What lessons from Katrina should be applied to Ophelia and other hurricanes?
Katrina & Ophelia
Here's the part of FEMA's National Situation Update for Monday, September 12, 2005 relating to hurricanes Katrina and Ophelia:
Ophelia is moving toward the west near 3 mph. A gradual turn to the northwest at a slow forward speed is expected during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 24 hours. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles. Latest minimum central pressure reported is 985 mb (29.09 inches).
A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are now in effect from north of Edisto Beach SC northeastward to Cape Lookout, NC. (National Hurricane Center)
South: Hurricane Ophelia is expected to continue to bring windy weather on Monday that will cause heavy surf and rip currents on the Carolina coastal areas. There may be some isolated rainfall in south Florida and parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Monday. The remaining areas of the South will experience dry weather with normal temperatures in the 80s-90s.
Midwest: Most of the Midwest will be hot and dry on Monday, but that will change on Tuesday as a cold front moves through the area bringing cooler temperatures and showers and possibly heavy rainfall in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The cooler and wetter weather will move eastward through the Midwest on Tuesday and Wednesday and hit the Ohio Valley by Thursday. Highs in the area by Friday will be in the 60s-70s.
Northeast: Temperatures in the Northeast will be hot and sunny for most parts of the region on Monday and Tuesday with highs in the 70s in Maine, 80s in the Mid-Atlantic area, and 90s in Boston. However, the cold front moving eastward from the Ohio Valley and Hurricane Ophelia moving northward along the Atlantic Coast will bring cooler, wetter, and windier weather by week’s end to most parts of the region.
West: On Monday, most areas in the West will experience dry weather, however some parts of Washington, Idaho, and Montana will see scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the area will range from the 40s in Wyoming to the 90s in the southwestern desert area. Most of the region will be dry from Tuesday through Saturday. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)
Local, State, and Federal officials continue to monitor the progress of Ophelia and continue to maintain a high state of readiness. The Governor of North Carolina has requested an Emergency Declaration as a result of anticipated damages from Ophelia. FEMA has deployed a Medical Needs Assessment Team (MNAT), 3 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), and one Strike Team to Ft. Gillem, GA. A Management Support Team (MST) has been deployed to Charlotte, NC.
FEMA Region IV has staffed two Emergency Response Teams-Advance Elements (ERT-As) for deployment to South Carolina and North Carolina. Additionally State Liaison Officers are located at the State EOCs in SC, GA, and NC. Region IV is planning for the staffing of two RNA teams for the Atlantic area. (FEMA HQ)
As of 6:00 pm EDT September 11, 2005, federal agencies, in cooperation with tremendous efforts provided by state and local governments, private corporations, and non-profit organizations, have mounted one of the largest response and recovery operations in history to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Some current totals provide a scale of the size and impact of Katrina:
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Katrina stories
Major Developments in Katrina's Aftermath
NATO Begins Mission to Aid Katrina Victims
NATO has begun to airlift aid to the United States.
Bush Denies Racial Component to Response, Bush tours ravaged New Orleans as criticism swirls, Bush rejects race criticism in hurricane response, Bush to survey New Orleans, Democrats Rip Bush Hurricane Response
President Bush denied that race or the troops being in Iraq had anything to do with the slow response to Hurricane Katrina, as he toured New Orleans. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. accused the White House of a "full court press" to blame state and local officials for the slow response.
Congress Looks Toward Gulf Coast's Future
Having allocated $62 billion for dealing with the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katrina, Congress is working on bills to cut red tape and beginning to think about what else needs to be approved. Under consideration are a financial bailout of New Orleans, rebuilding the Gulf Coast, a new reconstruction agency, a depression-era-style Works Progress Administration, and restoring the Louisiana coast to lessen the impact of future hurricanes.
Katrina Spurs New Debate on Energy Policy
There is talk of a new Energy Bill to introduce more stringent automobile fuel economy requirements, which the bill signed last month did little to address. There is also a fresh push to allow drilling in new areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf. Hurricane Katrina shows just how much of domestic oil extraction is concentrated in the Gulf Coast. There may be support for easing environmental standards for new oil and gas drilling, and to make the suspension of clean-air requirements since the hurricane permanent.
Environmentalists say that it is the market which is preventing the construction of new refineries, and they will fight any lessening of pollution standards.
Opening up more drilling will speed up the time when the USA will run out of domestic oil and gas, making it more vulnerable to the prices charged by other countries, and lessening the incentive to conserve energy and develop alternatives.
Senators seek govt plan on future fuel problems
Two U.S. senators have asked the Energy Department to explain to Congress the plans for dealing with interruption to fuel supplies. There is new legislation pending in the Senate.
Governor Defends Louisiana's 'Exit Plan'
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that the state had a "well thought-out exit plan" which saved many lives.
Gulf states plot economic recovery deal
Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are working together to keep businesses from leaving the Gulf states. They have received offers of help from businesses in other states. Some businesses may be poached by states that are currently hosting them. 100,000 4-person trailers from FEMA are helping businesses.
Reported Katrina Deaths, State by State, A Look at the Katrina Refugee Situation
Alabama 2, Glorida 14, Georgia 2, Louisiana 197, Mississippi 214, total 429.
An estimated 388,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees are being accommodated in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
Americans Help Katrina Evacuees
Americans have emptied their piggy banks and opened their homes to hurricane Katrina refugees.
NBC Anchor Says Reporters Feisty Again, Ethnic News Organizations Focus on Katrina
So many reporters were angry or incredulous in the wake of hurricane Katrina that the kid gloves with which they had previously treating the Bush administration may be off.
Some news organizations are focusing on black, Korean, Vietnamese, and Latino issues, angles and stories, as well as channelling help.
Some 471,000 still lack power in US after Katrina
About 35 percent of the homes and businesses in Louisiana and 86,000 customers in Mississippi remained without power. 4.5 million homes and businesses were without power immediately after hurricane Katrina struck.
Katrina Leaves La. Budget in Worse Shape
Louisiana won't be getting much tax income in the foreseeable future, blowing a huge hole in its budget. Mississippi's budget should be in much better shape, with reconstruction making up for lost gambling jobs.
Louisiana starts rebuilding freeway
Contractors have begun to rebuild a section of the Interstate 10 freeway, a twin-span bridge between New Orleans and Slidell.
Slowly, Pumps Come on to Drain New Orleans, New Orleans Slowly Stirs Back to Life, New Orleans hospitals need patients, money
New Orleans' Sewerage & Water Board workers are working around the clock on the pumps in spite of their own losses. Nearly all of the system was flooded. One station is still completely underwater. Flood waters still covered about 50% of the city.
Business owners were allowed in to the central business district of New Orleans to retrieve what they needed to run their businesses. There was a 2 mile line at the checkpoint. Cargo flights and some trash collection have resumed.
New Orleans area hospitals need patients to stay in business. There are 5 hospitals in a position to take patients, but with mandatory evacuation, there are few to be found.
U.S. storm turns Vietnamese into refugees once more
Many Vietnamese refugees who settled on the Gulf Coast to rebuild their lives after the Vietnam War are back to square one.
Residents Wonder if Biloxi Will Survive
Biloxi used to have a mixture of modern casinos and historic housing of all kinds. The fear now is that the occupiers of the housing will need to sell up or there will be other priorities and the character will be lost.
Katrina Evacuees Find Calm in Arkansas
More than 60,000 Gulf Coast refugees are grateful for the welcome they received in Arkansas.
Other stories
Ophelia Downgraded to Tropical Storm Again, Hurricane Ophelia churns off East Coast
Hurricane Ophelia weakened just enough to be downgraded to a tropical storm Monday and continued to drift off of southeastern U.S. coast.
Typhoon kills at least 14 in east China
Typhoon Khanun killed at least seven people in China south of Shanghai. Nearly 7,500 homes were destroyed.
Ancient Boat's Crew Vows to Try Again
A Bronze Age-style boat of reeds and tar trying to prove that traders 4,000 years ago could have travelled from Oman to India across the Indian Ocean sank soon after setting out. Its motley crew survived, and will try again.
Saudi Minister Says Militants Targeted Oil
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef said that militants who fought with Saudi security forces last week targeted key installations such as oil facilities. Several people were killed on each side.
Mexico's Fox Announces New Energy Policies
Mexican President Vicente Fox has announced new policies to reduce energy costs and to increase the country's energy independence. Gas and electricity price increases will be limited and investment in natural gas will be encouraged.
Report: Japan Panel Comments on Mad Cow
Japan's food safety panel say that Japanese animal feed controls were better than those of the U.S. and so Japanese cows were less at risk from mad cow disease than U.S. cows.
Conference Studies Poverty, Health Woes
India's President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam told those at the conference that vaccines against malaria, diarrhoea and typhoid should be top priority.
India to Vaccinate Kids for Encephalitis
India is to vaccinate more than 20 million children in northern India against Japanese encephalitis, which has killed nearly 650 people, mostly children. At least 172 people have died in neighbouring Nepal.
Rural Montana prepares for major bio defense lab
A controversial biowarfare defense labs is to be built in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
WHO's Chan aims to prepare world for bird flu outbreak
Margaret Chan, chief of pandemic influenza preparedness at the World Health Organization (WHO), says there is still time to act to prevent a pandemic of bird flu.
S. China: perfect incubator for bird flu pandemic?
China is a perfect incubator for bird flu pandemic because the people live in close proximity to birds and pigs.
Drug-Resistant E. Coli Spreads in England
The Health Protection Agency in England is concerned that antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli bacteria are on the increase.
China's Love Affair With Pork Undimmed
A recent outbreak of a pig disease fatal to humans has not put the Chinese off of pork.
3 Chimps Killed at Neb. Zoo After Escape
Three chimpanzees which escaped from Nebraska were shot and killed when they could not be recaptured. Nobody was hurt.
White House Threatens Mercury Change Veto
The White House threatened to veto a Senate proposal to reverse new Environmental Protection Agency rules on limiting mercury emissions from power plants which would have weakened the limits.
Crop Report: Cotton Production Should Rise
This year's cotton crop in the USA is expected to approach record in spite of damage to cotton fields in Mississippi. The sugar crane crop should also be high in spite of damage in Louisiana.
World's largest hippo population almost gone-WWF
Nearly all of the hippopotami in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been poached by locals or by soldiers and militia.
Tagged Atlantic sea turtles trace journeys online
Endangered leatherback turtles have been tagged and their travels are being logged on the web site of the WWF.
Scientists find growing land bulge in Oregon
A 100 square-mile (260 sq-km) bulge in an unpopulated part of Oregon near Bend and the 3 sisters is probably magna but could be water. It may be a volcano in the making. It is rising at a rate of about 1.4 inches per year.
Captive breeding seen as lifeline for amphibians
Amphibians are among the most vulnerable to pollution or climate change because of their porous skin and because they live partly on land and partly in water. They are also vulnerable to fungus. There is a conference in Washington from September 17-20 to launch a captive breeding action plan.
Retreating Glaciers Worrying Greenlanders
Greenlanders are concerned at the rate at which ice is breaking off the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier near Ilulissat, which is threatening their way of life. The change is blamed on global warming.
Strong Quake Hits Aceh; No Damage Reported
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake under the Indian Ocean rocked nearby Aceh province, Indonesia and caused some panic.
Rockslide Kills Three on Wash. Interstate
A large rockslide killed 3 people in a car on Interstate 90 west of Snoqualmie Pass.
Sea Squirt Menace
The Sea Squirt found off the coast of Massachusetts is an invasive species which is growing on all kinds of surfaces including other organisms and is interfering with fishing, aquaculture, and other coastal and offshore activities.
Index of topics in this series.
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Here's the EPA's Response Activity for Monday, September 12, 2005 relating to hurricane Katrina:
EPA emergency response personnel are working in partnership with FEMA to help assess the damage and prepare for cleanup from Katrina. In emergency situations such as this, EPA serves as the lead Agency for the cleanup of hazardous materials, including oil and gasoline. Our national and regional Emergency Operations Centers are activated 24 hours a day.
External Actions
Flood Water Analysis -- On 9/9-9/11, EPA, in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, posted data from New Orleans flood water samples of chemical and biological analysis which was 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 release data as it becomes available. On 9/7, Administrator Johnson released preliminary 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 were 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 1 in AL, 390 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) continues to be used to assess spills and chemical releases. Current plans are being developed for using this aircraft to conduct radiological surveys, if necessary.
Air Monitoring – Initial air screening is being performed by the EPA Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) buses. Two TAGA buses were deployed and arrived in the area on 9/11.
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.
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Hazardous Waste Disposal – On 9/11, EPA began 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.
