New England flooding: FEMA sitrep
Rivers continue to recede, but many are still in flood, particularly the Spicket and the Merrimack. Flooding and flood warnings continue throughout the stricken area. Although no additional heavy rainfall is expected, with the currently soggy ground even the light rains predicted for today and tomorrow could have an impact. Federal, State, and local officials continue to monitor for dam failures and further flooding. River levels are expected to fall below flood stage by Saturday. Thousands of people evacuated their homes during the flooding, and the American Red Cross reports that shelters remain open in parts of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. However, in some areas residents are being allowed to return to their homes and businesses as cleanup begins. In New Hampshire, over 800 National Guard were activated to assist with security, sandbagging, traffic control, and evacuation. In Massachusetts, sections of I-95, I-495, and US-1 remain closed due to flooding. Maine reports no Interstate highway closures. All airports and railways in the affected areas are reported to be operational. In anticipation of potential needs, FEMA has issued Mission Assignments to elements of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) and the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) System to ensure their teams' readiness if required, and elements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Coast Guard (USCG) have also been alerted. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of Transportation have also activated staff. FEMA Region I staff continue to monitor the situation, particularly the status of vulnerable dams in New England, and are developing contingency plans should dams be breached and assistance required. FEMA Logistics is looking into potential Joint Field Office (JFO) sites in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire in anticipation of major disaster declaration requests. (FEMA Region 1, NWS) PREVIOUS SITREP: In Topsfield, Mass., the police reported what appeared to be the first fatality from the storm. Officials said the worst of the flooding was over, as the Spicket and Shawsheen Rivers in Massachusetts, the Merrimack in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire and the Mousam in Maine had crested. The streams will remain above flood stage until at least Thursday, officials at the National Weather Service said. Contamination remains a major problem for the Merrimack, as millions of gallons of sewage continued to pour into it after the main sewer in Haverhill broke and the treatment plant in Lawrence failed. The National Weather Service said showers would continue off and on through Monday, with local downpours that could prevent rivers from receding. Most dams in the region held up, although officials monitored the Spicket River Dam in Methuen, Mass., which was reinforced with 5,000 sandbags. A small dam on Pillsbury Lake in Webster, N.H., broke on Monday night, nearly draining the lake, but no damage was reported. Downstream in Lawrence, officials removed 240 patients from a nursing home on the Spicket River, which overflowed onto a bridge, submerged a baseball complex and turned Bennington Street into a tributary. In New Hampshire, a spokesman for the State Bureau of Public Safety said more than 700 roads remained closed and more than 400 National Guard members patrolled the eight flooded counties. About 200 to 400 families were removed from Bristol, N.H., along the Newfound River in the central part of the state, because the Upper IPC Dam was clogged with debris and had loose welds on its steel beams. The dam had not breached, the water was beginning to recede last night, and the structural integrity of the dam was not compromised. The State had their dam expert onsite Tuesday. Officials from the State are optimistic that they have control over the situation at this time. In Maine water at the York, Milton Three, Leland and Spaulding dams (York County) was down eleven inches since Monday. Emergency shelters closed in the towns of Kennebunk and Ogunquit; however they remain ready to be reopened is more evacuations occur. An estimated 200 homes were evacuated. Coastal businesses in York County have been affected. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will meet with lending agencies, chambers of commerce, town managers and selectmen to set up rapid funding for coastal businesses to reopen for the tourist season. (NWS, MEMA, FEMA HQ, Region I, Media sources) State and FEMA Region Northeast Flood Activities States of Emergency were declared by the Governors of each state. State Liaisons are in place in each state's EOC. An Activation Order was signed that evening for a US&R (ESF-9) representative to travel to the RRCC to provide planning expertise for potential structural rescue, should there be a need, in concert with USCG and NDMS. Public Assistance (PA) PDAs to commence Tuesday, May 23 in all three states. An Activation Order is being executed to place ESF-9's MA TF-1 on Alert. A verbal commitment was issued to the task force tonight [Weds 17th May] and an email was sent to them. The formal paperwork will be completed tomorrow. (FEMA HQ, Region 1).
•Date: 18th May 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: DR general |
