, said National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Gust.

The Wild Rice River was expected to crest there Wednesday about 13 feet above flood stage, though a levee and temporary dike were expected to keep the city dry, said Kevin Ruud, environmental services director for the county.

Rudd said the Army Corps of Engineers reinforced the existing levee at Hendrum and prepared to close U.S. Highway 75 with a dike of clay that should keep the city dry. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty also authorized 135 National Guard troops assist with dike patrols, security and traffic control in the area.

In Grand Forks, Mayor Mike Brown declared an emergency although officials said they expected no major problems.  The Grand Forks area is protected by a levee system that was built after the 1997 flood. Still, two of the three bridges between Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, Minn., have been closed. The National Weather Service expects the Red River to crest at Grand Forks at about 47.7 feet on Thursday, about 20 feet above flood stage.  (Media Sources)

Storm Sirens Ignored

Jackey Reynolds heard the tornado sirens and saw storm warnings on television, but he figured odds were good that the twisters would miss his home, so he didn't take shelter.
"We've had a lot of storms before," Reynolds said. "We've had a lot of sirens go off before and nothing came of it."

But his family was nearly killed Sunday when swarms of violent thunderstorms and tornadoes devastated communities across eight states. The death toll in Tennessee rose to 24 on Tuesday with the discovery of the last unaccounted-for resident. Four others were killed in Missouri and southern Illinois.

Reynolds knows now that he should have heeded the warnings. A tornado tore off his roof in the town of Bradford and tugged his house off its foundation, forcing Reynolds, his two boys and one of their girlfriends to rush into the front yard and duck into a ditch.
All four survived without injuries, but the cluster of tornadoes destroyed more than 1,000 buildings in western Tennessee.

Officials say some residents disregarded the warning sirens that go off frequently during spring thunderstorms. Other neighborhoods were too remote to hear the sirens. And in some cases, the tornadoes struck too quickly after the warnings for people to take cover.

A meteorologist said at least one tornado in Tennessee's hard-hit Dyer County appeared to be an F-3 on the Fujita scale used to measure a twister's strength, with winds from 158 to 206 mph, strong enough to tear down walls.  Dyer County's emergency management director, James Medling, said in some cases, a warning would not have helped.

The buzz of chain saws filled the air during the governor's tour as neighbors worked to clear debris and patch roofs. Electric crews erected new utility poles.

Clothing and other belongings still hung from many limbs. People spray painted numbers on their houses because street signs had been blown away and set up makeshift pens for livestock.

The governor took extra time in Newbern to walk alone amid the rubble of a home where an 11-month-old boy and his grandparents were killed.  (Media Sources)

Tropical Activity

There are no tropical disturbances in the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans that affect the U.S. or U.S. interests. (National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

There is no significant earthquake activity to report. (Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Current situation:  The National Preparedness Level is 2.  Initial attack activity was light nationally with 129 new fires reported. One new active fire was reported in Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Dakota. Fourteen large fires were contained.

Outlook:  April 4 and 5, 2006 humidity values may drop below 35% over most of Florida. A low pressure system moving through the southwest will bring dry, windy weather to eastern portions of New Mexico and Colorado as well as western Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. In the Southeast, high pressure is beginning to spread dry air over the area. (NIFC, NICC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)