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BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths

23 Mar 06 - 09:28 AM (#1701004)
Subject: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: open mike

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20060318-0035-damburst.html
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/03/23/rescue_teams_end_search_for_missing_after_hawaii_dam_break/


23 Mar 06 - 04:25 PM (#1701265)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: JohnInKansas

Links for the two sites above:

San Diego report (very slow loading)

Reports little except that it was a privately owned dam, whose owners already have agreed to $12 million (US?) in settlements for prior damages due to improper land management activities.

Boston Globe report

Says only that the search for some people still missing has been called off. Does give March 15 as the original date of the dam failure, and reports the discharge as "300 million gallons of water."

My quick calculation (not certified for accuracy) is that's about enough water to cover 3/4 square mile one foot deep. The reports cited don't really give enough info for anyone not familiar with local conditions to know whether it's a local news event that happened to involve someone known in Boston, or if it represents something of more general significance.

Sympathy and concern of course extends to those injured/missing/killed, and to their families and friends.

Comments from someone who knows more?

John


23 Mar 06 - 06:13 PM (#1701355)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: open mike

i looked this up in response to a post in the cyclone larry thread
by sinsull regarding "But 7000+ are dead in Hawaii and it is getting very little coverage."I am not sure what she means....


23 Mar 06 - 07:31 PM (#1701401)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: JohnInKansas

I'll second your puzzlement and add "?????"

I did find the Honolulu Star reported a tropical storm with extensive flooding and mudslides, but no indication of injuries or fatalities. The report is dated ca 03 March, so something might have happened since then.

Current weather advisories for Hawaii show "flash flood" warnings for the entire chain; and the 03 March report mentions 22 inches of rain per day - which appears to have tapered off some.

Are we sure it was Sinsul? Maybe a forgery. There wasn't a cut-n-paste for proof. Most unusual... (I did see the posting in the other thread.)

John


23 Mar 06 - 10:38 PM (#1701491)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: SINSULL

Twas I. I saw three different news reports on TV using the number 7000. They must have heard 7 missing and screwed up the numbers. Apologies to all. Couldn't figure out why there was not more coverage - now I know.


23 Mar 06 - 10:38 PM (#1701492)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: SINSULL


24 Mar 06 - 10:23 AM (#1701772)
Subject: RE: BS: dam breaks in hawaii - 3 deaths
From: JohnInKansas

Sinsull -

At least we know that you're not being impersonated; and I found out:

1. that Hawaii has had some serious problems with flooding and mudslides, that I wasn't aware was common there, and

2. that only a handful of Cyclone/Hurricane type storms are known ever to have occured there.

The freedom from major wind problems appears to relate to the tendency for any storms to "rain out" their energy when they get there. ... (?).

John