Worse than Brownie....

Awash

Early estimates suggest that the extent of the cleanup will be unlike anything some of the flooded cities have experienced. And some of what the water left behind is toxic, experts said, possibly tinged with raw sewage or chemical runoff from agriculture.

In Cedar Rapids alone, it is estimated that the 4,200 flooded houses are producing about a ton of debris each, mostly heavy appliances, electronics and furniture. Beyond that, businesses, schools, hospitals, churches and government offices are flooded, bringing the city’s total flood-related garbage load to about 300,000 tons, officials estimated.

A typical garbage truck can handle about four tons of trash.

“We’re looking at 10 to 15 times as much garbage as we’ve ever dealt with, so this is huge,” said Mark Jones, the superintendent of the city’s solid waste and recycling division. Backup trucks are arriving from across the state. “As you could see, it would take us forever to do this,” he said.

Lives destroyed by flooding occurs in the ocean as well:

Des Moines, IA (AHN) - The marine dead zone resulting from the Midwest flooding is expected to expand to over 10,000 square miles, according to researchers from the Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.

The water in the dead zone, approximately the size of Massachusetts, does not have sufficient oxygen at depth to support marine life. Since 1990, the zone, located off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas, usually covers 6,000 square miles, varying according to the flow of the Mississippi River.

Not to complain or anything

But could you send some to California?

Flooding in Newfoundland

Flooding in South Asia

Update: How could I forget Britain?:

The early summer has been the wettest since records began more than 240 years ago, the Met Office has confirmed.

Figures covering three months up to 23 July show more than 387mm (15.2in) of rain fell in England and Wales.

Think of the poor insurance companies!

As they struggle to survive the arrogant homeowner's demands for justice:

NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court ruled Thursday against Hurricane Katrina victims who argued their insurance policies should have covered flood damage caused by levee breaches that flooded 80 percent of New Orleans during the 2005 storm.

The case could affect thousands of rebuilding residents and business owners in Louisiana. An insurance expert had said a ruling against the industry could have cost insurers $1 billion.

"This event was excluded from coverage under the plaintiffs' insurance policies, and under Louisiana law, we are bound to enforce the unambiguous terms of their insurance contracts as written," Judge Carolyn King wrote for a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

As a result, she said the panel found those who filed the suit "are not entitled to recover under their policies."

So tell me again. Just why is it we buy and pay yearly on insurance then?

Update: This comment (number 41) was taken from Crooks and Liars' post on the court verdict on Katrina's insurance companies:

concernedmom Says:

As a resident of south Louisiana, I am seeing the results of the insurance debacle first hand. Prior to Katrina, Louisiana was ranked near the top for citizens who took advantage of the national flood insurance program. Sadly, many who had both homeowners and flood insurance are still getting screwed by these companies. The homeowners policy won’t pay for water damage, even if the house didn’t flood but the roof was ripped off causing water to enter the house. The flood policies won’t pay because the house didn’t actually flood but was inundated by water after the roof was damaged. Those whose homes actually flooded and had flood insurance are finding that even though they held a policy that policy is not coming anywhere close to paying what it costs to clean up the damage from having several feet of vile and toxic water sitting in their homes for weeks. And their homeowners policy won’t pay for any of it. So, unless they are wealthy enough to pay out of pocket for repairs while fighting to get what they paid for, they are stuck. Two years later, there are still areas of the city that look like they did two years ago. And I am not only referring to the 9th Ward, but also Lakeview and the entire parish of St. Bernard. And make no mistake, the damage was not from the hurricane, but from the negligence of the COE, and they have admitted such.

So here we are 2 years later, the promises Bush made from Jackson Square still unmet, and now the water resources bill, currently under consideration in the House, is headed for a veto by Mr. Bush. This is a bill that would help with coastal restoration and hurricane protection. This morning’s Times-Picayune carried an article regarding this bill. It states that all of our state reps have vowed to vote against the veto should it come. Rep. Baker (R), suggested that the Senate wait till after the August recess to keep Bush from issuing a pocket veto, but the Senate will likely pass the bill before the recess. Any takers on a bet that the pocket veto is exactly what will happen? A large portion of the fuel needed to run America passes through or is refined in south Louisiana. It seems that this administration can find trillions of dollars to throw down a rathole in Iraq, but when it comes to protecting American citizens, infrastructure and keeping promises made, well, it’s just too expensive.

This will not be in any headlines

Of U.S. papers. Via Moonbootica of Devizes Melting Pot:

The Muslim community has rallied round to donate more than 20,000 bottles of water to flood-hit areas.

Mosques in Leicester raised more than £5,000 after Friday prayers yesterday to help those caught up in the disaster.

They also organised transport and donations of bottled water to people in Gloucestershire, which has been worst hit by the recent flooding.

A truck filled with half-litre bottles of water - donated by a Leicester businessman - was due to set off this afternoon.

Gloucestershire police will escort the lorry to where the need for water is most desperate.

The 21,000 bottles were packed through the day yesterday outside Evington Road Mosque.

The first load of water has been donated by a city cash and carry, which wished to remain anonymous.

The £5,000 raised will pay for at least one more truck-load of bottles to be sent next week.

Islam supports charity and generosity. Have we in America been told this? When we realize that al-Qaeda militant Islam is similar to the worst branch of the KKK Christian movement, we can see how the religion of Islam has been hijacked by terrorists.