HURRICANE HARVEY SLAMS TEXAS
Hurricane Harvey struck Texas this weekend as a Category 4 storm, bringing major destruction to a large area. After crossing the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico and re-forming as a tropical storm with only 40mph winds, Harvey intensified rapidly over warm waters in the Gulf and struck land just northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, with wind gusts measured at above 130mph.
Harvey’s winds weakened to Category 1 speeds shortly after landfall. But the storm continues to pose a catastrophic hazard because of the heavy rains it will bring to the area in the coming week. The storm is forecast to stall out and linger over coastal Texas for days, perhaps crossing back out over open water and making a second landfall near Houston in a day or two. Some parts of the impacted area are likely to get rainfall totals of close to three feet, and a large swath of coastal Texas is sure to receive rains totaling more than 20 inches by Wednesday. Coupled with continuing high winds, the five-day flood event will leave Texas facing a huge task of recovery and rebuilding.
“Rockport, a coastal city of about 10,000 that was in the hurricane’s path when it came ashore,” reported The New York Times (see: “Hurricane Harvey: Storm Roars Ashore Near Corpus Christi, Tex.,”). “Charles J. Wax, Rockport’s mayor, said that conditions were too dangerous on Saturday morning to deploy emergency officials across the city, but that an initial review, as the storm’s eye passed overnight, showed ‘widespread damage… Homes and businesses completely destroyed, lives disrupted.’”
The Huffington Post had this photo series of the destruction in Rockport (see: “Photos Show Devastation Left Behind From Hurricane Harvey,” by Chris McGonigal). The Twitter photo below was taken by storm chaser and National Geographic photographer Mike Theiss, who along with other storm chasers was holed up in a Rockport hotel that took significant damage from Harvey’s central winds.
Extreme Damage in Rockport, Texas #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/MecU4Y6mYT
— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) August 26, 2017
Meteorologists Bob Henson and Jeff Masters are providing updates and analysis of the storm at the Weather Underground “Category 6” blog (see: “Harvey Slams Ashore in Texas; Catastrophic Flood Threat Still to Come,” by Bob Henson. “Harvey’s main eyewall ground slowly through the regional resort town of Rockport late Friday as the storm crept onshore, moving northwest at about 7 mph,” wrote Henson. “Storm chaser Josh Morgerman reported structural damage, including at the Rockport hotel where he was positioned. The eyewall also sat squarely over Aransas Pass and nearby Port Aransas, a few miles southwest of Rockport. [The National Hurricane Center] reported that a Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Station at Aransas Pass recorded sustained winds of 111 mph with gusts to 131 mph, and at 9:00 pm CDT, Port Aransas reported sustained winds of 95 mph with gusts to 109 mph.”
As the winds abate, damage assessment and emergency repairs will be hampered by continuing heavy rains. The National Hurricane Center on Saturday warned of coming rainfall amounts between 15 and 30 inches, with isolated totals as high as 40 inches.
Catastrophic & life-threatening flooding is expected in SE Texas from heavy rainfall of 15-30 inches, with isolated totals up to 40″ #Harvey pic.twitter.com/y2JV10zsBL
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) August 26, 2017
“Make no mistake,” warned Matthew Cappucci of the Washington Post’s “Capital Weather Gang” early on Saturday (see: “Harvey’s assault on Texas is just getting started, disastrous inland flooding expected,” by Matthew Cappucci). “Even though Harvey’s wind threat has largely diminished, this is a disaster in the making. By Sunday afternoon, many areas may be inaccessible due to floodwaters, isolated to all but those traveling by boat. Now is the time to move to higher ground or evacuate if at all possible.”
STATE BY STATE
Michigan: Detroit officials have barred three contractors from working for the city after investigators found the companies had Photoshopped photos in a scam to get paid for work that was not done. Crain’s Detroit Business had this report (see: “3 Detroit demolition contractors snagged for fake photos,” by Chad Livengood). “Detroit’s inspector general has found evidence of three private demolition contractors submitting doctored photos of sidewalks to avoid making repairs and get paid from the city’s federally funded blight removal program,” the paper reported. The head of the demolition program for the troubled Detroit Land Bank has since resigned, The Detroit News reported (see: “Detroit land bank demolition program director resigns,” by Christine Ferretti). “The high-ranking departure is the latest in recent months for the land bank, which is currently at the center of a federal criminal investigation into the city’s demolition activities. The probe is among several federal, state and local reviews,” the paper reported. According to the program’s website, “The Detroit Land Bank is a public authority dedicated to returning Detroit’s vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed property to productive use. Our current programs include auction, side lot, community partnership and demolition.” Read more:
- “Contractors allegedly submitted altered sidewalk photos in Detroit demolitions,” by John Steckroth – ClickOnDetroit
- “Third demo contractor suspended over altered photos,” by Christine Ferreti, The Detroit News
North Carolina: That controversial 24-bedroom, three-wing house on Currituck in the North Carolina Outer Banks finally has an occupancy permit, reported the Outer Banks Voice (see: “Occupancy permit issued for 24-bedroom house in Carova,” by Dee Langston). But the building’s owner still faces a legal obstacle course, “The main issue with the 15,000-square-foot structure — or structures, depending on which case is referred to — is whether it’s three separate buildings, or one,” the Voice reported. But the project’s state coastal permits are based on considering it as three distinct structures, while its county permit is based on the claim that it’s a single building, the paper reported. The home is marketed as a rental venue for large gatherings, such as weddings.
California: Voters could be asked to decide this fall on a three-billion-dollar bond issue to finance construction of affordable housing in the state, according to the Los Angeles Times (see: “Billions in new spending for housing, water, parks and more could be on the 2018 ballot,” by Liam Dillon). “But that amount of money will do little to dent the state’s housing crisis and advocates want more,” the paper reported. “State Treasurer John Chiang, who is running for governor, recently released private campaign polling that showed voters would be willing to support a $9-billion affordable-housing bond to build many more homes than could be constructed under the bond currently in the Legislature.” Here’s a background report on California’s systemic and long-standing housing problem from nonprofit journalism center CalMatters.com (see: “Californians: Here’s why your housing costs are so high,” by Ben Christopher and Matt Levin).
