National Situation Update: Saturday, March 3, 2007
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Federal Response to Storm and Tornado Activity in Alabama and Georgia
FEMA Region IV RRCC remains at Level II activation on a 24 hour basis. A Regional Liaison continues to provide support to Alabama and the Georgia EOC.
PDA Teams began assessments Friday in Enterprise, Alabama. PDA Teams (6 PA and 4 IA) will be staging in Americus, Georgia Saturday morning.
FEMA ERT-A is operational in the Alabama EOC. FEMA ERT-A Team Leader is traveling to Americus, Georgia Saturday morning. ESF 2 continues to be activated to support field Communications.
TAV support and Logistics staff are operational at the RRCC Level II. Logistical asset packages have been deployed to Alabama and a second package is on standby for deployment to Georgia:
Two (2) truck loads of water, 1 truck load of Meals, one (1) truck load of Tarps, and one (1) truck load of Blue Sheeting arrived and were delivered to the Alabama Transitional Recovery Office (AL TRO).
10 MDRC (5 deployed, 5 on standby) will be deployed from the LC-Atlanta to the Alabama TRO (four are in Enterprise, and one is enroute to the TRO). One MDRC has been moved to Americus, Georgia. 10 personnel will be deployed for MDRC movements to LC-Atlanta. TAV specialist and Logistic have been deployed to the AL TRO.
One IT specialist has been deployed to LC-Atlanta to work on the MDRC.
Four (4)-50 person DISC packs were picked up at the DISC 0700 on Friday, to be delivered at the AL TRO.
Six trucks will pick up a 50 generator pack at 1200 noon Saturday from LC-Atlanta to be staged at the AL TRO.
Region VIII has placed a partially staffed ERT-A on standby. Region VIII is providing planners for Region IV operations.
MERS EOV and F-350 Crew Cab with PKU Trailer and support personnel were deployed to Americus Friday afternoon.
FIRST-Atlanta remains operational in Enterprise in support of response operations.
Small Business Administration (SBA) damage assessment team arrived in Enterprise, Alabama.
Alabama Tornado Update
There have been a total of 10 confirmed fatalities and 98 people hospitalized.
Alabama EOC returned to a Level 3 Activation Status. The State requested one (1) truck load of water and 4400 tarps.
The Governor of Alabama has requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance (Category A & B at 100% for the first 72 hours), and Mitigation for the entire State.
Total power restoration for the State is estimated for midnight Saturday.
Coffee County: Nine Fatalities confirmed. The High School, Medical Center and other structures in the downtown area of Enterprise, have been severely damaged. Search and Rescue efforts are complete. Ft. Rucker is providing support to Coffee County response operations. Total shelters reported open overnight was five (5) with a total population of 50.
Wilcox County: One unconfirmed fatality has been reported. Mills Ferry community was been severely impacted. One mobile home park was reported destroyed. Search and Rescue efforts have been completed. One shelter has been opened. (Region IV, FEMA HQ)
Georgia Tornado Update
There have been a total of nine (9) confirmed fatalities, including two children. Nine people have been hospitalized. Baker Elementary School has requested counselors for the loss of the two students.
The Governor requested an expedited major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance, for nine counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. The Governor is also requesting 100% Federal funding for Public Assistance Categories A and B for the first 72 hours.
Georgia has requested 400 tarps for Sumter County; a truck will deliver the tarps to Sumter County command Post in Americus Saturday.
Although there are wide spread light damages throughout the State of Georgia, the Governor issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency for those counties hardest hit: Baker, Clay, Columbus-Muscogee, Crawford, McDuffie, Mitchell, Stewart, Sumter and Taylor Counties.
A mobile home park was severely impacted, and at least five mobile homes destroyed. Damaged structures may total as many as 160, and four homes have been completely destroyed. Three businesses have reported damage to vacant buildings. One church has minor damage. In addition most counties have large amounts of debris and wide spread power outages.
The City of Moultrie in Colquitt County advised of a 40,000 gallon sewage spill into the Ocholocknee River as a result of power failure. The spill was storm related, occurring when a tree fell on an electric line to a lift station. The city of Moultrie has begun clean-up operations. The local media and Health Department have been advised of the spill. A water sampling system has been put in place to monitor the sewage levels in the River.
Georgia Power is reporting that they have now opened five gates at the Wallace Dam on Lake Sinclair, Putnam County. Flooding is a concern at this point.
In Sumter County the hospital was hit by a tornado with all ambulances reported to be destroyed. Two fatalities are reported. Approximately 50 patients were evacuated from Sumter Regional Hospital. Standby ambulances are in place via GMAG mutual aide. (FEMA HQ, Region IV)
North and South Carolina
There are only minor/scattered damages throughout the States. The States do not anticipate a need for any Federal Assistance, to include PDAs or State Liaisons. The State Liaison for North Carolina departed today. (EOCs for North and South Carolina, Region IV)
Florida
The Florida EOC stood down operations for the Severe Weather, however the State EOC is monitoring three large wild fires in the central part of the State. The Florida Division of Forestry estimates that the fires are 30% contained. Damage has occurred to 13 structures (of unknown type) and 1 residence. 20 homes have been evacuated. One (1) shelter has been opened.
One fire in Highlands County near Lake Placid, has burned 40 plus acres. 12 to 15 residents have been threatened.
20 acres have been burned in Lake County near Clermont. The Turnpike has been closed from Mile Marker 272 to 289. The fire is burning on both sides of the Turnpike. An unknown number of structures have been threatened.
One Polk County fire near Frost Proof has burned 1100 acres.(FEMA Region IV)
Blizzards in Iowa Continue to Hamper Recovery
A series of severe winter storms began affecting the State of Iowa on February 24, 2007. On February 28, 2007, another severe winter storm resulted in over a foot of snow in many areas with ice and winds of 35-40 mph with gusts of up to 60 mph.
The severe winter weather has resulted in 4 fatalities.
Hazardous weather (blizzard/whiteout conditions) continues to affect restoration efforts. Many roads are closed in the Plains states, including portions of Interstates 29, 35, 80 and 90. Numerous counties have pulled the plows off the roads. Schools, including universities, are closed in many areas. Some business have closed or reduced hours.
Over 400 National Guard personnel have been deployed in Iowa. As of midday Friday, between 60 to 80 people were rescued by the Iowa National Guard.
Iowa currently has 27,868 electric meters out of service. The state deployed 13 generators for use in shelters and 6 generators for use at armories in the affected area.
Warming centers/shelters in the state are on standby. Twelve warming centers and 42 shelters are open. Most shelters are empty, but remain open as a precaution. Shelter population was 253 people as of 10:00 pm EST March 1, 2007.
The state EOC remains activated 24-hours/7 days. The state will re-evaluate the need to continue extended operations Saturday afternoon. Scaling back operational hours will depend on the status of state missions, stranded motorists, the re-opening of closed roads and progress of power restoration.
Department of Elder Affairs, the area agency on aging, is reaching out to older Iowans through the state based farm bureau organization. 4-H clubs and churches are also assisting to communicate messages to family members regarding current information and shelter updates.
FEMA Region VII received Governor Chester J. Culver's request for a Major Presidential Disaster Declaration for public assistance for 46 counties late March 1, 2007. (FEMA Region VII)
Final status of Tornadoes and Winter Storms in Missouri and Kansas
Missouri:
A tornado touched down in Howell County on March 1, 2007. Howell County officials reported six homes destroyed in and around Potterville.
A seven-year-old child was killed when a tornado struck her family's manufactured home. The fatality was originally reported as happening in Caulfield, Missouri. The rest of the family (a family of five) suffered minor to moderate injuries.
The storm system exited the state Thursday. The State has not received any requests for assistance and has not had any additional reports of damages. The State does not anticipate the need for Federal Assistance. (FEMA Region VII)
Kansas:
Tornadoes were reported in four counties in Kansas. The national weather service survey rated the Anderson County tornado as a strong EF1. No reports of fatalities or serious injuries have been received.
A tornado destroyed a heartland electric coop substation and interrupted power to approximately 2,000 customers on February 28, 2007. Estimated damages to the Linn County substation is $200,000 - $300,000. All power is restored in areas where power can be restored.
Snow pack melt run-off is causing flooding in several small communities located along secondary and tertiary tributaries of the Arkansas River in extreme western Kansas. Flood warnings remain in effect for Hamilton, Kearny, Stanton and Scott counties until Tuesday, March 6, 2007. Several county roads remain closed due to snowmelt runoff.
The state does not anticipate requesting federal assistance.(FEMA Region VII)
Mount St. Helens Update
Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH; Aviation Color Code ORANGE.
Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
The eruption could intensify suddenly or with little warning and produce explosions that cause hazardous conditions within several miles of the crater and farther downwind.
Small lahars could suddenly descend the Toutle River if triggered by heavy rain or by interaction of hot rocks with snow and ice. These lahars pose a negligible hazard below the Sediment Retention Structure (SRS) but could pose a hazard along the river channel upstream.
Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift southeastward.
Potential ash hazards to aviation: Under current eruptive conditions, small, short-lived explosions may produce ash clouds that exceed 30,000 feet in altitude. Ash from such events can travel 100 miles or more downwind.
Recent observations: A winter storm persists in the area obscuring all views of the volcano. Small earthquakes that have accompanied dome growth continue with no change in their average size, location, or rate. (USGS, Cascades Volcano Observatory)
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic/Caribbean/Eastern Pacific: No significant activity to report.
Western Pacific: No activity threatening U.S. Territories.(NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)
Earthquake Activity
No significant activity reported. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)
Preliminary Damage Assessments
Alabama: Joint PDAs started on March 2, 2007.
Iowa: Joint PDAs started on February 27, 2007 but were suspended March 1, 2007 due to hazardous weather conditions. (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update
South-central Texas, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle are under red flag fire warnings due to dry windy conditions. (NOAA)
Disaster Declaration Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Monday, 05-Mar-2007 07:58:23 EST