SARA FADES
STALLED OVER CENTRAL AMERICA, THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODS AND GENERAL FLOODING REMAINS
There is a terrific visual article in the Washington Post about the massive destruction of forests by hurricane Helene as it moved through the area west of Asheville, N.C. I have seen no equal to this coverage which increases the view, expresed on this website, that the hurricae was more like an earthquake or a combination of events than an ordinary hurricane.
Wind
speeds are higher in such a storm the higher you go, so the mountain top regions were hit with greater force, taking down whole forests.. The Blue Ridge Parkway, a major natural resource in the east and a true wonder of natural beauty, appears to have been damaged severely. It will take many years for the trees and forests to recover, as one resident of the area expressed, perhaps not within her lifetime.
Here is a link to the Post article. It is not a free, open link (I will try to post such a link early this coming week with the Post's permission) but if you have a particular interest in this area and haven't seen it for yourself, it is worth signing up at least for a short term subscription.
Hello
FLOODING IN SPAIN BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE FAILURES TO ALERT
The Washington Post has an extensive report on how residents of Valiencia, Spain, were not given adequate warning about the approach of flooding despite weather forecasters knowing well in advance that disaster was possible. Here's a free, open link to the Post story.
ern news advisory
IMPORTANT NOTE TO PEOPLE MUCKING OUT FROM HELENE
IF YOU HAVE ANY LEFTOVER MASKS FROM THE PANDEMIC OR CAN GET ANY OTHER MASKS, PUT THEM ON WHILE WORKING CLEAN UP! Don't try to show how brave you are or just to show your dedication. Dirt, mud, chemical pollutants and everything else is floating around in the area as you clean. You will breathe these particles right in while you work. Ordinary masks might not protect you much but they are better than nothing. "Breather masks" with a filter on the front would likely be better but don't wait for them to be brought in. Protect yourself as best you can with whatever is available. Also, if you have clean water available, clean out your nostrils after mucking out, after washing your hands, of course. There will likely be an accumulation of dirt and pollutants there. Wash them by putting water on your fingers and your fingers in your nose. Rising out the mouth, too.
NOTE: THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. It is simply practical action to take based on the personal experience of the editor of ERN News in disaster situations.
A MASSIVE DISASTER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STATES
FROM THE WASHINGTON POST IN REGARD TO CLAIMS/FLOOD INSURANCE:
Jeff Jackson, the interim senior executive of the National Flood Insurance Program, said in a statement, “Flood risk is under appreciated across the nation — even in flood prone areas. That’s a challenge we continue to face and will continue to work on as we remain committed to closing the flood insurance gap across the nation.”
“Right now, it’s important that survivors of Helene file their flood and or homeowners’ insurance claims immediately,” Jackson added. “I urge those who are uninsured to register for FEMA disaster assistance now.”
ERN NEWS COMMENT: We have heard in the past that getting any assistance from FEMA is a long, drawn out pain so filing NOW means at least people will get started on the process that might take one or two years to complete. Some of the assistance available is in the form of loans, not grants.
AGAIN, from the Washington Post:
Samantha Montano, a professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, says that survivors must navigate a web of complicated red tape to even get that amount of funding (a thousand dollars). Some disaster victims will submit five or six appeals after being denied the first time. “People will describe it as the second disaster, just because of how difficult it is to navigate,” she said. FEMA has attempted major reforms under Biden. You can get details at this link: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/2024-reform
Note: It has been reported that the processes of FEMA in the past have been so difficult and complex that people who work at the agency resign in total frustration with the system. They say they just can't take it anymore.
HERE'S A LINK TO THE CHARLESTON, SC, POST AND COURIER ABOUT THE IMPACT ACROSS WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA. A GOOD, DETAILED, VIVID STORY: https://shorturl.at/juJQp
An earlier report:
The full scope of the disaster from Helene is all but impossible to adequately describe and challenges the largest, best equipped news organizations to cover it. The story, in reality, is many stories scattered across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. While the damage from the high winds on the Big Bend of Florida was a central part of the event, the massive flooding in North Carolina alone is staggering.
It is far beyond the resources of ERN NEWS to bring the intimate details to readers, which is why we have refrained from frequent posting once Helene moved inland. The NY Times and the Washington Post, as news organizations with a national focus, have done an excellent job of collecting and relaying information. Yet, this is an event that is impossible to fully comprehend because it is so widespread and the impact varies from place to place. What is becoming clear is that Hurricane Helene represents an historic level of damage and death comparable to any of the worst storms to ever hit the American mainland.
One point is clear: people in the inland path of Helene either did not get enough warning about what was coming or failed to respond adequately in time. It might be a combination of both factors. New, better systems of spreading information need to be established, ones that take into account not just the predicted rain expected but include upstream monitoring of the rise of creeks and rivers. We can do better and we must in the future to prevent the loss of life involved in this storm system, having claimed around 100 or more lives, as of the latest count.
Below is a link to the NY Times and their survey of the death and damage from Helene
THE FUTURE
ERN NEWS and our associated non-profit, the Emergency Response Network, will be involved moving forward in helping to implement better advanced warning systems and other actions developing as a result of this disaster. We will post information here in the coming weeks and months. Please come back soon.