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National Situation Update: Friday, August 3, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Update - Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Recovery operations continue at the I-35W Bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The USCG closed traffic on the Mississippi River from mile marker 852.7 to mile marker 853.7. 

The State EOC reports a total of four fatalities. The City of Minneapolis reports 79 persons injured. The rail cars that were impacted were loaded with solid plastic powder, not HAZMAT. The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) lowered the river water level to diminish the currents for the recovery workers.

The Governor of Minnesota has signed an Emergency Declaration. The State EOC remains fully activated and will be operational from 0700 - 2400 hrs CDT on Friday. Operational hours for Saturday and Sunday will be 0800 - 1800 hrs CDT. The next State EOC briefing is scheduled for 0830 hrs CDT.

The Region V RRCC is activated at Level III and will reopen at 0700 hrs CDT on Friday, August 3. Regional State Liaison, Public Assistance and External Affairs Officers deployed to the State EOC. The FEMA V Regional Administrator returned to the Regional Office. The FBI, USACE, Coast Guard, EPA, DOT, OSHA and NTSB are on scene.

There are efforts underway to establish a formal Joint Information Center. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army continue to provide support to affected families and onsite personnel.

DOT has pledged $5 million in Federal relief to the State to repair the bridge.  An EPA contractor will monitor the area for asbestos, silica dust, and Volatile Organic Compounds during recovery operations.(FEMA Region V, NGB JOC, DHS NOC, NICC, NRCC, Media).

National Forecast Summary

South
Heavy thunderstorms are expected across Florida and South Georgia, expanding into eastern South Carolina. A few locations may receive up to five to six inches of rain.

West
Thunderstorms are expected from eastern Nevada and the lower Colorado River Valley to Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. This heightens the risk for additional, but localized flash flooding especially across the Four Corners' states. Across the Southwest, the air may be muggy but high temperatures will be as much as 6 to 12 degrees below average.

Midwest
A cold front moving southward and eastward over the Great Lakes and Great Plains will generate showers and storms primarily in Nebraska and Kansas. Showers and thunderstorms will prevail from South Dakota to the Great Lakes. Parts of the north-central Plains and northern Mississippi Valley could receive three or more inches of rain.

Northeast
A cold front will move across the Northeast, generating scattered strong thunderstorms. High temperatures and humidity will persist from southern New Hampshire to Virginia. (NWS, Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new information to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Storm Erick, located about 1550 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California was downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday. No further advisory will be issued.
A broad area of low pressure located about 650 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California is moving west-northwestward about 10 mph. The associated shower and thunderstorm activity remains disorganized and development, if any, is expected to be slow to occur.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico:
A tropical wave over the central Caribbean Sea is moving rapidly westward and is expected to bring cloudiness and showers to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Central America. There is still some potential for tropical depression formation before the wave reaches Central America in a day or so.

Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
Typhoon Usagi has been downgraded to tropical storm status after crossing southwestern Honshu, Japan. The storm will continue to decrease in strength and poses no threat to US interests. 
(NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

Numerous moderate earthquakes continue in the Adreanof Islands west-southwest of Adak, Alaska.  There are no reports of injuries or damage.  No tsunami warnings have been issued. (NOAA, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center).

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  5
National Fire Activity as of Thursday, August 2, 2007:

• Initial attack activity: light (199)
• New large fires: 6
• Large fires contained: 3
• Uncontained large fires: 33
• States Most Affected:  Montana and Idaho

Weather Discussion: Increasing thunderstorm activity in the West. Initially dry thunderstorm activity is expected to expand from Northern California across the Northwest. Mixed wet and dry thunderstorms will also increase over Montana and Idaho. Wet thunderstorms will continue in the southern Great Basin and Four Corner states.  (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, InciWeb, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)