Rain and flooding.

January witnessed devastating floods across Australia. Colombia has been and is currently experiencing “some of the heaviest rains” in its history—with hundreds dying, more than 140,000 homes damaged or destroyed, and more than three million affected (Seattle Times, April 29, 2011)!  The central U.S. is flooding too.

One recent headline reads: “Forecast: Almost half of the USA at risk for spring flooding” (USA Today, March 18, 2011).  As a result of snow melt and powerful spring storms, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently “blew a hole in a Mississippi River levee in a bid to save several towns in Illinois and Kentucky….”  One government official estimated that this action will “cause $1 billion in property damage” as the river floods over a hundred thousand acres of farm land and destroys hundreds of homes (Reuters, May 3, 2011).  Officials still expect a flood surge not seen since 1927 (Associated Press, May 3, 2011).  More than 12 million people live along the Mississippi—the backbone of commerce for the central U.S.  And, the region is responsible for more than $7 billion of agriculture and forest products (www.visitbimiji.com, May 4, 2011).

Forecasters predict continued “extreme” global weather conditions for this year, with major flooding and severe rains in some regions, while other regions continue in intense drought (Guardian.co.uk, February 4, 2011).

God predicted long ago that one of the signs of the end of the age would be droughts in some cities while other cities experience severe rains and flooding (Amos 4:7-9).  In addition, because of Israel’s sins, God promises plagues of blight, mildew and devastating hail (Haggai 2:17).