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National Situation Update: Thursday, June 29, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Major Flooding

Northeast: Major flooding continues to occur in the Northeast this evening as three days of heavy rain have inundated rivers from New York to Virginia.

Hundreds of thousands have been evacuated, roads are washed out, and many homes are flooded. Rivers in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, including the Susquehanna, Schuylkill, and Delaware, are expected to crest during the day on Thursday.

Some rivers will not drop below flood stage until Saturday.

Meanwhile, another storm system rolling in from the Ohio Valley will bring more rain to the region on Thursday. The good news is that these storms will be more scattered in nature, so not everywhere will see a soaking.

Unfortunately, some pockets of heavy rain are possible, especially across eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Even parts of New England can expect some showers and storms on Thursday. 

South: Afternoon thunderstorms with up to two inches of rain can be expected again Thursday, mainly central and south Florida. Unfortunately, for drought-stricken areas of the Southern Plains, little rain is forecast the next several days. Dallas-Ft. Worth has seen only 0.34" of rain this month, with measurable rain on only 2 days. 

Midwest:  Thursday should prove calmer for most in the Midwest. Some afternoon thunderstorms in parts of Wisconsin and Michigan Thursday, and thunderstorms may develop in the mid-Mississippi Valley.

West: A large swath from the northern Rockies to the Desert Southwest, Great Basin, Sierra and Siskiyous will be threatened by thunderstorms yet again on Thursday. (NWS, Media Sources)

Region II Flooding

New York
Governor George E. Pataki today declared a State Disaster Emergency for nine counties and contiguous areas that suffered damages in the flooding that ravaged sections of the State following the recent heavy rains. The counties are: Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego, Schoharie and Tioga.  Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated at 0730 a.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2006.

The Governor activated the National Guard early Tuesday evening to support evacuation and engineering missions. As of this morning 125 National Guard soldiers are involved in evacuation-related and other flood response missions. The troop strength will increase as additional citizen-soldiers respond to the Governor's call to duty. The Guard is also providing five aircraft - two Medevac Hueys, two Blackhawks and a Chinook - to assist State Police in rescue operations.  Evacuations have occurred in ten counties in areas near rivers and dams.

American Red Cross reports a total of 43 shelters with 1,831 individuals.  Approximately 4,600 people are being evacuated from neighborhoods on the east side of Binghamton and being sheltered at two facilities at State University of New York Binghamton.(SUNY)

In addition, the New York State Department of Transportation has more than 350 personnel and 132 pieces of equipment committed to the response throughout the flood-stricken areas.

Rangers and Law Enforcement personnel from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are assisting local government and State Police with rescues of stranded people due to flooding.

State Police have conducted evacuations in Broome and Delaware counties utilizing its aviation unit and ground personnel.

CASUALTIES: 2 confirmed dead in New York due to the flooding.

A 25-foot section of I-88 collapsed near Binghamton NY. New York State

Emergency Management Office (SEMO) reports extensive infrastructure damage.

Power outages in the Binghamton and Conklin areas are estimated to be 5,000.

As of 2:00 a.m., the New York State Thruway remains closed for approx 117 mile between Albany and Schenectady.  It is estimated that the roadway will be open tomorrow but no timetable has been stated.

Rivers in New York are expected to crest at record 10-15 feet above flood stage starting Wednesday overnight into Thursday.  Dams and protective flood walls are threatened in the Binghamton area.

There is still potential for dam over-breaching, bridge and roadway washouts/collapses when rivers crest, and additional floods and flash floods. As of 2:00 a.m.Thursday, the Gilboa dam near Schoharie N.Y. and the Pine Lake dam in Delaware County are being watched.  Evacuations has been requested in the area but were not mandatory.

New Jersey
The Counties of Bergen, Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer, Passaic, Salem, Sussex and Warren report evacuations, open shelters and damages to infrastructure and private properties.

In New Jersey, sections of local and county roads are closed in Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon and Mercer Counties. Bridges out include: Dingman's Ferry (Sussex), Lambertville, Delaware, Stockton, Frenchtown and Millford (Hunterdon).

Evacuations in four counties in areas near rivers, shelters open.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated at 0815 am on June 28, with NJ OEM and State Police Special Operations Section and Field Operations. Representatives of the Department of Health, and Senior Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Treasury, Department of Corrections, Fire Service, Office of the Attorney General and the Board of Public Utilities have reported to the EOC to assist with the response efforts.

The Delaware River is expected to crest at 8-17 feet above flood stage.

FEMA Region II RRCC is activated at Level 2 effective 1400, operating hours from 0800 to 2000.
FEMA liaisons (LNOs) reported to NJ EOC at the request of NJ OEM effective 1400. FEMA LNO reported to NY EOC at the request of NY SEMO effective 1600. (FEMA Region 11, NYEOC, media reports)

FEMA Region III Flooding

Pennsylvania
An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people in Luzerne County (of about 351,000) were told to get out by nightfall Wednesday. The evacuation order applied to more than half the residents of Wilkes-Barre, as well residents of several outlying towns, all of them flooded by Agnes more than three decades ago.
Luzerne County officials were worried about the effects of water pressing against the levees for 48 hours. The floodwalls were completed just three years ago but expect the levees to hold.

A dozen helicopters from the Pennsylvania National Guard, the state police and the Coast Guard were sent on search-and-rescue missions, plucking stranded residents from rooftops in Bloomsburg, Sayre and New Milford. Hundreds of National Guardsmen prepared to distribute ice, water and meals ready to eat.
As of 2:00 a.m. Thursday, all major roads are open.  I-81 has some lane restrictions in each direction but is open and passable to traffic.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) currently monitoring three areas of concern: Easton on the Delaware River, Bloomsburg and Wilkes-Barre on the Susquehanna River. As of 11:30 p.m.Wednesday, the EOC reports flooding is less than expected. The Susquehanna River in Wilkes-Barre is expected to reach 34 ft. above flood stage and reach that crest at 3 a.m. Thursday.  Flooding in the Harrisburg area is currently projected to be 5 ft. lower than initially thought.

All levees have held in the Wilkes-Barre area.  As of 5:00 a.m. PEMA believes that cresting occurred with no further damages expected. Cresting on the lower Delaware River depends on tidal effects.  PEMA is waiting for sunrise to assess those effects.

PEMA reports that as of 5:00 a.m. it appears that the flood waters have crested 70 miles North of Harrisburg.  The crest is expected to occur in Harrisburg at about noon today, 2 feet over flood stage.

The US Coast Guard and other agencies have participated in 936 rescues.

Currently, there are 29,726 customers without power throughout the Susquehanna and Northeastern areas.  Approximately 22,500 of those customers are related to the downed transmission lines.  Restoration for 20,000 is expected around 1200 Thursday, and the rest by 1600.  Some customers in Bloomsburg are out, but will be restored at 2400.  As flooding continues, customers may be dropped as needed in flooded areas.

Four fatalities have been reported but as yet they remain unconfirmed by the PA Health Dept.

Two FEMA representatives are currently at the PEMA EOC.

Maryland
Although the 2,200 residents cannot return to their homes, a spokesman for Homeland Security for Montgomery County, said Wednesday afternoon that "the situation is under control" at the  Lake Needwood dam. About 100 workers were at the scene by evening, working to fill areas of seepage with sand and gravel.   Crews also were measuring the water flow at the dam, and police were patrolling the evacuated neighborhoods. Officials will determine on a day-to-day basis when residents can return to their homes.  (FEMA Region I11, PEMAEOC, media reports)

Tropical Activity

Atlantic:  A large tropical wave is over the Lesser Antilles moving west around 24 mph.
This wave will be moving across the Lesser Antilles tonight Bringing increased showers and brief periods of gusty winds. This wave is also forecast to reach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tomorrow, increasing the chance of locally heavy rain and the risk of flash flooding and mudslides. Strong upper-level winds are expected to prohibit development of this system during the next day or so.

Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea:  No tropical storm activity.

Eastern Pacific: No tropical storm activity.

Western Pacific: No tropical storm activity.  (USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

There was no significant earthquake activity during the past 24 hours.  (United States Geological Survey(USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, NWS, West Coast-Alaska Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Current Situation:  Initial attack activity was moderate nationally with 269 new fires reported. Ten new large fires were reported, two each in the Northern California, Eastern Great Basin, Northwest, Western Great Basin, and Southern California Areas, and one in the Southwest Area. Eleven large fires were contained, four in the Western Great Basin Area, two each in the Southwest and Eastern Great Basin Areas, and one each in the Rocky Mountain, Northwest and Southern Areas.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah.   (National Interagency Fire Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)