flood watch

[adam2]

Later reports put the death toll in the German floods at 33, a shocking figure in a modern developed nation.
Dozens are missing and it is feared that the death toll will increase.

Edit to add that latest reports at about 15-00 UK time put the death toll at 48, with many still missing.

[adam2]

This looks even worse than early reports suggested.
About 60 lives lost in Germany and about 11 in Belgium,

The number of lives lost and the scale of property destroyed will I suspect mark a turning point in German politics with a much greater emphasis on green issues and more support for green political parties and for non political green groups.

Could a similar disaster occur in the UK ? I suspect that it could.

[clv101]

https://twitter.com/DaveThroupEA/status ... 5795834880

At some point, the climate related damage will pass some kind of threshold and trigger a huge social/political change. The US fire season is pretty much guaranteed to be the worse ever this year and the west coast drought is already having major impacts.

Sadly it's already too late is avoid what many/most would have described as unacceptable loses a decade or two ago.

[kenneal - lagger]

I've just participated in a pre COP Zoom meeting organised by our local Tory MP, Laura Farris, with our former MP and now DEFRA minister, Lord Richard Benyon, among other speakers. He made several references to the German/continental disaster and the climate causes. Parts of government do understand the urgency of the situation but as Benyon said, they have trouble convincing the Treasury that they should pay to address the problem. It seems that idiot economists still rule the roost in government.

[kenneal - lagger]

That picture would seem to confirm the thoughts of the proverb about not building on sand.

[BritDownUnder]

That picture would seem to confirm the thoughts of the proverb about not building on sand.

Or near sand quarries, it seems.



I feel sorry for the locals - to a degree - they are Germans after all.
Apparently two months of rain in two days fell. Other photos are showing entire streets gouged out and huge pipes exposed.
I wonder of the Germans have a Law of Tort so that the quarry owners can be sued.

I recall that a town in the UK, I can't recall its name, took steps to prevent flooding from its river and these included measures upstream to store the water in small log dams and even contour ploughing and planting trees which helped reduce the flooding risk.

Back to the Germans, perhaps they will close their inefficient lignite plants. Not until 2038 according to an Australian politician. Or not import Russian gas? Or stop making inefficient fossil fueled vehicles and make electric cars. I hear they are getting a Tesla factory.

[adam2]

Meanwhile in China, 12 rail passengers are reported to have drowned in a flooded rail tunnel.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-57861067

[Mark]

Belgium to consider manslaughter charges over flood deaths:
https://www-politico-eu.cdn.ampproject. ... eupen/amp/

Is resilience/adaptation planning set to become a new area of climate litigation ?

[kenneal - lagger]

Belgium to consider manslaughter charges over flood deaths:
https://www-politico-eu.cdn.ampproject. ... eupen/amp/

Is resilience/adaptation planning set to become a new area of climate litigation ?

Who do you charge? The business people who didn't plan adequately for more intense weather conditions or the politicians whose inadequate response to a climate emergency has made the more extreme weather come about or even the civil servants whose inadequate policy recommendations have resulted in politicians inadequate response?

[adam2]

New York city declares state of emergency over severe flooding, from tail end of hurricane Ida.
As is the case elsewhere, these "exceptional" events seem more frequent.


Edited to add that later reports state at least six lives lost.

[adam2]

Video report re New York floods, dramatic scenes of huge volumes of water in underground railways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTWuKt2mI3I

[adam2]

This is getting serious ! floods in LONDON AGAIN.
Floods are to be expected in lesser places but floods in LONDON and in the most expensive parts such as Knightsbridge demand action.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58799222

[kenneal - lagger]

If Knightsbridge is flooding we might see calls at the Tory Party conference for action on climate change. Like building an umbrella over Knightsbridge to keep the rain off so that they can get into their limos without getting wet!! An extra tax on the rich to account for their extra high emissions of CO2 might help.

[adam2]

Do Harrods sell flood gates, inflatable boats, and life preservers ?

[kenneal - lagger]

Do Harrods sell flood gates, inflatable boats, and life preservers ?

Next week probably or whenever they can get them flown in from China!