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Katrina Situation Update
Here's the part of FEMA's National Situation Update for Saturday, September 10, 2005 relating to hurricane Katrina:
A crude symbol has surfaced in New Orleans to displace for now the fleur-de-lis, the crescent and the string of beads. It is a large X sprayed with neon-orange paint onto the emptied homes, the violated stores -- even the city buses that litter streets like giant discarded milk cartons.
The fleur-de-lis reflects the enduring French influence on life here. The crescent symbolizes the bend in the nurturing Mississippi River. The beads evoke Mardi Gras, though these days they dangle from trees like gaudy nooses. And now, scrawled across all of that, a large X the color of Halloween: the post-catastrophe symbol used by search-and-rescue units to signal that the space inside has been checked for signs of life or the remains of death.
On Tuesday a task force from Texas, armed with guns and spray cans, decorated the Bywater section here with the macabre graffiti. At the top of the X, the date (9/6); to the left, the unit that conducted the search (TXTF); to the right, the number of hazards, structural and otherwise, within (0); and at the bottom, the number of dead (0).
The symbol has haunting resonance for those who walked the gray-powdered streets of Lower Manhattan in the first days after 9/11. Four years later nearly to the day, you notice that X on a deserted storefront on St. Claude Avenue here; you take comfort in seeing zeroes; and in a finger's snap you are back there on Vesey Street, or Liberty, or Church. What's more, the skies over southern Louisiana have been a baby blue the last few days, as they were over New York on that Tuesday morning.
So many images here set off dormant memories. The National Guard encampment in Audubon Park recalls the National Guard encampment in Battery Park, where a thunderstorm one night had people imagining another attack. The whiff of rotting food in a market on St. Charles Avenue brings back the pungency of that dusty still-life display of food rotting in the Amish Market on Washington Street. The fear of contaminated water now; the fear of contaminated air then.
A disturbing question comes too quickly to the mind. Which was worse: the attacks of Sept. 11 or the attack of Hurricane Katrina?
The question reflects our strange desire to quantify disaster. Any time a jetliner crashes - in Lockerbie, outside Pittsburgh, off the Moriches - the news media rush to point out its standing in terms of the number killed, as though measuring its worthiness for some sorrowful hall of fame. Sometimes newspapers will even publish an accompanying graph: Five Deadliest Plane Crashes.
From the acrid-smelling streets of this fresh horror, near the fourth anniversary of another horror - still fresh in its own way - such calculus seems fruitless, inappropriate and akin to comparing a wounded apple to an injured orange. They are distinct in their own awful ways.
The hurricane was a natural disaster. The disaster of 9/11 was madman-made. The hurricane exploded across hundreds of miles, devastating cities, towns and obscure places that many people here barely knew of; Happy Jack, for one. The jetliners that became bombs on 9/11 devastated a corner of Manhattan, and brought down two of the most famous buildings in the world.
On and on the distinctions go: 9/11's fire to the hurricane's water; people dying at work and people drowning at home; congregations mourning in places of worship and congregations mourning for places of worship that are now inaccessible, under water, destroyed.
Rather than wasting energy and emotion on that awkward question of which is worse, those profoundly affected by 9/11 might consider what now forever binds the New Orleans of 2005 to other American cities: the Johnstown of 1889; the Galveston of 1900; the San Francisco of 1906; the Oklahoma City of 1995; the New York of 2001.
The overwhelming loss of life, of course, and the crippling tolls to the economy, to the infrastructure, to the community's sense of self. But more than that: the denial of that basic, sacred need to claim and bury the dead. Four years have passed, and 1,152 of the 2,749 victims of 9/11 have not been identified. Two weeks have passed, and who knows how many bodies still remain in New Orleans.
Which is worse? Let the question go.
One night four years ago, a city sanitation worker started sweeping the debris of chaos from Church Street. And one afternoon this week, a shopkeeper on deserted Royal Street did the same. (Media Sources)
Hurricane Katrina Evacuees -- Regional Response; September 9, 2005 1600 CDT
As resources to the south are exhausted and shelters begin to reach their capacity, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska officials continue to prepare to potentially accept evacuees from impacted areas. Per the EMAC broadcast made late last night, states within Region VII may begin receiving evacuees as follows: Nebraska on Saturday, September 10 and Missouri and Kansas on Monday, September 12. The number of evacuees to be transported each day and the number of days the effort will continue will vary and can change. States may receive a maximum of 500 evacuees on their scheduled day, or less, depending on their pre-identified shelter capacity.
The State of Iowa received 19 evacuees today. The evacuees were transported to the initial reception center for processing. Evacuees will be given hotel rooms for the evening. State officials have heard that another flight (6:15 CDT) to Des Moines may bring more evacuees to the state.
Kansas: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees. Missouri: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees. Nebraska: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees
Kansas: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees.
Missouri: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees.
Nebraska: The state remains on stand-by for receiving evacuees
The FEMA Region VII Offices are activated at a Level 3 – Monitoring/minimal staffing. Operational hours are 0700-1630 CDT - Monday-Friday. (FEMA Region VII)
Please see the following message for the remaining stories.
Katrina stories
Major Developments in Katrina's Aftermath
Bush: Gulf Will Be More Vibrant Than Ever, Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals, Bush seeks to rekindle national unity on Katrina, FEMA Dumps Brown as Katrina Relief Chief, Post-Katrina hand-wringing echoes earlier criticism, President's Approval Rating Dips Below 40
President Bush said Saturday that the Gulf Coast will be "more vibrant than ever".
Companies with ties to the Bush Administration have already received contracts to work on reconstruction in along the Gulf Coast.
In his weekly radio address Bush said, "Today, America is confronting another disaster that has caused destruction and loss of life. This time the devastation resulted not from the malice of evil men, but from the fury of water and wind".
The criticism in the United States over the response to Hurricane Katrina is reminiscent of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992
In this week's AP-Ipsos poll, President Bush's job approval rate was at its lowest to date at 39%.
German Plane With Katrina Aid Turned Back
A German military plane was turned back by the USA with its 15 tons of military rations.
FEMA to Halt Debit Cards, Use Bank Deposit
FEMA is to stop distributing $2,000 debit cards after this weekend, and use bank deposits instead. They were only issued in Texas.
Gore Helps Airlift New Orleans Victims
Al Gore chartered 2 plains to fly about 270 Katrina evacuees from New Orleans to Tennessee.
Guard Stretched Between Katrina, Wars
The National Guard is stretched all the way from the Gulf Coast to Iraq, which concerns Republicans and Democrats alike.
Small Signs of Normalcy Return in Miss.
Electricity has returned for some victims in Mississippi, some have returned to work, and some shops have opened. There is a great deal still to do, and people are still missing.
La. to Spray to Stop Spread of Mosquitos
State health officials are to begin aerial spraying of New Orleans on Sunday using the pesticide Naled to cut down the hatching and spread of mosquitoes and flies in the standing water.
Illegal Immigrants in La. Get No Assurances
The federal government gave illegal immigrants reassurance after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but have not done after hurricane Katrina.
N.O. Police Say They Are Regaining Control
More than 200 people had been arrested recently, and fewer corpses are being found than expected. The latest prediction is that it could take a month to drain New Orleans.
Two New Orleans Couples Marry in Shelter, Many Evacuees Seek Aid From Black Churches, Katrina Evacuees Wonder What's Next, Katrina Astrodome evacuees to get new homes, New Orleans recovers its dead, looks to rebuilding, Registered Sex Offenders Among Evacuees, The Refugee Situation Around the Country, Viral Outbreak Among Evacuees Contained
One of the couples had known each other for 27 years.
Black churches nationwide are providing aid to hurricane evacuees.
Having escaped from New Orleans and lost everything, thousands of people are now having to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, including whether or not to return to New Orleans.
More than 2,000 of refugees from New Orleans now have apartments in Houston, and another 2,000 should be accommodated in Texas in the next week. The Task Force will pay the rent for up to 6 months. There are another 8,000 apartments are being readied. There are more than 8,000 in temporary shelter, so the target of September 18 for housing them all may not be met.
Police and soldiers have resumed collecting bodies, but there do not appear to be as many as expected.
There were nearly 4,500 registered sex offenders in the 14 parishes hit by Hurricane Katrina, nearly 300 of whom ordinarily check in at parole offices closed by the storm. Some have registered where they have evacuated to. The rest should call toll-free number 1-800-342-6110 to register their current whereabouts.
Roughly 377,700 Hurricane Katrina refugees are spread around 33 states and Washington, D.C.
About 700 people were made sick by a viral outbreak that caused diarrhoea and vomiting in Houston, but the disease has been contained.
In Poll, Most Say Abandon Flooded Areas
54 percent of participants in an AP-Ipsos poll said that New Orleans should be rebuilt on higher ground, to the distress of some people from New Orleans, and over 40% said it should be rebuilt where it was. 52% disapproved of President Bush's handling of hurricane relief; 78% of blacks and 49% of whites.
Experts Concerned About Children's Trauma
Hundreds of thousands of children experienced hurricane Katrina, and many have needed emergency psychological help.
Ophelia Strengthens to a Hurricane Again
Tropical Storm Ophelia became a hurricane again Saturday, and a hurricane watch was issued from north of the Savannah River in South Carolina to Cape Lookout in North Carolina.
Other stories
Blasts near Russia's Chechnya, gas pipeline hit
Two makeshift roadside bombs hit a major regional gas pipeline in Russia's Ingushetia region near Chechnya, but gas supplies were not interrupted. One policeman was hurt.
EU Ministers Debate Oil Prices, Growth
European Union finance ministers have debated soaring oil prices and their effect on fragile economic growth.
Papua New Guinea still unsure of quake's impact
Papua New Guinea has not been able to establish communication with many villages following Friday's magnitude 7.3 earthquake, so they cannot be sure whether there were any deaths or much damage.
Bear Attack Survivor Saved His Daughter
A grizzly bear tore off the man's scalp broke, several bones and bit him in several places; the daughter had a bite on the heel, a shoulder injury and some facial lacerations.
Forest Service Plan Would Speed Drilling
The U.S. Forest Service proposes to shorten the environmental reviews of small oil-drilling projects in national grasslands, where it is allowed.
Hawaii Scientists to Study Tsunami Warning
Hawaii's tsunami warning system may be in place, and people know what it sounds like, but it is not at all certain that people know what to do if it actually gives a warning, so a study is to be conducted.
Study Done of How Soap Clings to Water
A study into how molecules found in many soaps and detergents cling to the surface of water could lead to improvements in cleaning up environmental hazards.
Mexico quits production of ozone-harming CFCs
Mexico will no longer produce chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals that harm the ozone layer. The deadline for cessation under the 1987 Montreal Protocol for developing countries is 2010.
Genetic Relative of SARS Found in Bats
Chinese scientists believe that Chinese horseshoe bats near Hong Kong are carrying a genetic relative of the human SARS virus. Civets are also known to carry the virus.
Index of topics in this series.
[Views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of CompuServe, Netscape, any government, agency, or news organization. External Websites are "At Your Own Risk," and no endorsement is expressed or implied.]
Here's the EPA's Response Activity for Saturday, September 10, 2005 relating to hurricane Katrina:
Flood Water Analysis - On 9/9, EPA in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality posted data from New Orleans flood water samples collected from 12 locations in the September 3-5 time period. The data has been reviewed and validated through a quality assurance process to ensure scientific accuracy. The results show the public and emergency responders should avoid contact with the standing water and are publicly available at the EPA website - http://www.epa.gov/katrina/testresults/index.html. Daily sampling is ongoing and EPA, in coordination with federal, state and local agencies will continue to release data as it becomes available.On 9/7, Administrator Johnson released the initial sampling results at a news conference.
Public Advisories - On 9/6, EPA and HHS issued an advisory cautioning the public and all responders about the possible hazards of flood waters due to potentially elevated levels of contamination associated with raw sewage and other hazardous materials. On 9/4, EPA issued an advisory to the public urging caution when disposing of household hazardous waste and asbestos-containing debris from storm-damaged homes and other buildings.
Recovery - EPA discontinued search and rescue operations in LA on 9/9 to focus on environmental response activities. Approximately, 793 rescues have been made by EPA in LA.
Drinking Water Assessment - EPA continues assessment of damage to local drinking systems and providing technical assistance to help restore service in AL, MS, and LA. Many systems were disabled or impaired by loss of electrical power, and some are now operating under boiled water notices. The total number of systems that remain affected is 4 in AL , 433 in MS, and 468 in LA. EPA has two mobile laboratories in MS and two in LA.
Wastewater Treatment Facilities - EPA continues to assess wastewater treatment facilities in LA and MS. EPA estimates the number of wastewater treatment facilities affected is now 114 in LA and 9 in MS. All wastewater systems in AL are operating normally.
Air Surveillance - EPA’s environmental surveillance aircraft (ASPECT) is being used to assess spills and chemical releases. On 9/7, ASPECT conducted overflights of railroad yards. Current plans are being developed for using this aircraft to conduct radiological surveys. These surveys will be conducted due to concerns over potential radiological sources from universities and hospitals. EPA and state officials continue to collect air quality information from daily aerial helicopter inspections of facilities. On-the-ground inspections of these facilities will provide additional information in the coming weeks. Air assessments of spills and chemicals releases in New Orleans and surrounding area continue.
Incident Management Team - On 9/6, EPA personnel staffing of a second full Incident Management Team (IMT) began mobilization to LA. On 9/2 EPA deployed a 17 person IMT to Baton Rouge to integrate with LA officials and manage EPA’s field operations.
Peer Support & Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) - EPA has deployed CISM team members to Baton Rouge , LA and Jackson , MS to consult with all EPA staff conducting field operations in areas impacted by the hurricane.
Fuel Waivers - On 9/9, EPA extended a limited waiver from the reformulated gasoline (RFG) requirement for gasoline sold in the Richmond , VA , metropolitan area through 9/23. In consultation with DOE, we are closely monitoring gasoline supplies as we consider requests for waivers in other areas. On 9/9, EPA extended Georgia ’s request to waive its state sulfur requirement through 10/5 which required clean burning gasoline to be sold in the 45-county area of Atlanta . On 8/31, to alleviate possible fuel shortages across the country and to help meet emergency demand, EPA granted a nationwide fuel waiver that allows refiners, importers, distributors, carriers and retail outlets to supply gasoline and diesel fuels that do not meet standards for emissions. The temporary waiver is in effect through 9/15.
Hazardous Waste Disposal - On 9/10, EPA will begin setting up household hazardous waste collection centers for each affected Parish in LA. EPA personnel continue to offer technical assistance in the disposal of hazardous waste and other debris left behind by the storm. Teams are working closely with the Coast Guard to conduct assessments of potential oil spills and chemical releases caused by the hurricane.
Technical Expertise - EPA will be providing environmental guidelines for residences and commercial buildings. EPA has practical and scientific expertise in the environmental health hazards caused by flood waters, especially the effects of molds and mildew, and in the disposal of household hazardous waste and asbestos-containing materials from storm-damaged buildings.
Emergency Call Center - EPA expects to deploy 30-50 personnel from the Region 5 (Chicago) office to assist staffing of the FEMA Emergency Call Center that will register people who are applying for federal assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Training for the call center volunteers began on September 8th.
