Tuesday, May 17, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Mississippi Valley Flooding

The Mississippi River crest is slowly working south. USACE continues to monitor the crest southward down the Mississippi River and continues flood fighting measures throughout the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system with increased focus on conditions in southern Louisiana. New Orleans is expected to remain at near the current level for the next two weeks. The River is forecast to fall below flood stage on May 27.
Louisiana
All affected State agencies and parishes have taken precautions to prepare for the impending flood. To date, 33 parishes have declared a Parish State of Emergency. Mandatory evacuations are in place for St. Landry Parish
Voluntary evacuations are in place for St Mary, St Martin, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Assumption and Ascension Parishes. Six hundred and seventy-three homes were visited by the sheriffâs deputies and the Louisiana National Guard. Sixty-nine homeowners refused to leave on Sunday, May 15 (est. 9% of the population)
American Red Cross (ARC) and Louisiana have confirmed that there is adequate sheltering capacity and resources.
Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T)
As of May 16, 330 of the 350 spillway bays are now open for the Bonnet Carre Spillway and 11 gates are open for the Morganza Floodway.
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Seventeen hospitals and 11 nursing homes have been identified as being within the Morganza Floodway. One nursing home has closed and one nursing home has transferred patients to other facilities but remains open.
Voluntary agencies
Second Harvest and St. Landry United Way are stocking food pantries, and Catholic Charities is on standby. The Volunteer Center is asking for volunteers to put on standby. Phone help lines have been established and are fielding calls.
Mississippi
As of May 16, 6 shelters are open with 58 occupants. Several major state and rural roads are closed due to flooding. Shipping terminals in the Ports of Rosedale, Yazoo County, Claiborne County, Vicksburg, Greenville, and Natchez, Mississippi are limiting traffic to traveling up the Mississippi due to inundation or high water. Kinder Morgan terminals are operating normally even though dock operations have been suspended. The Port of Natchez is closed due to high water.
Construction is underway to install 75 feet of temporary levee to extend the existing levee to the bluff across the Natchez railroad. This will provide levee integrity across the entire industrial park to 67 foot river stage.The Yazoo County airport is closed. The Vicksburg Southern Rail (VSOR Vicksburg Port) Line south toward Letourneau and north toward Redwood is closed. Wastewater plants at Bolivar (Pace Waste Water Plant), Tunica (Robinsonville Waste Water Plant), Claiborne (Port Gibson Waste Water Plant) and Issaquena (Mayersvile Waste Water Plant) counties are non-operational until water level drops.The multi-agency Sheltering Task Force is continuing to provide subject matter expertise in support of shelter operations.
Shelter assessment teams have been deployed to assess present and potential needs for the general population with an emphasis on populations with access and functional needs, children, household pets and service animals.The Evacuees Strike Team continues to provide information and coordination in nonmedical mass care required for evacuations, including housing and human services. A state counterpart was expected to be assigned to the strike team on May 16.
Power /Electrical / Gas
The number of customers that remain without power remains at 3,119. The Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant is operational with no projected impacts. A 500kv line between Grand Gulf and Baxter Wilson Power Plants and other energy infrastructure are submerged and are offline. Entergy has installed water barriers at selected electric substations to mitigate the effect of rising waters. The Baxter Wilson Power Plant (Entergy) in Vicksburg (Warren County) is not available and is rerouting power to avoid customer power delivery impacts. To avoid gas ruptures from a barge breakaway, vendors supplying natural gas to casino barges along the river have disconnected gas lines from barges
Tennessee
There are three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Shelby County; one additional fixed DRC is open in Shelby County. As of COB May 15, 169 people have visited the three DRCs. On May 16, the three MCOVs supporting the shelters in Shelby County moved to northwest Tennessee to provide support for the DRCs opening in Lake Obion and Dyer counties. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is supporting operations in all DRCs. Five Joint TEMA-State Community Relations (CR) teams are conducting outreach in west Tennessee. There is one confirmed fatality due to flooding in west Tennessee (Crocket County).
As of May 16, there are 6 shelters open with 515 occupants.
Significant National Weather

West:
An upper level low will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms from California and Oregon eastward to the central and northern Rockies. The Sierra Nevada will pick up a few inches of snow at the higher elevations. Temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees below normal across much of the region. Winds gusting to 40 mph and low relative humidity will produce Critical Fire Weather across much of Nevada and New Mexico.
Midwest:
Much of the region will be dry under high pressure. Only the Ohio Valley will see showers from the low pressure system over the Mid-Atlantic. This evening scattered showers and thunderstorms will move over the Northern and Central Plains as a frontal system moves out of the Rockies. Wind gusts over 40 mph will be possible across the Central Plains.
South:
Major and record flooding continues along the Mississippi River. The low pressure over the Mid- Atlantic will produce showers and thunderstorms from Tennessee to the Carolinas.The Southeast will be cool with temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal but southwest Texas will see highs in the 90s.
Northeast:
A low over the Mid-Atlantic will continue to produce rain and thunderstorms across the region. More than an inch of rain is possible from the Carolinas to Connecticut and localized flooding is a threat.
Gusty easterly winds and high tides will increase the risk for coastal flooding from Delaware to Connecticut for the next couple of days. High temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees below normal across much of the region.
Region IV

Mississippi
As of May 16, 6 shelters are open with 58 occupants. Several major state and rural roads are closed due to flooding. Shipping terminals in the Ports of Rosedale, Yazoo County, Claiborne County, Vicksburg, Greenville, and Natchez, Mississippi are limiting traffic to traveling up the Mississippi due to inundation or high water. Kinder Morgan terminals are operating normally even though dock operations have been suspended. The Port of Natchez is closed due to high water.
Construction is underway to install 75 feet of temporary levee to extend the existing levee to the bluff across the Natchez railroad. This will provide levee integrity across the entire industrial park to 67 foot river stage.The Yazoo County airport is closed. The Vicksburg Southern Rail (VSOR Vicksburg Port) Line south toward Letourneau and north toward Redwood is closed. Wastewater plants at Bolivar (Pace Waste Water Plant), Tunica (Robinsonville Waste Water Plant), Claiborne (Port Gibson Waste Water Plant) and Issaquena (Mayersvile Waste Water Plant) counties are non-operational until water level drops.The multi-agency Sheltering Task Force is continuing to provide subject matter expertise in support of shelter operations.
Shelter assessment teams have been deployed to assess present and potential needs for the general population with an emphasis on populations with access and functional needs, children, household pets and service animals.The Evacuees Strike Team continues to provide information and coordination in nonmedical mass care required for evacuations, including housing and human services. A state counterpart was expected to be assigned to the strike team on May 16.
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Horseshoe Two Fire, AZ (Cochise County)
FMAG -2907 was approved May 9, 2011. Location: 50 miles NE of Bisbee, AZ.Â* A total of 27,195 acres have burned and the fire is 20 percent contained. The estimated full containment date is May 22.Â* However, 151 structures remain threatened.

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean: Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1.
Eastern / Central Pacific: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western / South Pacific: There are no active tropical warnings.

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Monday, May 16, 2011:

• National Preparedness Level: 2
• Initial attack activity: LIGHT (105 new fires)
• New Large Fires: 1
• Large Fires Contained: 1
• Uncontained Large Fires: 11
• Type 1 IMT Committed: 2
• Type 2 IMT Committed: 6
• States affected: NC, GA, TX,FL, AZ, NM, & CA,

Disaster Declaration Activity

Illinois
Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-1960-DR-IL adds 5 counties for Public Assistance, including snow assistance, for any continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period.
Arkansas
Amendment No. 3 to FEMA-1975-DR-AR adds 10 counties for Individual Assistance; 30 counties for Public Assistance (Categories A-G) including direct Federal assistance; and 4 counties for Public Assistance [Categories A-G] including direct Federal assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance and emergency protective measures [Category B], limited to direct Federal assistanceÂ*(FEMA HQ)Â*


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