Live Thread: Hurricane Laura updates

[Elderberry]

Louisiana suffered ‘tremendous devastation’ at height of Hurricane Laura’s power

Washington Post By Marisa Iati and Ashley Cusick 8/28/2020

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/hurricane-laura-louisiana-devastation/2020/08/28/72b02722-e959-11ea-97e0-94d2e46e759b_story.html

DEQUINCY, La. — Hospitals and nursing homes across Louisiana evacuated on Friday after 82 of the state's water systems failed in the wake of Hurricane Laura's assault on a swath of wetlands and countryside, killing at least 10 people and causing about $25 billion in damage.

Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) told reporters Friday that he had requested a major disaster declaration from the White House to provide additional emergency funding for recovery as President Trump prepared to visit Louisiana and Texas this weekend to survey the destruction.

“The good news is, we didn’t have inundation 30 miles inland, as they had predicted, from the storm surge,” Edwards said at a news conference. “But that didn’t mean we didn’t have tremendous devastation down there.”

More at link.

[Gefn]

Thank you for the update @Elderberry

[Elderberry]

Louisiana Avoided Laura's 'Wall of Water'? Not So, Says Forecaster

VOA  By Reuters August 28, 2020

https://www.voanews.com/usa/louisiana-avoided-lauras-wall-water-not-so-says-forecaster

Fresh data on Friday from an Army Corps of Engineer gauge 24 kilometers east indicates that the storm surge was right at the 4.5- to 6- meter forecast that was Rhome's highest in his 20-year career, he said.

An exact reading would soon be released after the data and gauge are fully analyzed, Rhome said.

"We're finding out the storm surge was really 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters)," Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards confirmed to reporters on Friday after flying over the hardest-hit areas.

Rhome said it would be unfair to accuse NHC forecasters -- who warned of an "unsurvivable storm surge" the day before Laura made landfall -- or local and state leaders for raising alarm about storm surges. A decade ago, 50% of deaths from hurricanes were because of storm surges, he noted.

Today, that figure is closer to 4%, Rhome said, largely because the NHC started including storm surge warnings in its bulletins following the devastation brought by Hurricane Ike and its 4.5-meter storm surge in 2008.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

Laura victims may go weeks without power; US deaths reach 14

WHIOTV7 By MELINDA DESLATTE and STACEY PLAISANCE 8/28/2020

https://www.whio.com/news/coastal-louisiana/UJU5V7QDRZ2E7YIOEQMNSTEIKI/

In the storm's wake, more than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.

The Louisiana Department of Health estimated that more than 220,000 people were without water. Restoration of those services could take weeks or months, and full rebuilding could take years.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards called Laura, which packed a top wind speed of 150 mph (241 kph), the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana, meaning it surpassed even Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005. He said officials now believe the surge was as high as 15 feet and added that tens of thousands of people were displaced by the storm.

More than 580,000 coastal residents were put under evacuation as the hurricane gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Laura was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year, setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August. Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

More at link.

[Elderberry]

VOLUNTEER FOR HURRICANE LAURA RELIEF

https://teamrubiconusa.org/hurricane-laura-volunteer-2020/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkvbjvdjA6wIVxMDACh2kzgGnEAAYASAAEgLkn_D_BwE

Hurricane Laura caused tremendous impacts across the Texas/Lousiana border. Team Rubicon Greyshirts are prepared to help those most affected.

If you're tired of sitting on the sidelines while communities around the country and around the world fight to recover from disaster, consider this your invitation to step into the arena.

We want you on the team. We want you to become a Greyshirt.

Are you ready to join us?

Team Rubicon serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service, leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises.

[Victoria33]

  Hoping that all is in tact @Victoria33   keep us posted please.

@libertybele
@Cyber Liberty
@Gefn

News reports say water is gone for multi-thousands of people.
I could fix that if I was there.  I have a "Big Berkey Water Purifier".  It is not a water filter, it is a water PURIFIER.  It will purify water out of a ditch.  Those people have water all around them - a Big Berkey will purify that water.  I just looked to see what a Big Berkey cost today.  I see one for $299.00, on sale for $278.00, but they are out of them. A Big Berkey water purifier is large enough for a medium sized family of 4.  It is stainless steel and is going to purify water for years.  Buy extra "elements" to go inside and it keeps purifying.   There are larger ones for more people.  The Big Berkey is the most sold.

My son, the documentary film producer/director, many years ago, in London where he lived, bought a Big Berkey for his film crew who went all over the world, numerous times in Africa and the Amazon, and the middle east, and the North Pole several times, Siberia in Russia several times, many more countries, making films, and no one got sick from water; the Berkey kept them safe from contaminated water.

Get a Big Berkey with extra elements and always have the ability to make purified water.
See, I am sitting here with a Big Berkey and I can't be in Louisiana giving people purified water and that makes me feel sad.

If I was there, I could keep them cool as I have battery fans and a solar panel to recharge the batteries.

What if Department of Homeland Security gave each family a Big Berkey along with  some bottled water to start, and battery fans and that solar panel, instead of trucking in water that will go away when they leave the area, and no way to keep the people cool.

Okay, I'm done with this post and going to become the head of Department of Homeland Security so I can actually save people and give them the tools to help themselves from then on.   

[Cyber Liberty]

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=berkey+water+filtration&hvadid=78615143144954&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_95wvqkri0k_b

[Victoria33]

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=berkey+water+filtration&hvadid=78615143144954&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_95wvqkri0k_b

@Cyber Liberty

Thanks for posting Amazon Big Berkeys and other Berkeys.

[Elderberry]

Just be aware that these flooded areas are close to the coast and are most likely flooded with brackish or even salt water. The Berkey and many other water filters will not remove salt.

[Cyber Liberty]

Just be aware that these flooded areas are close to the coast and are most likely flooded with brackish or even salt water. The Berkey and many other water filters will not remove salt.

Good to know. 

[Victoria33]

Just be aware that these flooded areas are close to the coast and are most likely flooded with brackish or even salt water. The Berkey and many other water filters will not remove salt.

@Elderberry
@Cyber Liberty

True, no purifier can get salt out. 
Here are specifications of Berkey Water Purifier

https://www.berkeyfilters.com/pages/filtration-specifications

[Elderberry]

All Calcasieu schools closed until further notice

American Press Sunday, August 30, 2020

https://www.americanpress.com/news/local/all-calcasieu-schools-closed-until-further-notice/article_c08fcf7e-ea62-11ea-a240-03bc8446f9fd.html

Announcement from the Calcasieu Parish School Board:

“With heavy hearts, we are announcing that all CPSB sites and facilities will be closed until further notice. We’re wrapping up our initial assessments, and we can confirm substantial damage at 97 percent of our sites.

Much like all other parts of our parish, the main damage we’re dealing with is roof damage. As many of you know firsthand, a damaged roof quickly creates other issues. That’s what we’re facing across the parish, and we know that many of you are experiencing the same.

Our faculty and staff members have worked so hard to prepare for this school year, and all of those efforts will be on full display once we’re able to officially have our first day of school. Until then, we want all of our employees to focus efforts and attention on their families, as that is what is most important.

[Elderberry]

Reality Sinking in that Hurricane Laura Recovery in Louisiana Will Take Months

The Weather Channel By Ron Brackett 8/30/2020

https://weather.com/news/news/2020-08-29-hurricane-laura-power-water-outages-cleanup-louisiana-texas

Many roads remain impassable because of debris and dangling power lines, according to an update from the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury. For now, crews are simply pushing the debris to the side of the roads. It will have to be trucked away later.

Water service is nonexistent at many houses. More than 355,000 Louisiana homes and businesses remained without electricity on Sunday morning, according to poweroutage.us. Another 102,000 customers in Texas and Arkansas had no power. Residents have been told it could be weeks before everyone has electricity again.

For example, the Beauregard Electric Cooperative, which has almost 43,000 customers, announced Sunday on Facebook that it "anticipates that members will be without power for at least 4-5 weeks. This is only an estimate and some members will be without power longer depending on the damage in their area."

Calcasieu School Board officials said 97% of their 70 sites and facilities have substantial damage.

For thousands of residents, the only remaining option is to seek shelter farther inland.

[Elderberry]

Hurricane "Laura" aftermath: at least 54 people dead, widespread destruction across the Caribbean and US Gulf Coast

The Watchers  by Teo BlaÅ¡ković on August 30, 2020

https://watchers.news/2020/08/30/hurricane-laura-2020-aftermath-damage-casualties/

Hurricane "Laura" entered history books as a deadly, very powerful, and damaging hurricane that tied the Last Island Hurricane of 1856 as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to make landfall in Louisiana, U.S. Laura is the 12th named storm, 4th hurricane, and 1st major hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. At least 53 people were killed, as of August 30, 2020 -- 31 in Haiti, 4 in the Dominican Republic and 18 in the United States (10 in Louisiana, 7 in Texas and 1 in Florida).

Widespread flooding also hit Haiti where Peligre Dam overflowed, sending floodwaters down the Artibonite valley. Floods damaged 447 homes and destroyed 15 in the Artibonite. At least 31 people lost their lives and 8 went missing.

In Cuba, 260 000 people were forced to evacuate. A wind gust of 146 km/h (91 mph) was recorded in Maisi, where residents reported downed trees and destroyed roofs. 231.5 mm (9.51 inches) of rain was recorded in Complejo Palma, Santiago de Cuba, and 190.6 mm (7.50 inches) in San Antonio del Sura, Guantanamo. A bridge in Buey Arriba, Granma Province, collapsed due to flooding, stranding residents of 30 communities.

Flash flooding and significant disruption to road infrastructure were also reported across Jamaica.

Florida, U.S. started feeling Laura's effects by August 21, with major flooding and a state of emergency declared in southern counties. On August 25, a St. George Island first responder drowned while trying to rescue a swimmer caught in rough surf. This was Laura's first fatality in the United States.

Over a million customers lost power in the United States and about 200 000 without running water.

More at link.

[Cyber Liberty]

So...what's the over/under on when the Democrats declare this "Trump's Katrina?"  I'm marking "by the end of this week."  It's a gimmee, so place your bets on what day of the week the Rats try this...

[Hoodat]

So...what's the over/under on when the Democrats declare this "Trump's Katrina?"  I'm marking "by the end of this week."  It's a gimmee, so place your bets on what day of the week the Rats try this...

Trump has met his Hurricane Katrina, media declare for the umpteenth time

Becket Adams   |   March 09, 2020 09:24 PM

An MSNBC roundtable agreed this weekend that President Trump's response to the coronavirus outbreak could be his Katrina moment, a reference, of course, to President George W. Bush’s much-maligned handling of the 2005 hurricane of the same name.

At this rate, Trump has suffered something like a dozen Katrinas, according to members of the press, and he has not even served a full term in office.

“I was thinking of this in terms of politics,” said MSNBC contributor Eddie Glaude Jr. “We talked about the business community finally not kind of sticking with Donald Trump. But this may be, and, Nicolle, I should mention this with a little trepidation, but this may be Donald Trump's Katrina.”  .  .  .

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/trump-has-met-his-hurricane-katrina-media-declare-for-the-umpteenth-time

[Gefn]

@Elderberry
@Cyber Liberty

True, no purifier can get salt out. 
Here are specifications of Berkey Water Purifier

https://www.berkeyfilters.com/pages/filtration-specifications

@Victoria33

I’m in an apartment complex of 1,000 so apartments so I don’t /can’t have one, but I am passing this along to my mom. She’s in a house. She could have used this during Sandy.

[Elderberry]

Your mom having a water filter is for step 2; "Water Purification". Step 1 is having a source of water to purify. That can be difficult in some environments.

[Elderberry]

Here in SE Houston last night our low was 83deg with 85% humidity for a heat index of 93 deg. I feel for all that are without power from Laura. When I was without power after Ike, I don't remember it being this hot at night. I can cope with heat during the day much better than hot sticky nights.

[Victoria33]

@Victoria33 I’m in an apartment complex of 1,000 so apartments so I don’t /can’t have one, but I am passing this along to my mom. She’s in a house. She could have used this during Sandy.

@Gefn

Yes, you can have one in an apartment and there are ways to store water in an apartment.  I don't remember, did you get my book, "Emergencies Happen!  Be Prepared now!" ?  The Water section explains how to do this no matter where you live - Apt., house.  There are also ways to get water outside, bring it in, purify it, even if live in Apt.

[catfish1957]

For those who might be wondering, I have some good news on that robust wave transversing the Caribbean right now.  14 of the 15 models have the system hitting Belize or Nicargua in 2 or 3 days. The 15th goes through Yucatan, and then into inland Mexico. 

I think I speak for all, that we need the break.