Emergency and disaster management briefing for July 16, 2021: The death toll rises to 80 as receding floodwaters reveal damage across parts of Europe; AVO raises the Semisopochnoi Volcano Alert Level to Orange; Hurricane Felicia is a tiny but strong Category 3 storm churning in the Pacific Ocean; a recent UT-Austin report reveals natural gas companies were paid to shut off power during the winter snowstorm in Texas; the Bootleg Fire is now the largest wildfire burning in the nation; UP halts inbound West Coast container shipments into its Global IV facility in Chicago for one week; the NIFC reveals more than 80% of wildland firefighter resources are already committed to more than 70 active wildfires; and J&J recalls five spray sunscreens contaminated with cancer-causing benzene.
1. Torrential rainfall on Wednesday swelled rivers in Germany and Belgium, which overflowed and sent torrents of water and mud into towns and villages across the region. Receding floodwaters now reveal the massive extent of damage caused by the recent flooding. Authorities are reporting that at least 80 people have died; dozens more are missing and many other victims had to be rescued from rooftops.
Shocking images of the flooding in parts of Germany
— Thomas Sparrow (@Thomas_Sparrow) July 15, 2021
This is #Ahrweiler in Rhineland Palatinate (video via @NicosPanoptikum) pic.twitter.com/hYnK2wAdmf
2. The Volcanic Alert Level for the Semisopochnoi Volcano in the Aleutian Islands was raised to Alert Level Orange. Seismic activity elevated ash emissions – currently visible on satellite imagery – prompted the alert level change. Ash emissions were detected up to about 5,000 feet ASL (Above Sea Level). The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) will continue to monitor activity at the volcano and adjust alert levels accordingly.
AVO Semisopochnoi ORANGE/WATCH – Aviation color code and alert level increased to Orange/Watch due to seismic tremor … https://t.co/ddKhjPe72C
— USGS Volcanoes? (@USGSVolcanoes) July 13, 2021
3. A tiny but strong Hurricane Felicia is churning in the Pacific Ocean. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that the Category 3 storm has winds of approximately 115 mph with gusts up to 145 mph, although the winds only extend out about 50 nautical miles (57 miles). The hurricane is not expected to hit land and is likely to weaken into a tropical storm sometime early next week.
2am PDT 16 July: Over the last 2 days, #Felicia rapidly intensified from a tropical depression to become the 1st major #hurricane in the East Pacific in 2021. Max sustained winds are currently 115 mph.
— NHC Eastern Pacific (@NHC_Pacific) July 16, 2021
Felicia does not currently pose a threat to land.https://t.co/YcVr5k0HCX pic.twitter.com/MFYB5uWgn9
4. A recently released report by the University of Texas-Austin reveals that natural gas companies were paid to cut off power during the February storm in Texas. According to reports, 67 sites, the majority of which were natural gas facilities, received payment from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for voluntarily signing up for an emergency response program. At least five of those sites later identified their systems as part of the critical infrastructure needed to maintain power production within ERCOT.
Concerning report by @startelegram showing that 67 electric meters run by natural gas companies had their power cut by ERCOT during February’s winter storm. It’s very clear we need rigorous reform so this never happens again. #txlege https://t.co/1ykhEpiFb7
— Don Huffines (@DonHuffines) July 16, 2021
5. The Bootleg Fire, currently the largest fire burning in the nation, continues its explosive growth in the Fremont-Winema National Forest. The fire’s extreme behavior – crowning, running, spotting and robust fire spreads amid unstable air conditions and extremely dry fuels – has forced additional evacuations. In just ten days, the fire has scorched more than 227,200 acres and is only seven percent contained.
Firefighters were pulled off some areas of the #BootlegFire in Southern Oregon Thursday. Extreme fire behavior made it too hazardous to remain on the north side. https://t.co/SbHnbIlxPa
— Wildfire Today ? (@wildfiretoday) July 16, 2021
6. Inbound international container shipments into the Union Pacific (UP) terminal in Chicago, Illinois, are being suspended for one week by the railroad. The embargo begins on Saturday evening and is forecast to create massive container backlogs in West Coast ports. The railroad halted the inbound shipments from the West Coast to address its backlog of containers that has maxed out capacity at its Global IV facility.
Swamped Union Pacific halts all rail shipments from US west coast for a week https://t.co/4Y3Ruw5laa pic.twitter.com/KdWrO0wNxW
— Splash (@Splash_247) July 16, 2021
7. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports that the nation is now at a Preparedness Level 5, the country’s highest level of fire activity. According to the NIFC, more than 1.06 million acres has already burned this season. There are currently 70 active fires, including two new large fires. The NIFC also noted that more than 80% of the country’s wildland firefighting and incident management teams are also currently committed to active wildfires.
ICYMI: NIFC upgrades to Preparedness Level 5 for the earliest time in 10 years https://t.co/NsDtHgwopa
— Nate Larsen (@NateLarsenCBS2) July 16, 2021
8. A recall issued by Johnson & Johnson reveals low levels of carcinogens present in five of the company’s sunscreen products. Affected products contain trace amounts of benzene, to which repeated exposure can cause cancer. Products involved in the recall are Aveeno Protect Refresh spray sunscreen and four Neutrogena spray sunscreens, including Invisible Daily Defense and Beach Defense.
Johnson And Johnson Recalls Sunscreens Due To Traces Of Chemical That Can Cause Cancer With Repeated Exposure https://t.co/EElwfOvkZr
— KDKA (@KDKA) July 15, 2021
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