Category Archives: Hurricane Katrina

If you’re a CenterPoint customer and you’re still without power, the utility says don’t rely on their ZIP code map to tell when you’ll get it back. Last week CenterPoint issued a map and timetable projecting that 80 percent of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Wow. Texas will need $20 billion to $40 billion in federal relief assistance to overcome uninsured damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike, Houston Mayor Bill White said today. The mayor, speaking to the Houston Chronicle before his congressional testimony, said Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

One of the easily visible effects of Hurricane Ike is a lot of torn-down billboards. Looks like many of them may not go back up. For billboards, the city ordinance says that if the cost of repairing the weather damage … Continue reading → Continue reading →

So yesterday, the Chron had a front-page story that raised the point that since Hurricane Rita, Texas has done nothing to require utility companies to improve their infrastructure, as Florida did after Hurricane Wilma. Doing so might have mitigated some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Somebody here is unclear on the concept. Hurricane Rita slammed into the Texas coast three years ago this week, crumpling transmission towers, toppling utility poles and leaving consumers in the dark for up to three weeks. State regulators responded to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I think the only rational response to this is “AAAAAAAAAAUGH!” The Caribbean tropical wave has improved its organization this morning and it now seems somewhat more likely the system may eventually become Tropical Storm Kyle, the season’s 11th named storm. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We’ve talked before about the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, and the possible calamitous effects that a storm like Ike could have on its finances. Looks like we’ll be still talking about it for some time. Rates for the thousands of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Here’s the latest map (PDF), via the Chron, of CenterPoint’s estimated restoration dates for various locations in Harris County. About half their area is still without power, and it looks like a nontrivial number of folks will still be without … Continue reading → Continue reading →

This is a big problem. [T]his year’s succession of disasters has overwhelmed donors, nonprofit leaders believe. Additionally, people are holding on tighter to their money because of the uncertain economy. Bush asked for contributions to the American Red Cross in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We made it back to Houston last night without incident, and I am going to brave the streets to go to the office for at least a few hours. Technically, I don’t have to – it’s closed for anyone who … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s been wondering what happened to all those people who stayed behind in Galveston during Ike. As the hurricane closed in, authorities estimated that 90,000 people ignored evacuation orders along the Gulf Coast. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The following photo was taken by Kenneth Fair: Kenneth writes in his caption: “This view is from the south, showing the southwest and southeast sides of the building. The topmost missing window is on the 47th floor. From about the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Julie, who lives in a flood surge zone, has a question: I live by quite a few superfund sites—chemical and manufacturing plants. In fact, my area is home to “the nation’s largest concentration of chemical plants and refineries,” many of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Paul Burka will be flying over Galveston today. He has a report on the scene via a phone conversation with Galveston’s State Rep. Craig Eiland: Behind the seawall, the worst damage was from flooding north of Broadway. Galveston floods from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Mayor White says we need ice. One of the biggest problems Houston faces in the wake of Hurricane Ike is a shortage of ice, Mayor Bill White said today, pledging to seek assistance from all possible sources, both private and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s really hard reading this story about Galveston’s current state. In this ruined city, reduced to such an unlivable state that its mayor wants all remaining residents gone, searchers made their way through 90 percent of the inundated neighborhoods. So … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Apparently, there’s been some confusion over the point-of-distribution (POD) sites and who is supposed to be in charge of them. A federal official Monday described the Houston-area delay of distribution of food, ice and water in the wake of Hurricane … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The good news is that so far there have been very few fatalities from Hurricane Ike. The bad news is just about everything else. Federal emergency workers today opened six Houston-area distribution sites for food and water, with plans to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Alison Cook offers a remembrance of Brennan’s Restaurant, which burned down while Ike was in town. I guess I thought Brennan’s of Houston would always be there, a timeless bubble of ease and cordiality in a world where such qualities … Continue reading → Continue reading →

From the corporate home office: The City of Houston is in need of volunteers to assist with setting up and supporting two shelters in the Houston community. The shelters will be used to house local individuals that have lost their … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The following is from Houston City Council Member Melissa Noriega: If you are reading this, you are blessed–you are connected! Just a few things for your reading audience: There is beginning to be ice and water coming in. Some stores … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ve received the following email from Galveston native Joe Jaworski: “Just spent 2 hours on the island with mayor, city manager and city department heads. They are brave heroes for riding this destructive storm out. We had to navigate army … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s gonna take awhile. Houston Mayor Bill White said this morning ice and fresh water are on the way, although he couldn’t give a timetable. He said fuel is being distributed first to those with “critical needs,” such as hospitals … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We are currently scheduled to fly back to Houston on Thursday. Assuming we can get there. Entergy Texas are without power today at noon. The Texas-New Mexico Power Co., which services communities south of town, from Alvin to West Columbia, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Looks like the Texans’ early-season schedule just got a little tougher. The Houston Texans will not be playing their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night at Reliant Stadium. The game was supposed to have been played at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

First word of the day is don’t drink the water. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett urged caution as Hurricane Ike continued to pummel the area with wind and rain this morning, asking residents to stay inside and conserve water. As … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Hurricane Ike made landfall at 2 AM, directly over Galveston. The good news, for what it’s worth, is that wind speed forecasts are significantly lower for much of Harris County than they had been. Maybe that means the worst is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I do not understand this. About 1,000 prisoners and a full jail staff remained in the Galveston County Jail on Galveston Island this morning, even as the island began to be battered by the onslaught of Hurricane Ike. The reason … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ve been trying to stay at least somewhat optimistic about what Ike will do to Texas. That isn’t easy, and it’s getting harder. Here’s SciGuy’s latest: Ike’s expected to produce a massive, destructive surge far up the Texas coast and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Astros have postponed their games tonight and tomorrow night with the Cubs. The Comets have postponed their game tonight with Sacramento – the email they sent to season ticket holder suggested it might be canceled altogether, which is my … Continue reading → Continue reading →

So the track for Ike has shifted eastward once again, and it’s now headed towards Galveston. SciGuy presents two possible scenarios. 1. Hurricane Alicia-redux, with a stronger surge. This scenario is most likely if the official forecast of a 120-mph … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Dammit. Hurricane Ike’s turn toward the Houston area spurred emergency officials this morning to call for a mandatory evacuation of residents in areas that will be subject to a massive storm surge. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett called for mandatory … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Tell you what. I promise not to panic yet about Hurricane Ike if you’ll be sure to tell me when it’s okay for me to start. The good news is that we’ve already evacuated, as we’re visiting family this weekend. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Let me just say that I could have lived without hearing this. The bottom line is that the Houston area could face a near worst-case scenario with Ike, although I’d still peg the chances of this happening at one-in-four, or … Continue reading → Continue reading →