Heavy snow blasts south New Zealand
Much of the South experienced snowfall overnight causing several state highways to close as severe gales look set to follow.
Wind would continue today with the potential for severe gales, but the weather should begin to clear tomorrow, forecasters said.
It was expected snow would fall to as low as 100m and the wind would be “bitterly cold”.
Snow settled is suburbs throughout Dunedin last night, including in the Town Belt before it was washed away by rain. Several centimetres of snow is still on the ground in the hill suburbs which contractors are in the process of clearing.
The weather caused disruptions in the South yesterday, with flights affected, and roads and schools closed as the polar blast swept through.
Snow began to fall in parts of Dunedin at 3pm yesterday.
MetService has several severe weather watches and warning still in place for today.
A heavy snow watch is in place for Fiordland south of Charles Sound.
A strong wind watch is in place for most of the South, including North Otago, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland about and south of Mossburn and Stewart Island.
The forecast for Dunedin today is showers, snow to 100m and possible squally thunderstorms before dawn, becoming isolated by afternoon with fine spells. Strong southwest, gale gusting 100 km/h in exposed places at first.
Meanwhile Queenstowners have been advised that if they do not need to drive that they shouldn’t.
The Queenstown District Council advised there was snow throughout the Wakatipu Basin and driving conditions were “extreme”.
The Crown Range Rd remains closed and the Orbus service in the town has been suspended.
Grit trucks are out and snow ploughs are being sent about the region to clear state highways and alpine roads.
If you must drive today, here’s the deal: snow chains, go slow, keep a safe following distance,” the QLDC said.
The Central Otago District Council said only essential travel should be undertaken in the Maniototo & Manuherikia area.
“Snow has fallen here, and freezing temperatures making conditions unfavourable. Crews will be focusing on the townships and sealed roads first.
Areas surrounding Roxburgh, Alexandra and Cromwell townships, especially the higher altitude roads, are heavily affected by snow and travel is not recommended.
Courtesy of odt.co.nz
Two major landslides in Tobago over 24 hours
Photo Credit: guardian.co.tt
Heavy rainfall has caused two major landslides across Eastern Tobago in the last 24 hours. Officials from the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) responded to a landslide in Moriah, known as Big River, on Wednesday.
Another large landslide in Craig Hill occurred on Thursday, rendering the roadway impassable.
TEMA director, Allan Stewart, told Guardian Media that as of late Thursday evening, the roadway at Craig Hall was only open to single-lane traffic with his team on site.
He also asked that people using the Windward roads to be especially mindful as the area is susceptible to landslides, and the soil is saturated due to persistent rainfall.
Radar estimates indicate up to 50 millimetres of rainfall has fallen across the eastern half of Tobago over the last 18 hours.
With additional rains anticipated, there is an elevated risk of landslides and street or flash flooding in the area.
This rainfall is due to a low-level trough affecting T&T, which has produced flooding across Penal, Debe, Barrackpore, Manzanilla, and Diego Martin in Trinidad.
Courtesy of guardian.co.tt
Freak storm carpets motorway with hail in Crete, Greece
Thunderstorms and torrential hail hit the popular tourist island of Crete of Tuesday as a storm swept through southern areas of Greece in the early hours.
People in Heraklion and Chania, the island’s biggest cities, woke to the sounds of the pounding rain after midnight. Greek media showed images of a main motorway on the island blanketed white by a heavy coating of hail and workers shovelling piled up hail from streets in the coastal town of Malia.
Police have not reported any serious damage from the storm.
Greece’s weather service said the storms and hail on Crete would continue throughout the day and might also hit the southern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.
Courtesy of ekathimerini.com
Flood death toll rises to 18 in Cambodia as over 25,000 evacuated
Flash floods in Cambodia have so far left 18 people dead and forced the evacuation of 25,192 people, Seak Vichet, a spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said on Friday.
Tropical storm-triggered rains caused floods in 19 of the kingdom’s 25 cities and provinces since the beginning of the month, he said, adding that 212,676 people have also been affected by the floods.
“By Friday morning, the floods have killed 18 people, including eight children,” Vichet told Xinhua, adding that the worst-hit provinces included Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, and Kandal as well as southwestern suburb of Phnom Penh.
The floods have also inundated 51,133 houses and 204,650 hectares of rice and other crops, the spokesman said. So far, 12,958 hectares of the affected rice and other crops have been destroyed.
Transportation has also been disrupted, as several major roads in the worst-hit provinces have been closed.
Water Resources and Meteorology Minister Lim Keanhor said on Thursday that further rain, wind and high waves are expected on Oct. 17-19 because the kingdom is suffering from the impact of tropical storm Saudel, which could lead to further flooding.
“People living in plains, along waterways and near mountains, fishermen and sea travelers should be extra-vigilant to avoid any possible dangers,” he said in a press statement.
Floods usually hit Cambodia between August and October. Last year, flash floods claimed 30 lives and storms killed eight people and injured 131 others, according to the NCDM.
Courtesy of xinhuanet.com
Large landslide continues to block road between Lowell Point and Seward #Landslide #LowellPoint #Seward #Alaska #USA
Photo Courtesy: Stephanie Millane
A substantial landslide on Lowell Point Road continues to block both lanes of traffic and is not expected to be cleared for a few more days.
A community alert about the landslide was sent by the Seward Police Department just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, warning that the road would be closed until further notice.
Thursday morning, Seward City Clerk Brenda Ballou said that more slides occurred overnight and that city crews are working with Metco Alaska LLC, a local contracting company, to find the best way to clear things up.
Ballou said there have been a few small landslides in the area over the past few days that were able to be cleared quickly, but Wednesday’s landslide was bigger and prevented the Lowell Point community from accessing Seward on the road system.
Ballou said people from Miller’s Landing, a recreation and lodging business in the area, were able to run a water taxi Wednesday afternoon to shuttle people between the communities. On Thursday, Ballou suggested the water taxi was still available.
Crews are also working on keeping the outfall area of the Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel near Lowell Canyon Road cleared. The waterfall is currently under control, but the city is monitoring the situation.
Ballou said a couple of the rocks that fell in the landslide were so large that equipment could not lift them. She said the city hopes those rocks can be rolled over enough times and dropped in the water to clear the road.
Courtesy of alaskasnewssource.com
**STORM FRANCIS UPDATE** Landslide Strikes A5 Road at Nant Ffrancon to Capel Curig, Wales #Landslide #NantFfrancon #CapelCurig #Wales
Landslide Strikes A5 Road at Nant Ffrancon to Capel Curig, Wales
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