Washington [US], September 18: North Carolina (USA) is experiencing a "once in a thousand years" rain, while the death toll from floods in European and Southeast Asian countries continues to rise.
The US National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, said the coastal town of Carolina Beach was placed under a state of emergency after a historic rainstorm on September 16, with up to 45 cm of rain falling in 12 hours.
According to CNN, the rain was caused by Tropical Storm No. 8, described as a 1,000-year event, while other parts of the state received 200-year rainfall. Many homes and vehicles were flooded, roads were damaged and authorities were mobilized to rescue people trapped. According to forecasts, many parts of North Carolina continued to receive heavy rain even as the storm moved further inland and weakened.
Meanwhile, the death toll from floods in central Europe rose to 18 as of yesterday. According to Reuters, the Czech Republic-Poland border area was one of the worst affected areas as rivers filled with firewood and timber destroyed several towns, collapsing bridges and houses.
In Southeast Asia, the death toll from floods following Typhoon Yagi continues to rise. AFP reported that as of yesterday, the death toll from floods had risen to 15. The northern provinces of the country were severely damaged, with some areas experiencing the worst flooding in 80 years. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's government has set aside $90 million for relief efforts.
In Myanmar, authorities reported 226 deaths and 77 missing as of late September 16; more than 150,000 houses were flooded and nearly 260,000 hectares of rice and other crops were destroyed.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper