The general evacuation decision is a grim one that balances, among other things, deaths. In the big storm that was predicted and happened, if the Houston area chose to evacuate a significant percentage of citizens, there would have been unbelievably huge traffic jams. People would have died in the jams. Many people would have stayed home thinking they were safe, and then, as we know, they would have had to be evacuated from their flooded homes. The people in the most flood prone areas are the poorest and those with the least resources; they would have been least likely to evacuate and most likely to be flooded out; they would still have needed rescue even under an evacuation order. There would have been, probably, at least hundreds of deaths, maybe thousands if the traffic jams continued when the torrential rains came.
As it happens, there have been deaths and I’m sorry to say I think the toll will in the end be in the three digits, if not in the four digits. Look at all the people who seem to have been rescued just in time. Now think about all the other people who must have not been rescued just in time. (I so hope I’m wrong.)
I would not like to be the one making the evacuation decision.
Regarding what can be done differently to prepare for future flooding, there was an executive order which “would have required the federal government to take into account the risk of flooding and sea-level rise as a result of climate change when constructing new infrastructure and rebuilding after disasters.” [Quoting from Business Week]
However the order was rescinded a few weeks ago before it ever went into effect. So at least on the federal level, it doesn’t appear that much will change on a systemic basis.
On a different note, I’m surprised flood insurance wasn’t required for much of the affected area. I’m at 1700 feet elevation in an area that goes steadily uphill for miles and miles and oddly (and infuriatingly) I’m in a flood-zoned area so I’m required by law to have flood insurance.
@“Cardinal Fang” It slowed down more than their slow moving forecast. They were expecting 20" not 50" over Houston. They kinda got it. But it moved even slower and made all the difference.
I heard a meteorologist on tv today discussing the evacuation plan and timetable. She said there just wasn’t enough time to get thousands of vehicles out in a timely manner.
Also, as far as insurance claims and coverage…my area was hard hit by Sandy close to 5 years ago and we still see areas that have been held up with claims and repairs.
Many homeowners and businesses had no idea that the damages were not covered by their policies…including us ( business , not home ) We were lucky , but others, not so much.
The storm is back over the ocean and will hopefully be down to a tropical depression when it makes landfall tonight on the Texas/Louisiana border… 12 years to the day from Hurricane Katrina.
My husband stayed busy for over a year, doing structural inspections of buildings damaged in Sandy. There were just so many! His job was to write an objective report to submit to the insurance company - he wasn’t involved in settling the claim.
Houston to Lake Charles is a vast petro-chemical corridor. There has been another toxic spill, and Exxon Mobil won’t even say what it was. I’m not sure that there’s any safe place to put this sort of industry. How do you avoid floods, earthquakes, tornados and wildfires? Better to shift our industries and energy sources to things that are inherently less toxic.
I volunteered helping elderly people with no familly to help them to navigate the process with FEMA and also the insurance companies. Our local insurance agents were really overwhelmed and completely unprepared for the aftermath. Many of them were also dealing with their own homes being damaged / destroyed.
I worked to get temporary housing at one of the local hotels for some people in need, and also made and served food for residents as well as emergency personnel that came to our area to restore power, help with insurance claims and also FEMA…a lot of restaurants were closed making it difficult for them to get food.
As difficult as Sandy was , clearly Harvey will prove to be much worse
Supposedly, according to TV, there is a possibility of a chemical plant in the Sugarland area of greater Houston exploding. All people within a 1.5 mile radius are being told to evacuate.
My saddest moments today:
Watching the police chief cry talking about one of his men perishing while trying to get to work in the flood.
Watching a man talk about his brother and his family of six getting washed away.
As to Houston with regard to urban planning, residential and commercial planning and zoning and other issues that impacted these events, “the people with the power to influence policy,” etc., that is actually quite a political discussion. This is Texas, after all.
You can discuss reasons for why things happen, influences (climate change, building codes, growth, etc. etc.) and ways to change things going forward without discussing political parties or specific politicians. That is allowed. Knowledge is a good thing. Discussion aids knowledge. Knowledge and discussion can factor into how one chooses to vote and for whom down the road without delving into politics here.
^^^Should, perhaps, but not the reality. I can’t say any more due to TOS, but it’s not correct to say many of these issues are not driven by politics. That’s just not the case.
Many of the questions/comments @busdriver has brought up were addressed in an OpEd on CNN. I won’t link, because it is political, but you can probably find it pretty easily on the front page of CNN. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the commentary, but if you are itching for that kind of discussion, it’s there.
