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000
NOUS43 KMPX 171100
PNSMPX
MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-081>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-181100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
600 AM CDT WED APR 17 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...DAY THREE
...FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS...

ON A NATIONAL LEVEL...
FLOODS CLAIM NEARLY 200 LIVES ANNUALLY...FORCE 300,000 PERSONS
FROM THEIR HOMES...AND RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE IN EXCESS OF 2
BILLION DOLLARS.  CHARACTERISTICALLY...75 PERCENT OF FLASH FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT WITH HALF OF THE VICTIMS DYING IN THEIR
AUTOMOBILES OR OTHER VEHICLES.  IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO
BELIEVE...BUT MANY DEATHS OCCUR WHEN PERSONS KNOWINGLY DRIVE
AROUND ROAD BARRICADES INDICATING THE ROAD IS WASHED OUT AHEAD.

THERE WERE NO FLOODING DEATHS IN MINNESOTA OR WISCONSIN IN 2012.
HOWEVER...EACH STATE DID HAVE ONE FLOOD FATALITY IN 2011.

IN 2007...
DISASTROUS FLOODING STRUCK SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
ON AUGUST 18-19.  EIGHT PEOPLE DIED THAT WEEKEND...SEVEN IN MINNESOTA AND
ONE IN WISCONSIN. MOST DEATHS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES. A STATE RECORD
FOR 24 HOUR RAINFALL WAS SET IN MINNESOTA WHEN 15.1 INCHES FELL ONE MILE
SOUTH OF HOKAH.

ARE YOU PREPARED...
ASSUME A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES 6 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN
6 HOURS TIME NEAR YOUR COMMUNITY.  STORMS OF THIS MAGNITUDE OR
GREATER OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES EACH YEAR IN THE U.S...WOULD YOU KNOW
WHAT ACTION TO TAKE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND
ON YOU FOR SAFETY.  AFTER A MAJOR FLOOD EVENT ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON QUOTES FROM THE SURVIVORS OF THE FLOOD IS THE EXPRESSION
THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM OR IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

BEFORE THE FLOODING...
THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF FLASH
FLOOD PRODUCING RAINFALL.  HOWEVER...BY STRIVING FOR SOUND FLOOD
PLAIN ZONING...DEVELOPING AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN IN ADVANCE OF
THE DISASTER...PURCHASING FLOOD INSURANCE AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE
THE FLOODING...AND BEING AWARE OF THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING...THERE IS A CHANCE OF
DECREASING THE DEATH TOLL AND PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM
FLASH FLOODING.

NOTE...TOMORROW...THURSDAY APRIL 18...IS THE TORNADO DRILL DAY.
A SIMULATED WATCH FOR MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN WILL BE ISSUED AT
100 PM.  A SIMULATED TORNADO WARNING WILL THEN BE ISSUED AT 145 PM.
MINNESOTA WILL ALSO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL SIMULATED TORNADO WARNING
AT 655 PM.

$$
KRAUSE