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The news just gets worse. A rail bridge over the Bow River partially collapsed early this morning with a train on it that was carrying some kind of petroleum product.
......... The aging bridge partially collapsed around 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning as a 102-car train rolled across it. The neighbourhood has since been evacuated. Six cars remain stranded on the sagging bridge, five of them carrying petroleum products.
Officials are trying to empty the cars, before removing them from the bridge. The derailment has shuttered roads, diverted city crews away from flood response and also forced the evacuation of a wastewater treatment plant – meaning sewage is currently flowing untreated into the major river.
Amid the impact of the derailment, CP said its bridge had been inspected Saturday, though floodwaters were still high and the Bow River was surging. Meanwhile, city officials say they’re powerless to inspect it. “Why was it not inspected after Saturday?” Mr. Nenshi asked.
The mayor lashed out against the company, noting it took him six hours to get a CP official on the phone on Thursday. Currently, railways are the only private businesses municipalities can’t touch, Mr. Nenshi said. And yet it’s the Calgary Fire Department working to keep the oil products out of the Bow River, he said.............
Perhaps my comment about the name of High River was uncalled for, but otherwise I don't imagine that people in the midst of this disaster would be on an urban discussion board looking for emergency resources or help. There are far more suitable places for people in need of services to seek them. This is a discussion board, and I was discussing an issue relevant to the title of the thread - South Alberta Flooding. I think your analogy is a false one, because as you mentioned, people in the midst of to disaster are facing many serious crises, including the loss of power and Internet service. I don't imagine they would be on City Data seeking help and information. So I don't think my mention of climate change in this thread is the same as bringing up the issue to those who are struggling through the crisis - do you think those people have time to be on a message board called City Data?
I'm sorry if I've offended you, but every news agency in the country and beyond is talking about the relationship between this disaster and climate change. I think perhaps this is a wake up call for our nation that our government's stance on the issue is untenable.
You sir, are officially an assclown. Rather than taking the point, you try and justify your stupid comment with further stupidity.
No one is questioning your high ground to show the poor lost souls the evil of oil & gas capitalism and economic growth, just don't do it on this thread.
You sir, are officially an assclown. Rather than taking the point, you try and justify your stupid comment with further stupidity.
No one is questioning your high ground to show the poor lost souls the evil of oil & gas capitalism and economic growth, just don't do it on this thread.
FFS, take a hint or grow the F up.
Sorry, didn't realize this thread was sacred ground. You and stubblejumper must be the high priests of the place. Sorry to have offended thee with my lefty crazy talk.
Sorry, didn't realize this thread was sacred ground. You and stubblejumper must be the high priests of the place. Sorry to have offended thee with my lefty crazy talk.
Please do us all a favour and save this stuff for your like-minded pals in Ontario and Quebec. Thank you very much for your understanding and for your anticipated cooperation.
'Heavy rain has triggered flash floods in low-lying parts of Calgary, two weeks after the city was swamped by severe flooding.'
Hey, that's my neighbourhood. Things got a little too exciting last night. We definitely need a couple weeks (or more) of dry weather to fully get passed all of this. My basement stayed dry last night. Hopefully the rest of the community avoided major damage.
Actually, it seems a lot of people want to hear and discuss the issues I've raised right now
And I have no agenda, unless by agenda you mean discussing an issue that apparently you and some others just don't want to hear about.
But this is a discussion forum, and I am discussing an important related issue. If discussing this extremely relevant subject which has received widespread commentary in the mainstream news media is "proselytizing" then either you need to check the OED definition of the word you are casually throwing around, or perhaps I should find a board where open, honest discussion doesn't receive the typical "I don't want to hear it now" defensiveness of people who don't think something this important should be spoken about in any other away except expressions of sympathy and "prayers" for those affected. All the prayers in the world aren't going to help a High River flood survivor rebuild their lives. However, taking action on climate change and addressing the issue of building highly populated areas in river valleys and flood plains might prevent a future disaster like this.
Oh, but this isn't the time for that kind of talk. Better we wait a few years when everyone has forgotten about it, and the will to engage in this discussion and make the necessary changes to the way we live no longer exists because people have been lulled back into the their usual state of complacency.
If anyone here has an agenda, it is those who don't want the words "climate change" mentioned in the same sentence as the Alberta flood. Their agenda is to keep people from discussing the connection, from talking about our government's could-care-less attitude regarding the issue, and most of all from mentioning that all those climate disasters we've been watching all these years have finally hit home. But if I'm the guy with the agenda, I'm glad to know I'm far from alone.
I suppose all these news agencies are also prosyletizing?
A quick Google search will lead you to hundreds more articles, OP-eds, blogs, news reports, articles in scientific journals, etc. that make a direct connection between the Alberta floods and climate change. If now is not a good time to talk about this issue, when is?
My Great Grandfather moved to Southern Alberta and started ranching there around 1883. His ranch flooded during that time period...he moved to Saskatchewan shortly after the 1897 flood. The Oil Sands and related industries weren't in production then:
1897 flood... 17.5 feet. The 1932 flood was 12.5 feet. The 2013 flood 13.6 feet. Water - Google Books
Other flood years are also listed in the above articles.
"The 1929 and 1932 events, the fifth- and fourth-highest known, both occurred on
June 3. Both resulted mainly from heavy rain in the foothills west of the city.
When there is heavy rain in the foothills, the headwaters are usually receiving
snow. The largest rainfall events are associated with cyclonic storms drawing
moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. "
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