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National Situation Update: Thursday, June 19, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
High winds, high temperatures and low humidity will affect California and Arizona, with record temperatures in the mountains, valleys and deserts of California and Excessive Heat Warnings in place for Arizona June 19 - 21, 2008.
Midwest:
Scattered thunderstorms, plus a thunderstorm complex or two, will gradually move from the central Plains into the mid-Mississippi River Valley June 19 - 20, 2008. Damaging wind gusts and hail are likely, along with downpours.
The rainfall, forecast across the worst-hit parts of IA, MO and IL, is forecast to remain light enough not to add to the already record flooding.
The thunderstorms will shift to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley June 20 - 22, 2008.  The Mississippi Valley could again have an almost rain-free period June 21 - 23, 2008.
A risk of thunderstorms is forecast June 20 - 22, 2008 for the Plains.
South:
Dry weather and low humidity will remain in the Southeast June 19, 2008, while thunderstorms will occur in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.  Some of the southern Plains storms will contain damaging winds, hail and downpours.
Northeast:
Showers and thundershowers will occur mostly across Pennsylvania, New York State and New England, but a few may take place southward into the Mid-Atlantic June 19, 2008, with a similar pattern June 20, 2008. (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather and Flooding

During the past two weeks over ten (10) inches of rain, about eight (8) inches more than normal, have fallen in the vicinity of Des Moines, IA and over large areas of northeastern IA, southern WI and west-central Lower MI.  Major flooding is occurring or forecast over most of Iowa.  Significant flooding is also occurring or forecast across southern WI and northern IL.  Moderate-to-major flooding is forecast along the Mississippi River from IA downstream to IL.

FEMA Region V RRCC:

  • Activated at Level II 24/7 with Planning, Watch, DCE, USCG and ESFs 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 15.
  • Region V LNOs deployed to IN, WI, MI and IL EOCs.
  • Activated Mississippi River Planning Cell to prepare for impacts of record flooding.
  • FEMA Region I ERT-A on site at Rock Island, IL.
  • FEMA Region V IMAT transitioned from Indiana to Illinois June 18, 2008.

Illinois:

  • IL EOC activated, 24/7 operations with ESF support
  • 0 fatalities; 0 injuries
  • 3 shelters; population: 22
  • 645 (electric) and 800 (gas) customers without power
  • FEMA to delivered 10 truckloads of water to Rock Island Arsenal at approximately 10:00 a.m. CDT, June 18, 2008.
  • Joint IA and PA PDAs ongoing
  • Department of Health is stockpiling 100,000 gallons of water for Adams County.
  • Seven (7) of eight (8) trucks of plastic rolls for sandbagging operations arrived in Quincy, IL; eighth truck arrived 12:01 a.m. CDT, June 18, 2008.
  • Denver-MERS team on site at IL EOC.
  • US 34 and eight (8) state roadways closed
  • US 54 bridge over the Mississippi River to Louisiana, MO, and the eastbound lanes of the US 24 Quincy Memorial Bridge are closed.
  • 10 levees overtopped, 13 levees threatened and 2 levees predicted not to overtop
  • 25 counties affected; 17 under emergency declarations
  • Mississippi River levee at Gulfport failed at 6:00 a.m. CDT, June 17, 2008, covering 5,000 acres of farmland, displacing 500 residents and forcing the closure of the Great River Bridge connecting Gulfport to Burlington, IA via Highway 34.
  • Boil water order issued by City of Galesburg at 4:30 p.m. EDT, June 17, 2008, affecting Galesburg, East Galesburg, Abingdon and Knoxville, as emergency backup wells that don't have an IL EPA approved chlorination system are used due to floodwaters threatening the pumping station at Oquawka.
  • On the Mississippi River, Lock #15 in Rock Island scheduled to be reopened on June 19, 2008.

Indiana:

  • State EOC deactivated and staffed by public safety, law enforcement and homeland security representatives; public health representative demobilized.
  • IA PDAs conducted in 27 counties
  • 3 fatalities; 5 injuries
  • 4 shelters; population: 88
  • 2 levees overtopped
  • 318 customers without power
  • A "Mission Planning Team" has been deployed to JFO to scope housing issues with the State as part of a Joint Housing Task Force
  • Joint Force Headquarters-Indiana (JFHQ-IN) notified NGB JOC their flood response mission in the southern half of the state (Operation Noah's Ark) is complete, and all Indiana National Guard (IN NG) members and equipment have redeployed to home station.
  • 45 counties affected; 30 counties declared States of Emergency
  • Joint IA/PA PDAs ongoing

Wisconsin:

  • EOC activated with ESFs 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8.
  • FEMA Region II ERT-A on site in Madison
  • Joint PA PDAs ongoing
  • 1 fatality; 0 injuries
  • 5 shelters; population: 58
  • 257 customers without power
  • Destroyed:  42; Damaged:  Major (460), Minor (474); Affected (584); Total:  1,535
  • WI Department of Natural Resources monitoring dams in southern WI.
  • JFO in Madison opened June 17, 2008
  • 30 state highways and portions of Interstates still closed
  • 30 counties affected; all are under State Emergency Declaration.

Minnesota

  • The Governor requested a major disaster declaration for severe storms, flooding and tornadoes for June 6 to June 12, 2008.

FEMA Region VII RRCC:

  • Level II, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CDT (Mon - Fri)
  • Region IV IMAT deployed to Cedar Rapids, IA.

Iowa:

  • State EOC partially activated at Level 5, 24/7.
  • 17 fatalities; 106 injuries
  • 9 shelters; population: 363
  • 5,900 (electric) and 13,000 (gas) customers without power
  • Damaged:  3,000
  • Eight (8) US Highways and 12 state roadways are closed
  • 8 levees overtopped, 6 levees threatened and 4 levees predicted not to overtop
  • Sewage treatment plant in Vinton not operable; seeking alternate resources
  • PDA request for IA and PA received Monday for four (4) counties. Expect completion by end of week
  • IA PDAs conducted in 27 counties; PA PDAs ongoing
  • 2 USCG DART Teams in Iowa City
  • 83 counties affected; all under Emergency Declaration
  • On the Mississippi River, Lock 14 in Pleasant Valley remains locked due to lock machinery being at a lower elevation, and conditions unsafe to recreational vehicles

Kansas:

  • State EOC activated Level 3, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CDT.
  • Additional IA and PA PDAs began June 16, 2008; anticipated to be completed by the end of the week.
  • 2 fatalities; numerous injuries (number unknown)
  • 409 customers without power
  • Destroyed:  69; Damaged:  Major (63); Minor (152); Total:  215
  • 71 counties affected

Missouri:

  • The Governor's request for an expedited major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, direct Federal assistance, and Hazard Mitigation for all 115 counties and the independent City of St. Louis is being processed.
  • State EOC activated at Level II, Partially Activated (7:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. CDT, Su - Sa), with ESF support (ESFs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 15 and 16).
  • 3 shelters; population: 77
  • USCG Liaison at State EOC
  • USCG DART Team from Ohio River Valley deployed east of Hannibal, with one (1) team enroute from New Orleans, LA.
  • Total National Guard response:  691 personnel
  • 14 counties affected
  • 180 (gas) customers without power
  • 10 levees overtopped, 8 levees threatened
  • Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) reports 35 roads closed
  • Lincoln County:  Water is over the Pillsbury Levee, ½ mile south of Lock and Dam #25; Foley may be impacted by the rising water and Sandy Creek is a concern at this time.
  • Marion County:  19 homes affected and evacuations are completed in Mark Bottoms.
  • St. Charles County:  In St. Peters, water will soon overflow the levee on State Highway C.
  • City of St. Louis:  City has installed 23 floodgates; President Casino closed; no requests at this time.
  • Several counties have begun voluntary evacuations in anticipation of Mississippi River flooding.
  • St. Louis Harbor expected to close June 19, 2008 for at least five (5) days as the Mississippi River crests, cutting off barge traffic from the Illinois and Missouri Rivers.

Nebraska:

  • UP anticipates opening of east-west mainline at Beverly, IA (near Cedar Rapids) with one of the two main tracks open for limited operation June 18, 2008.

FEMA Region VIII RRCC:

  • Level III, 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. MDT (M-F)
  • Two (2) ERTs deployed to Colorado JFO and supporting response in Montana.
  • Three (3) rostered, rotating State Support Teams (SSTs)
  • One (1), composed of 12 PA PDA Teams and five (5) IA PDA teams, is deployed to SD EOC.

South Dakota:

  • Joint PDAs in 28 counties for IA and PA ongoing
  • 12 PDA teams assessing 28 counties; five (5) IA teams assessing nine (9) of those counties along with three (3) tribal reservations; field work is scheduled to be completed June 19, 2008.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report.  (FEMA HQ)   

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:
No threat to US territories.  (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Public Assistance PDAs for three (3) counties in Vermont for Severe Storms and Flooding, beginning June 14, 2008 and continuing, are scheduled for June 19 - 20, 2008.

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, June 18, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (187 new fires)
New large fires: 0
Large fires contained: 5
Uncontained large fires: 9
Predictive Services Discussion: Hot and dry weather will continue for much of California, southern Great Basin, Southwest, and southern Colorado.  Isolated dry thunderstorms are possible again in New Mexico.  Winds will increase across much of the West.  Relative humidity will drop across the Southeast behind a cold front. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of Minnesota requested a Major Disaster Declaration for Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes for June 6 - June 12, 2008.  The Governor has requested PA for four (4) counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.
Amendment #2 for FEMA-1768-DR-WI, approved June 18, 2008, adds five (5) counties in Indiana for Individual Assistance.
Amendment #6 for FEMA-1763-DR-IA, approved June 18, 2008, adds seven (7) counties in Iowa for Individual Assistance and fourteen (14) counties for Public Assistance.  (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:35:24 EDT