Tuesday, March 15, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Japan Earthquake - Update

USAID is coordinating the overall U.S. government efforts in support of the Japanese governmentâs response to the earthquakes and subsequent tsunami that hit Friday. The U.S. Ambassador declared an emergency which opened up immediate funding from USAIDâs Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. USAID has set up a Response Management Team in DC and sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to Tokyo, which includes people with nuclear expertise from the Departments of Energy and Health and Human Services as well the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC members are experts in boiling water nuclear reactors and are available to assist their Japanese counterparts. The American Red Cross International Services team is supporting the Japanese Red Cross Society to assess the impact, determine response efforts, and assist the people of Japan.
U.S. Government Assistance
Federal Emergency Management Agency
United States Agency for International DevelopmentÂ*
Coordinating the overall U.S. government efforts. Response Management Team has been established at the Department of State in DC.
Disaster Assistance Response Team
Acting as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development assistance team, the NRC has dispatched eight additional experts to Tokyo to provide assistance as requested by the Japanese government.
Urban Search and Rescue
Two US&R teams (LA County, CA-TF2 and Fairfax County, VA-TF1) arrived in Japan. Total 144 members, plus 12 search and rescue canines and up to 45 metric tons of rescue equipment. US & UK teams have joined and established a Base of Operations at an elementary school about 20 km from most impacted area and are currently organizing recon and building triage squads.Â*Rescue efforts were scheduled to begin March 15 in Ofunato town, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan.
USGS Updates Magnitude of Japans Tohoku Earthquake to 9.0 Â*
The USGS has upgraded the magnitude of the Tohoku earthquake in northern Honshu, Japan, from magnitude 8.9 to magnitude 9.0.
Daviess County levee in Indiana - Update

Indiana Homeland Security and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Daviess County Emergency Management, IDHS, and USACE continue to monitor the situation. The water released from the breach has created a new lake. Water levels in the lake have dropped 1½ inches within the past 24 hours. According to the river gauges, the White River has dropped two feet in the last 48 hours.Â* IDHS reports that residents of Maysville trailer park, and surrounding areas, west and northwest of the town of Washington, could be impacted.
Flooding Response

New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Environment Protection has two high wheeled vehicles assigned to operations in Passaic County and two other vehicles conducting operations in Fairfield and Essex Counties. Seven other vessels are staged if needed. Essex County Rapid Deployment Team activated on March 14, to assist with operations in Fairfield.
Passaic County
County Prosecutor activated their County Rapid Deployment Team to bring a greater law enforcement and security presence to the flood affected area. The American Red Cross has two shelters open with nine occupants. The ARC has initiated mobile bulk distribution routes in affected areas. (FEMA Region II)
Maryland
Harford County
The privately owned Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam on the Susquehanna River north of Baltimore, MD is currently operating under spill conditions. The Dam has 12 spill gates open. The Susquehanna River is now below flood stage and flooding is no longer a threat.
Nebraska
The North Platte River at Llewellyn is above flood stage and is forecast to remain in flood stage for the remainder of the week. This is due to releases from Kingsley Dam. Impacts are to high water table levels which may cause seepage and flooding of basements and crawl spaces near and along the river.
Iowa
The Little Sioux River at Linn Grove is above flood stage and will be moving in and out of flood stage over the next week. Impacts include the potential for flooding to affect agriculture land.
Preliminary Damage Assessments

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are underway in the following states: California, Illinois, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.


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