National Situation Update: Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Near Record Flooding in New England – More Rain to Come
Crews floated boats down flooded streets to rescue people trapped in their homes, overflowing pipes spewed sewage into streets and rivers and hundreds fled homes and businesses Monday as New England braced for its worst flooding since the 1930s.
The Merrimack Valley north of Boston on the New Hampshire border was hit the hardest, where the Merrimack and Spicket rivers overflowed their banks and forced the hundreds of evacuations.
A spokesman for the National Weather Service said that if everything follows predictions, we will probably exceed the 1938 hurricane event for flooding in the Merrimack Valley.
The flood waters overwhelmed sewage systems and drowned waste water treatment plants.
In New Hampshire, more than 600 roads were damaged, destroyed or under water.
In Maine, flooding washed out dozens of roads and bridges, and threatened a pair of dams along the swollen Salmon Falls River in Lebanon. Two areas of Lebanon near the Spaulding Dam were evacuated Monday as a precaution, and officials were shipping 10,000 sandbags to Alfred in case they are needed. . A spokesman for the Maine Emergency Management Agency said the water level at Milton Dam was only 4 inches below the top of the earthen berm.
Parts of Essex County north of Boston had received 17 inches of rain by Monday afternoon. The National Weather Service predicted an additional one to six inches by Wednesday, pushing rain totals near records set in 1936 and 1938.
Rivers are expected to crest at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday, flooding more neighborhoods.
On the Spicket River in Methuen, Massachusetts, the flood crept higher on the brick walls of building, a level the National Weather Service called "life threatening."
In Nashua, N.H., firefighters rescued about a dozen people by boat at a condominium complex, which normally is several hundred feet from the Merrimack River.
The governors of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts declared states of emergency on Sunday, activating the National Guard to help respond to the rain that hasn't let up since Friday.
No deaths or injuries had been reported by early Monday in Massachusetts, state officials said.
Due to the flooding, the SEOC will remain activated until further notice. The following agencies are present at the SEOC: MEMA, Executive Office of Public Safety, American Red Cross, Coastal Zone Management, Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, Dept. of Environmental Protection, Department of Mental Health, Dept. of Public Health, Environmental Law Enforcement, MBTA, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, FEMA, Mass Highway, MATF-1 Urban Search and Rescue, MA Water Resources Authority, National Guard, RACES, Secretary of State's Citizens' Information Service, State Police, VOAD, and volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).
The MEMA Region 1 and 2 offices are activated. Staffs from the Region 3 and 4 offices are monitoring the situation from the SEOC. MEMA Regional Offices continue to do statewide call-arounds to local officials to ensure local preparedness.
The RRCC was activated at a Level 2 for CONTINGENCY PLANNING purposes. ESFs 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10 and NDMS were requested to report to the RRCC tonight to begin planning for potential breaks or overtopping. (NWS, MEMA, FEMA HQ, Region I, Media sources)
Significant National Weather
Northeast: A monthly May rainfall record was set at Salisbury, Massachusetts, with almost 19 inches of rain this month. Significant flooding will continue on several New England rivers into Tuesday. Rain will wind down overnight but more showers are on tap for New England on Tuesday. Much of the Northeast will have to deal with these showers and even more rain is on tap for later in the week.
Midwest: Showers and a few thunderstorms are forecast over the Midwest and Great Lakes regions again on Tuesday. Sunshine should prevail over the Great Plains.
South: Parts of southern Florida may be in store for a hefty amount of welcome rain on Tuesday, since the area has been in a drought and fighting numerous fires lately. Elsewhere, scattered showers and thundershowers are predicted over Arkansas, Tennessee, the southern Appalachians and northern portions of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. Look for mostly sunny skies over much of Oklahoma and Texas.
West: Other than a few high mountain thunderstorms, the West will be warm and dry on Tuesday. (NWS, Media sources)
Alaska Flood (Koyukuk River)
An ice-jam on the Koyukuk River during the annual spring river-ice break-up caused minor flooding of the Village of Hughes, Alaska. Floodwaters crested on May 13, but have since receded.
On Tuesday, May 16, 2006, the Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are sending a team to Hughes, to assess the damage. At this time, it is not anticipated that Federal assistance will be required. (Region X)
Tropical Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update
The National Preparedness Level remains at Level 2
Initial attack activity was light nationally with 25 new fires reported. One new large fire was reported in the Southern Area. One large fire was contained in the Southern California Area.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. (NWS, NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity
FEMA-1624-DR, Texas; Amendment No. 7. The incident period for this disaster is closed effective May 14, 2006. (FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Tuesday, 16-May-2006 08:08:12 EDT