Ike

by hilzoy

I recall the moment when I first realized that Hurricane Katrina could be a major disaster: someone, possibly Atrios, had posted the National Hurricane Center's advisory, and it was flat-out terrifying. I thought of that when I read their most recent advisory for the Galveston area:

"NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE STORM SURGE...AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES... WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD OF PEAK STORM TIDE. PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES MAY FACE CERTAIN DEATH. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED...SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI-STORY FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES CLOSER TO THE COAST. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE...WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES...INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR."

To any readers in Ike's path: stay safe; my thoughts are with you. For the rest of us: here's an anticipatory link to the Red Cross.

Comments

[Gary Farber]

"...when I read their most recent advisory...."

That sounds... bad.

[dbomp]

Good thing there are never oil spills from offshore rigs from these things, too.

[Chas Simmons]

Actually, if you know your history far enough back, you will remember that Galveston is the site of the worst natural disaster in the US. The hurricane of 1900 wiped out the city, killing about 5 times as many as Katrina. (So many whole families -- and city records -- were destroyed that the fatality count is quite a guess.)
In the years following, protections were built for the city -- well beyond what New Orleans is getting: not only a remarkable & famous sea-wall, but dredged dirt was used to raise the city from 8 feet to 16 feet above sea level.

[Adam]

Thankfully, I'm in Austin rather than on the coast, but I'm not planning on going anywhere this weekend. Hopefully no windows will break and the power and water will stay on.

I find myself wondering what things would have been like in the days before Doppler and satellites. In 12 hours we should be seeing some serious weather -- but you can't tell by looking out the window right now.

[Scott de B.]

"Certain death"

Never good words to hear.

[Adam A]

My parents are in Houston, so I'm starting to get a little nervous. Normally, hurricanes lose most of their destructive power by the time they reach my parents house (since it's on the northwest side), but this is an unusually large hurricane aiming more or less straight at Houston. So, I've got my fingers crossed...

[Anthony Damiani]

Can you ever recall hearing that phrase in an official advisory before?

[Jacob Davies]

In fact "certain death" was used in the famous Katrina warning:

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

[Steve T.]

I live in uptown New Orleans, and escaped Katrina just in time.

If back then you had told me that in only three years Katrina would be "not so bad in comparison," I would have been insulted at your callous trivialization of our suffering.

As it is, I am watching the Weather Channel in horror, as I know, really know, what those poor people in Texas are about to go through.

[Amos Newcombe]

May face certain death? How can anybody write that with a straight face?

[hilzoy]

Oh dear God:

"Galveston had ordered evacuation of the island, but LeBlanc said about 40 percent of the city's 57,523 residents chose to stay. "It's unfortunate that the warnings that we sent out were not heeded," he said."

(from CNN)

[wonkie]

What really pisses me off is that those people whorefused to leave are putting their children and animals in danger. They have no right.

BTW this rescue effort is accomodating animals. taxas A and M will be housing livestock aswell as household pets. In fact there are accomodations for livestock and pets in all of the major people rescue dcenters.

I read a book about the Galveston flood. One of the scariest books ever. I can not imagine why people are choosing to stay.

[Gary Farber]

"whorefused"

This also goes in the Big Book Of Wonkie/Lily's Most Memorable Typos.

;-)

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