Do you think that global warming had anything to do with hurricane Katrina?
Katrina Situation Update
Here's the part of FEMA's National Situation Update for Friday, September 9, 2005 relating to hurricane Katrina:
It's easy to see devastation in millions of broken boards and snapped or uprooted trees, but firefighters and forestry officials see something else: fuel. With little rain and temperatures consistently in the 90s, debris from Hurricane Katrina is drying out. Dead and dying trees have faded from green to brown, their leaves now curled and crumbly. Heaps of twigs and trash -- much of it cured efficiently by saltwater -- are piled high on streets and sidewalks.
Fire has emerged as an unlikely irritant for both Louisiana and Mississippi after Katrina. In New Orleans, National Guardsmen and helicopters helping with the search and rescue were detoured to douse fires downtown and in residential neighborhoods. Public water supplies are slowly coming back online in coastal Mississippi — but not quickly enough, as the tinder box grows more flammable.
Gulfport Fire Chief Pat Sullivan said electrical and gas problems caused some house fires in his city, and the debris piles made the few working hydrants difficult or impossible to reach. In some cases, heavy equipment crews removing the debris had actually broken off hidden hydrants. Firefighters in communities without running water are relying on tanker trucks and mutual aid to contain their blazes. In Biloxi, each of the nine stations has at least 3,000 gallons on hand. If a fire starts in the rubble, they bulldoze it into a pile, then douse it or let it burn out. That goes for tourists, too. Some are now trickling into their former vacation grounds to sightsee.
Farther inland, in rural Lizana, crews were removing downed trees Thursday. But the job is slow and massive. Volunteer fire companies have been filling tankers from a few working wells, but aboveground swimming pools and some other typical sources for refilling have been destroyed. Three post-Katrina fires have been contained so far, and a half-dozen people burning debris in their yards put out the fires when ordered, he said. (Media Sources)
More stragglers seemed willing to flee the filthy water and stench of death Thursday as increasingly insistent rescuers made what may be their last peaceful pass through swamped New Orleans before using force. Across a flooded city where as many as 10,000 holdouts were believed to be stubbornly staying put, police made it clear in orders barked from front porches and through closed doors that they would return -- next time, getting tough.
Police said they were 80 percent done with their scan of the city for voluntary evacuees, after which they planned to begin carrying out Mayor Ray Nagin's order to forcibly remove remaining residents from a city filled with disease-carrying water, broken gas lines and rotting corpses. The job of carrying out the mayor's order was left largely to the 1,000 or so remaining members of New Orleans' beleaguered police force.
The Army Corps of Engineers said the city was still about 60 percent flooded -- down from as much as 80 percent last week -- but was slowly being drained by 37 of the 174 pumps in the Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, and 17 portable pumps. They can pump out 11,000 cubic feet per second, roughly equal to 432 Olympic-size swimming pools per hour. Engineers said the mammoth undertaking could take months.
At Louis Armstrong Airport, now a bustling military encampment, New Orleans' City Council met for the first time since Katrina, with members defending how they handled the disaster and defiantly vowing to rebuild.
Some 400,000 homes in the city are without power, with no immediate prospect of getting it back. Where water has been restored, it is not drinkable. The city is dangerous from the sewage-laden floodwaters, which are believed to contain E. coli and other dangerous germs. (Media Sources)
Other stories
NATO OKs Plans to Deliver Hurricane Aid, NATO to scramble ships, planes for Katrina aid, Mexican Troops Arrive for Katrina Relief
NATO nations have agreed to rush European aid to the U.S. Gulf Coast using alliance ships and aircraft.
Mexican Army troops have arrived at San Antonio, Texas, ready to spend a month helping out.
Please see the following message for the remaining stories.
Bush: Nation Can 'Overcome Any Challenge', Powell slams storm effort, Powell Criticizes Response to Katrina, Bush faces new questions on relief, Airlines Seek $600M in Jet-Fuel Tax Relief, Senate panel delays vote on Alaska oil drilling, Lawmakers vow hurricane Medicaid boost, Katrina Divides Rather Than Unifies U.S., Ex-Secretary of State Powell slams storm effort, Katrina Sparks Review of Federal Response, Cheney, Gonzales Tour Stricken Gulf Coast, Democrats' Anti-Bush Petition Seeks Funds, Wife Says Criticism of Bush 'Disgusting', Poll: Majority Now Want Bush Focus on U.S., Officials: Guard Deployment Hurt Response
Former U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell has criticised Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts at local, state and federal levels. On the suffering of New Orleans' predominantly black storm victims he said, "I don't think it's racism, I think it's economic. But poverty disproportionately affects African-Americans in this country. And it happened because they were poor."
Bush said, "America is a strong and resilient nation" at the swearing-in of the State Department's new undersecretary for public diplomacy, Karen Hughes.
According to the Washington Post, 5 of the top 8 FEMA officials were chosen for their political connections and were not disaster experts, leading to the experts leaving the agency.
U.S. airlines have asked for $600 million in tax relief as jet fuel prices have soared in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
The Senate Energy Committee has postponed a new vote on oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) because of the delays to other federal spending work.
Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate want federal funding for the Medicaid health program for the poor to be increased in the states affected by hurricane Katrina and the states that have taken in evacuees.
Unlike after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the people of the United States have not united around President Bush, but they are donating money to the victims.
Changes to the ways of organizing front-line emergency workers during catastrophes are being considered. One suggestion would mean suspending parts of the Posse Comitatus Act so that military forces could carry out law enforcement missions, but local authorities aren't sure they want the government as first responder after seeing the speed of response after Katrina.
The vice president's tour included New Orleans. "We can do it," he said.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee set up a "Fire the FEMA director" petition page, but it included a request for donations to the organisation. It removed the page, saying any donations would be passed on to the Red Cross.
Laura Bush said that rapper Kanye West's remark, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," was "disgusting", as were comments by Howard Dean.
A Pew Research Center research poll showed that the majority of Americans want President Bush to focus on domestic policy, and 40% have reduced confidence in the government's ability to handle a major terrorist attack.
Military and civilian officials say that at least a day was lost because National Guard troops from Mississippi and Louisiana in Iraq, along with their best equipment, and their replacements did not have local knowledge.
FEMA Director Brown pulled off Katrina relief, FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Duties, FEMA chief's qualifications questioned, Disaster chief's bio overstated record -Time, Hurricane Simulation Predicted 61,290 Dead, FEMA Hires Emergency Housing Contractors
The director of Federal Emergency Management Agency, Michael Brown, has been recalled to Washington from directing relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina and replaced by Vice Admiral Thad Allen, chief of staff of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Not only was his appointment political, but what emergency management and other experience he claimed to have had is alleged to have been considerably inflated. The two other people at the head of the department are also political appointees.
A hurricane simulation for a Category 3 hurricane called Pam striking New Orleans was being worked on at a workshop in Carville, La., on Aug. 23-24 of this year. It predicted 61,290 dead and 384,257 injured or sick, and that parts of southeast Louisiana would be uninhabitable for a year. The money was not there for a follow-up.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has hired five construction and engineering companies, including the Shaw Group Inc. of Baton Rouge, La., to provide emergency housing for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Katrina, Aftermath Galvanize Black America
The mishandling of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the disproportionate number of blacks who suffered as a result, has galvanised fellow blacks to donate money, help out and become politically active.
Illegal Immigrants Afraid to Get Storm Aid
Illegal immigrants have lost as much as everyone else, but they are afraid to go to shelters o seek any other help for fear of being deported.
Reported Katrina Deaths, State by State, Debris From Storm Could Pose Fire Risk, La., Miss. Bases Require $1B in Repairs, Some 689,000 still lack power in after Katrina, Miss. Residents Say Health Warning Lacking, Katrina may cost insurers $60 bln, Katrina Damages Estimate Upped to $125B
Since rescue has been the priority, the current total is well short of the expected thousands. Alabama 2, Florida 11, Georgia 2, Louisiana 118, Mississippi 204, total 337.
Much of the debris from hurricane Katrina is drying out under the hot sun and could pose a fire risk. It is also getting in the way of fire fighters going about their work, and making fire hydrants hard to get to.
Military bases in the path of hurricane Katrina will need $1B in Repairs. Naval Station Pascagoula, and the inpatient care facility at the Keesler Air Force Base were recently slated for closure.
An estimated 689,000 customers are still without power in Louisiana and Mississippi. Power has been restored to the pumping stations and the central business district in New Orleans, but it will be several days before the French Quarter is reconnected. Entergy's 1,089-megawatt Waterford nuclear power station in Louisiana is preparing to restart. Coal consumption may be high this winter as coal-fired plants will need to remain online to compensate for a shortage of gas output. Many oil refineries are still down. The gas pipelines are generally OK, but four natural gas processing plants are not in operation.
Parts of Mississippi still house people without clean water, medicines, treatment, information and other help. Three have died of Vibrio vulnificus already. There are dead rats everywhere.
It is estimated that total damages due to hurricane Katrina are $125 billion of which about half are ensured, and half comes from the New Orleans flood. Private insurers do not cover flood damage, but apportioning damage between the hurricane and the flood could be difficult in places.
VA's Hurricane Evacuation Efforts Heralded
The Veterans Affairs secretary has praised his department for evacuating of about 1,200 veterans, staff and their families from the Gulf region. Two hospitals were destroyed.
Weary Louisiana Guardsmen Return From Iraq, La. Guardsmen Depart Iraq to Find Families
The first 100 Louisiana National Guardsmen have arrived back in the United States from Iraq to sort out what has happened to their families and homes.
New Orleans now secure - city attorney, Fewer Bodies Than Expected Found in Sweeps, New Orleans searches for dead, New Orleans Faces Task of Identifying Dead, La. Mom of Unclaimed Baby Finally Found, New Orleans family used to disaster refuses to leave
Authorities found fewer bodies than they expected during their first sweep of New Orleans, but they did not give a new estimate.
New Orleans city attorney Sherry Landry says that the city is now secure, and they hope to restore power to the central business district within a week.
The mother of the last remaining evacuated baby has finally been rescued in New Orleans
A family from Belize has refused to leave New Orleans, saying they are used to hard conditions.
Katrina Benefit Telethon Won't Be Censored
Friday's one-hour telethon to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims will not be censored, apart from the standard five- or seven-second delay for obscenities.
A Look at the Katrina Refugee Situation, Katrina Helps Astrodome Regain Usefulness, Katrina Refugees Line Up for Debit Cards
Refugees have been spread around at least 30 states.
The Houston Astrodome has seen a lot of events in its time, but had become a sad sight until the evacuations gave it a new purpose.
Evacuees queued for hours in the sun to receive debit cards.
Hubble Future Is Cloudier After Katrina, NASA Scans Hurricane Damage to Shuttle Ops
Hurricane Katrina damaged two facilities where work is carried out on the space shuttle, and workers were left homeless, which could affect any mission to Hubble.
Katrina rings alarms on climate change - World Bank
Ian Johnson, the World Bank's vice president for environmentally and socially sustainable development, said that hurricane Katrina may make developing nations think more about global warming.
Environmental Catastrophe
Hurricane Katrina and the breakdown of the levee systems has led to water contaminated with bacteria from human waste and dead animals, industrial waste and petrochemical substances. Louisiana's shrimp and oyster industry, 35% of the USA total, will probably be wiped out.
EPA Chief Had Hard Choice in New Orleans
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency said it was a tough decision, pumping contaminated New Orleans flood waters into Lake Pontchartrain, but it was preferable to using the Mississippi river. Samples are to be taken in a wider area for a wider range of pollutants. Already a surprising amount of lead has been found in addition to sewage. Salt from sea water has made the lake saltier, thanks to hurricane Katrina. Manatees, an endangered species, are seen on the lake.
Ophelia Expected to Turn Back Toward Land, Ophelia weakens, now a tropical storm off Florida, Models show no risk Ophelia will enter Gulf of Mexico
Tropical Storm Ophelia was expected to return to Florida as a hurricane by late Friday. She is not expected to move to the Gulf Coast.
Dutch Health Ministry Orders Flu Medicine
The Dutch Health Ministry has ordered five million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza in preparation for a bird flu epidemic, half for this year, and half for next. They already have 220,000 stored doses of Tamiflu.
Animal-human transplants soon to be reality -expert
There is such a shortage of donated human organs that we may be using animal organs in a few years, particularly from pigs.
Encephalitis Kills Another 53 in India
The death toll from Japanese encephalitis in northern India has gone up 53 to 594.
Feds OK Nuclear Waste Site for Utah
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has authorized the construction of a temporary private nuclear waste storage site on the Skull Valley Goshutes Indian Reservation in Utah.
Scotland set to harness tidal power
Scotland plans to generate 10% of its electricity from tidal and wave power by 2010.
World seen winning battle of water scarcity
An international conference on rivers was held in Australia this week. It heard that the world is gradually winning its battle to overcome drinking water shortages
Gator Found in Flood Channel in L.A.
A 3-foot-long alligator was found and rescued from a Harbor City flood control channel. It is not the 7-foot-long, 150-pound alligator which still has not been caught.
Tsunami unlikely after Papua quake, Magnitude 7.3 Quake Hits Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook parts of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific on Friday but there was no damage.
Countries to Agree to Save Ape Habitats
Countries in Kinshasa for a conference on great apes were expected to sign up to the Kinshasa Declaration to protect the world's dwindling great ape populations.
Volkswagen, Partner to Make Hybrids
Volkswagen AG and its Chinese partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. are to produce hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles starting in mid 2008.
Sustainable Produce Classification Sought
With organic fruit and vegetables expensive, environmentalists, farmers and public officials want to offer shoppers the alternative of certified sustainable agricultural standards.
Canyon Paving Plan Draws Mixed Reviews
Opinions are divided about paving the roads to Chaco Culture National Historic Park, N.M. The existing tracks are rough and President Bush has signed a highway bill that gives $800,000 to improve them. But making it easier to get there would destroy the feeling of isolation that is part of the site's attraction.
Montana OKs Bison Hunt Near Yellowstone
Montana has approved a plan for hunting of up to 50 bison which stray from Yellowstone National Park this winter.
Curious Squirrel Knocks Out Power in Kan.
A squirrel got into a power substation and caused a power outage in parts of Topeka.
Report: Ky. 8th in Mercury Plant Emissions
Kentucky was the 8th state in the nation when it came to mercury emissions in 2003.
Rats, bats plague Nicaragua's Miskito Indians
Rats and bats have destroyed most of the crops of the Miskito Indians in Nicaragua. At least part of the reason is that the snakes which keep rat numbers down have been hunted for their skins and for food.
Environmentalists Sue to Save Woodpecker
Environmentalists have sued to stop plans to divert water to eastern Arkansas farms because they fear it will damage the habitat of the recently rediscovered ivory-billed woodpecker.
Engineers plan out "silent" airliner of the future
Engineers are planning a new generation of airplanes that will be much quieter and fuel-efficient.
Putin, Schroeder give blessing to gas pipeline deal
Russian President Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder have approved a deal on a pipeline to ship Siberian gas from Russia to Germany. It will bypass Poland and the Baltic States.
What Halloween Animal Will You Be?
A variety of creatures are linked to Halloween and to superstitions. If you celebrate Halloween, will you dress up as one of them?
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 Friday, September 09, 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.
Recovery - EPA will discontinue search and rescue operations in LA effective 9/9 to focus on environmental response activities. Approximately, 793 rescues have been made by EPA in LA. Forty-two EPA water craft are currently available for rescue and environmental assessment efforts.
Flood Water Analysis - At a news conference with CDC on 9/7, Administrator Johnson released initial sampling results of New Orleans flood waters from six locations. Preliminary information indicates that counts for E. Coli in sampled areas greatly exceed EPA's recommended levels for contact. Also lead concentrations exceeded drinking water action levels which would be a concern if the flood water was a child's source of drinking water. Given these preliminary results, emergency response personnel and the public should avoid direct contact with standing water when possible. Collection of flood water samples began 9/3 in downtown New Orleans . Samples were shipped to a Houston lab and a local lab in Lafayette, LA for analysis. Daily sampling is ongoing.
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.
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 73 in AL, 555 in MS, and 469 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 9/2, EPA granted a limited waiver from the reformulated gasoline (RFG) requirement for gasoline sold in the Richmond, VA, metropolitan area through 9/9. In consultation with DOE, we are closely monitoring gasoline supplies as we consider requests for waivers in other areas. On 9/1, EPA granted Georgia 's request to waive its state sulfur requirement through 9/15 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 - EPA personnel continue to offer technical assistance in the disposal of hazardous waste and other debris left behind by the storm. EPA will commence some household hazardous waste collection in LA. 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.
Fuel waiver extended to Sept 23 for Richmond, VA plus summary of recent fuel waivers.
