Latest news with #flooding
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Flooding from persistent rain closes sections of Stoney Trail
The Sarcee Trail S.W. exit to Tsuu T'ina/Stoney Trail has been closed due to flooding on July 22, 2025. Drivers who use the south portion of Stoney Trail will need to plan another route for their morning commute Tuesday, thanks to relentless rain overnight and into morning. Flooding on the roadway shut down southbound Tsuu T'ina Trail from Glenmore Trail to 90th Avenue S.W. Calgary police said it was expected to be closed for most of the morning. Police are also cautioning drivers to take extra caution on their drive in to work with heavy rainfall overnight creating large puddles and pooling of water. Flooding from persistent rain closes sections of Stoney Trail
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Climate
- ABC News
At least six people killed in major flooding in the Philippines with more rain expected
Heavy flooding has inundated Philippines's capital Manila, killing at least six people and forcing tens of thousands to flee, as a fresh storm brews off the coast. Another six people remain missing after Tropical Storm Wipha skirted the country on Friday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Many neighbourhoods in Manila woke to find calf-deep pools of floodwater on Tuesday after an overnight downpour swelled the Marikina River. More than 23,000 people living along the riverbank were evacuated from their homes overnight and moved to schools, village halls and covered courtyards. About 47,000 more were evacuated from across the capital's Quezon, Pasig and Caloocan areas, as well as from the main government district. "Usually, these people are from low-lying areas like beside creeks," said Wilmer Tan of the Marikina rescue office, who said the river had reached 18 metres in height. An elderly woman and her driver were swept down one of the swollen creeks as they attempted to cross a bridge in Caloocan, said John Paul Nietes, an emergency worker. It was initially hoped that the pair had escaped after the car was recovered with a broken window. But Caloocan Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan announced one of the bodies had been found. "We've found (the driver)," he told Manila radio station DZMM. "The body was recovered 4.5 kilometres from where the vehicle was swept away…. They were unable to bail out." Tropical Storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in Vietnam, but authorities remained on high alert for the heavy rain causing mudslides and flooding. As floodwaters began receding in Manila by Tuesday afternoon, the national weather service said a low-pressure area off the country's east coast had developed into a tropical depression. While not expected to make landfall, the depression would bring continued heavy rain through the end of the week, the agency said. Thousands of people, meanwhile, remained unable to return to their homes. AFP journalists in Cainta, a small town on the outskirts of the capital, saw residents using styrofoam boxes and abandoned refrigerators as makeshift flotation devices to navigate the floodwaters. Angelo Dela Cruz employed a rubber boat — one purchased in anticipation of frequent flooding — to transport rice for his aunt's small eatery. "Instead of using the van, we have to use the boat and push it while we wade through the flood to prevent the rice from getting wet," he said. At least 20 storms or typhoons strike or come near the Philippines each year, with the country's poorest regions typically the hardest hit. Deadly and destructive storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. "This is hard, because if the rain will continue… the river will swell," Manila street sweeper Avelina Lumangtad, told AFP as she stood next to a flooded thoroughfare. "The floods are dangerous." AFP/ABC
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Can States Handle Disasters Without FEMA? The Legal Gaps Business Leaders Should Know
HUNT, TEXAS - JULY 6: Vehicles sit submerged as a search and rescue worker looks through debris for ... More any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Photo by) A year already marked by record-smashing heatwaves, catastrophic storms, and deadly flash floods is forcing business leaders to reckon with an unsettling question: What happens if the federal government pulls back from disaster response? The idea of handling disasters without FEMA is not an abstract worry. In recent weeks, political debates have intensified over proposals to reduce federal spending on disaster relief or even eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after the 2025 hurricane season, as reported by NBC News. Former President Trump and some congressional leaders have floated plans to shift primary responsibility for disaster recovery to state governments—a move that could leave businesses navigating a patchwork of legal systems without the backstop they've come to rely on for decades. This uncertainty comes as disasters batter communities from coast to coast. In the first half of 2025 alone, the U.S. suffered at least 15 billion-dollar weather disasters, including historic flooding, tornado outbreaks, and prolonged heat waves, according to Yale Climate Connections. Just this past weekend, flash floods devastated Kerr County, Texas, forcing rescues and shutting down businesses in a region still recovering from earlier storms. For business owners, investors, and insurers, this brewing shift raises urgent questions: If FEMA disappears, can state laws and budgets fill the gap? Will private enterprises have to shoulder more responsibility for disaster planning and recovery? And which states are prepared—or dangerously unprepared—to protect their residents and economic lifelines in a post-FEMA landscape? A Federal Safety Net Under ThreatALTADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: People walk past a FEMA sign following a press conference at the ... More Altadena Disaster Recovery Center on January 30, 2025 in Altadena, California. House Democratic leaders and local officials held the press conference near the Eaton Fire burn zone to call for federal disaster assistance following the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County. (Photo by) Since its founding in 1979, FEMA has been the cornerstone of America's disaster response. It funds emergency shelters, debris removal, rebuilding grants, and cash assistance for displaced families. Critically for businesses, FEMA programs like the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant fund projects that reduce future risks, a crucial buffer as extreme weather grows more frequent. Yet the agency has long faced political crossfire, with critics labeling it bloated or inefficient. Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filed against the Trump administration's previous halt to BRIC funding for certain states, highlighting how political swings can upend even well-established federal programs. If proposals to wind down FEMA proceed, business leaders would be left relying on a fragmented patchwork of state disaster laws—many of which, my research suggests, lack the resources or legal frameworks to handle large-scale crises. State Disaster Laws Are A Patchwork of Authority Every U.S. state has laws empowering governors and local officials to declare emergencies and coordinate response efforts. Yet those powers vary widely in scope, funding, and legal protections for vulnerable communities. Despite these structures, most states still rely heavily on FEMA for funding, specialized teams, and logistical support. Without FEMA, states would have to cover enormous costs themselves. For example, after Hurricane Harvey, Texas received over $13 billion in FEMA aid, money that state coffers alone could not match. The Business Risks Of A FEMA Void Businesses have more skin in this game than ever. Beyond humanitarian concerns, legal and financial risks loom if federal safety nets vanish. Federal aid often helps cover costs insurers won't, such as temporary housing, debris removal, and infrastructure repair. Without that aid, insurance companies may face larger payouts or withdraw entirely from high-risk markets. In Florida, for example, multiple insurers have already exited the market due to hurricane risks, leaving businesses scrambling for coverage. A weakened federal role could mean higher premiums, stricter underwriting, or outright denial of coverage in disaster-prone regions, especially for small and midsize enterprises without deep cash reserves. If state laws differ significantly on evacuation orders, business owners may be caught between conflicting mandates. For instance, if local officials order an evacuation, but state law vests that authority only in the governor, businesses face legal ambiguity about when to close operations, protect staff, or move inventory. Disaster response gaps also raise potential civil rights issues. Federal laws like the Stafford Act prohibit discrimination in disaster aid based on race, disability, or language. Many states lack comparable mandates, meaning vulnerable communities—and businesses serving them—could fall through the cracks if federal oversight disappears. Companies with operations across multiple states face a regulatory minefield if FEMA's uniform national standards vanish. Without coordinated federal logistics, restoring supply chains and reopening businesses could take longer, increasing downtime and losses. Which States Are Ready? Which Aren't? Few states are fully prepared to absorb FEMA's responsibilities. According to my analysis of disaster laws across the South and Mid-Atlantic, only a handful—like Virginia and Texas—have begun integrating equity planning, vulnerable population registries, and robust local emergency powers into state statutes. Other states, particularly smaller ones with limited budgets, may lack: That leaves gaps businesses can't ignore. A company operating in Virginia might navigate disaster recovery relatively smoothly, while the same company in Mississippi or Georgia could face a chaotic patchwork of legal obligations, prolonged closures, and community backlash. What Business Leaders Should Do Now While FEMA's fate remains uncertain, businesses should: FEMA's potential dismantling would represent the biggest shift in American disaster management in generations. Businesses that fail to prepare for handling disasters without FEMA amidst a state-led disaster regime risk higher costs, legal headaches, and reputational damage. Disasters don't respect state lines, but the laws governing them increasingly do. For business leaders, understanding those legal boundaries might be the key to survival in a future where the federal safety net is no longer guaranteed.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Hundreds attend Bradford-on-Avon flood information event
Hundreds of people have attended a special event held to provide information on how to protect homes and businesses from River Avon has burst in banks in Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire on numerous occasions in recent years, flooding nearby roads and event came just a week after a multi-million pound flood protection scheme for the town was scrapped, so the Environment Agency and other organisations were present to listen to local local resident - who said he had eight feet of water in his basement last year - said he wanted to hear something to "give the population some hope". Mark Dunn lives in an old mill next to the river and said: "For 360 days a year it's idyllic. For four or five days a year, it's pretty terrifying to see 30,000 litres of water go by your window a second."He explained he has been in the home for the last three big floods in the town - 2013, 2012 and 2024. 'Writing on the wall' "We know we can't completely get rid of it, but I was hoping to hear about something to be offered to give the population some hope" he added, disappointed that the £11m protection scheme was Dunn felt the scheme would have been worth the money because of the impact of the floods in the area ,and said residents do end up feeling abandoned."The climate is only going to get worse. The writing is on the wall," he said he did not hear what he wanted to hear at the event but added it was "good news" that the local MP and Environment Agency are not giving up on finding a solution. Local Liberal Democrat MP Brian Mathew was at the event and told the BBC he has been speaking to the head of the Environment Agency about the issue."There's no single one solution," he said, adding that the original £11m plan "wouldn't have been enough".He added: "There's not a lot of point in spending a lot of money on what wouldn't have been enough anyway."Mr Mathew said people are concerned and worried, and that more does need to be done for his constituents. "The voluntary flood wardens have been absolutely brilliant. In November, they were down at four in the morning, and they were there before us" said Mike Pugh, who runs art gallery SerenArts at the Tithe Barn explained the community has been very supportive, but wanted to find out "who else can help form further up the ladder". Having been there since 2009, he has experienced flooding four times, and has adapted, using plastic boxes and making sure everything can be lifted Pugh said it "appears to be an increasing problem".He added he uses the Environment Agency website which monitors water levels."You can calculate where it's going to get to. That's a good way of knowing when to press the panic button." Mayor of Bradford-on-Avon Jack Vittles said he is "really, really pleased" that people have been able to speak directly to the agencies involved."A lot of people are realistic about what they can do in their own homes and they're clued up on that now."I want to make sure people get the full story" he Environment Agency has said previously that it is "committed to supporting Bradford-on-Avon in adapting to flood risks through community resilience measures".Wiltshire Council and Wessex Water were among the other organisations there responding to residents.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Philippines flooding displaces thousands as new storm threatens
Heavy flooding inundated the Philippines' capital on Tuesday, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and schools and government offices to shut, while a fresh storm brewed off the coast. At least six people have died and another six remain missing after Tropical Storm Wipha skirted the country on Friday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Many neighbourhoods in Manila woke to find calf-deep pools of floodwater Tuesday after an overnight downpour swelled the Marikina River. More than 23,000 people living along the riverbank were evacuated from their homes overnight and moved to schools, village halls and covered courtyards. About 47,000 more were evacuated from across the capital's Quezon, Pasig and Caloocan areas, as well as from the main government district. "Usually, these people are from low-lying areas like beside creeks," said Wilmer Tan of the Marikina rescue office, who said the river had reached 18 metres (59 feet) in height. An elderly woman and her driver were swept down one of the swollen creeks as they attempted to cross a bridge in Caloocan, said John Paul Nietes, an emergency worker. It was initially hoped that the pair had escaped after the car was recovered with a broken window. But Caloocan Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan announced one of the bodies had been found. "We've found (the driver)," he told Manila radio station DZMM. "The body was recovered 4.5 kilometres from where the vehicle was swept away.... They were unable to bail out." - No respite - As floodwaters began receding in Manila by Tuesday afternoon, the national weather service said a low-pressure area off the country's east coast had developed into a tropical depression. While not expected to make landfall, the depression would bring continued heavy rain through the end of the week, the agency said. Thousands of people, meanwhile, remained unable to return to their homes. AFP journalists in Cainta, a small town on the outskirts of the capital, saw residents using styrofoam boxes and abandoned refrigerators as makeshift floatation devices to navigate the floodwaters. Angelo Dela Cruz, 18, employed a rubber boat -- one purchased in anticipation of frequent flooding -- to transport rice for his aunt's small eatery. "Instead of using the van, we have to use the boat and push it while we wade through the flood to prevent the rice from getting wet," he said. At least 20 storms or typhoons strike or come near the Philippines each year, with the country's poorest regions typically the hardest hit. Deadly and destructive storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. "This is hard, because if the rain will continue... the river will swell," Manila street sweeper Avelina Lumangtad, 61, told AFP as she stood next to a flooded thoroughfare. "The floods are dangerous." pam-cgm-cwl/lb
