• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South
A low pressure system will bring rough seas, strong winds, storm surge and beach erosion from the North Carolina coast south through Florida.

Rain from this system is forecast to spread inland into eastern Georgia and much of South and North Carolina during the day today.

The winds, surge and waves at the coast should begin to diminish tonight.

Northeast
By this evening, rain will continue into the I-95 corridor and move northeast into southern New England and strong winds, rough seas, storm surge and beach erosion will occur from Cape Cod southward to Virginia today and tomorrow.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Puerto Rico Heavy Rainfall

The Puerto Rico Emergency Operations Center (PR EOC) is partially activated 24/7, along with the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency (PREMA) Joint Information Center (partially activated), select ESF's and US Coast Guard Liaison.

The Governor has declared a State of Emergency and the Puerto Rican government has reported five (5) confirmed fatalities and zero (0) injuries due to heavy rainfall and flooding.
Seventeen (17) shelters, with a population of 521 (in 16 municipalities) are open, while 14 preventative shelters remain open in twelve (12) municipalities.  (FEMA Region II SPOT Report, Sep 24)
Thirteen (13) rivers are flooded and a total of 47 major roads in 27 municipalities are closed due to flooding or mudslides.

The Puerto Rico Electric and Power Authority (PREPA) reports approximately 4,000 (0.28%) customers are without service and the Puerto Rico Aqueduct Sewer Authority (PRASA) reports about 37,303 (2.99%) customers are without service.  Restoration of utilities is unknown at this time.

Public schools remain closed in 14 municipalities due to heavy rains and flooding.

Joint IA and PA Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) will began yesterday, September 24, in 12 municipalities with PA and IA PDAs requested for an additional 13 municipalities.  Also, facilities are being pre-identified for a potential JFO.

The Puerto Rican Army National Guard (PR ArNG) has 54 soldiers on State Active Duty (SAD) for water distribution, debris clearance, equipment transportation and civilian relocation.  There are 7,893 personnel available statewide and 18,821 personnel available regionwide.  (FEMA Region II & CAD, PREMA, VITEMA, NWS, NGB SitRep #3)

Federal / State Response for Hurricane Ike and Midwest Storms

Region V
Ohio
The State EOC is activated at Level II (Partial Operations).
There are seven (7) fatalities and one (1) injury reported.
There are no shelters reported open, while the US Department of Energy (DOE) reported there are 9,595 customers without power.  Power restoration is expected to be completed in the next 24 - 72 hours.  (Region V Operations Report Sep 24, DOE Sep 24, NSS Shelter Report, Sep 24)

Indiana
The State EOC is activated at Level IV (Normal Operations) and Joint PDAs have been completed in five (5) counties, while two (2) counties continue to assess damages from the severe weather.
There are eight (8) fatalities and 19 injuries reported.
There is one (1) shelter open with a population of 75, and the US DOE reported there are 6,186 customers remain without power.  (Region V Operations Report, Sep 24; DOE, Sep 24; NSS Shelter Report, Sep 24)

FEMA Region VI

Louisiana
The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) is activated at Level III (Emergency Operations).
There are five (5) fatalities and zero (0) injuries reported.
There are five (5) shelters open with a population of 343, and the US DOE reported 12,287 customers are still without power.
There are 14 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) and two (2) Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) in support of Hurricane Gustav/Ike recovery efforts.  (SLB, Sep 23; NSS Shelter Report, Sep 23; DOE, Sep23)

Texas
The State Operations Center (SOC) is activated at Level I, 24/7 Operations.
There are 19 fatalities and zero (0) injuries reported.
There are 65 shelters open with a population of 5,638, and US DOE reports that 502,637 customers remain without power.
FEMA continues to supply commodities to the Texas State-managed Resource Staging Area.
There are seven (7) Disaster Recovery Center (DRCs) and 13 Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRCs) operational in the state.  (JFO SitRep #13; NSS Shelter Report, Sep 23; DOE, Sep 23; SLB, Sep 23)

Presidio, TX Levee Issue Update:
Local gauge readings and flow rates of the Rio Grande River at the Presidio Port of Entry (POE) continue to decrease as the water release rate from the Luis Leon Reservoir in Chihuahua, Mexico was reduced to 600 cubic meters per second.  
The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) reported the levees are holding, but levee integrity remains a concern.
Levee mitigation work continues, with over 25,000 sandbags filled and placed on the existing levee to add support. (NOC Awareness Report, Sep 24; NSS Shelter Report, Sep 24; DOE, Sep 24)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
93L - High Potential for Tropical Cyclone Formation
As of 2:00 a.m. EDT, September 25, another well-defined low pressure system, centered about 140 miles east-northeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands, is moving northward at 10-to-15-mph.

Thunderstorm activity has increased and become better organized during the past several hours, and upper-level winds are expected to gradually become more favorable for a tropical depression to develop during the next day or so.  In addition, the threat for heavy rainfall, associated floods and mudslides over Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will continue through today.

Extratropical Low - High Potential for Tropical Cyclone Formation
As of 2:00 a.m. EDT, September 25, a well-defined surface low pressure system, centered about 225 miles southeast of the South Carolina-North Carolina border, is moving slowly westward.  Showers and thunderstorms have become a little better organized this morning, and this system could develop into a subtropical or tropical cyclone later today.

Regardless of whether or not this system becomes a subtropical or tropical cyclone, strong winds, coastal flooding, high surf and dangerous rip currents will continue along portions of the US east coast during the next couple of days.  Outer rain bands are already spreading onshore on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, and buoy and ship reports indicate winds in excess of 50 mph are occurring north and west of the center.

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity affecting United States Territories. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, September 24, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (67)
New large fires: 0
Uncontained large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 0
States with large fires: CA, NV, OR

Predictive Weather:  A cold front will move across the Pacific Northwest, bringing cloudy and cooler conditions, along with showers along the coast.  However, further south across northeast California and Nevada, this system will bring gusty southwest winds of 20-35 mph with low humidity.  Gradual warming and drying across the Southwest and into the Central Rockies as high pressure strengthens across the Four Corners region.  Some of this warm, dry air will also spread further east, across the Ohio Valley and into much of the Southeast, except for coastal areas where heavy rain is expected. (NIFC, NICC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Illinois:  The Governor of Illinois requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Illinois as a result of Severe Storm and Flooding from September 13, 2008 and continuing.  The request includes Individual Assistance for 7 counties (Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle and Will) and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Oklahoma: The Governor requested an expedited Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Oklahoma as a result of Severe Storms and Tornadoes that took place on September 11, 2008.  The request includes Individual Assistance and Public Assistance (including direct Federal assistance) for five counties (Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Major and Woods) and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Amendment #10 to FEMA-1785-DR-FL adds Martin County for Individual Assistance; Alachua, Gadsden, and Liberty Counties for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance) and Lee County for Public Assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance).  (FEMA HQ)