By The Numbers - One Year Later - For Hurricane Rita
Release Date: September 8, 2006
Release Number: 1606-249
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN, Texas -- Hurricane Rita made landfall on Sept. 24, 2005, at Sabine Pass, wiping out most of the town and doing extensive damage throughout southeast Texas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has supported the state with disaster recovery funds for individuals, government agencies and other eligible organizations. The following is a summary of response and recovery actions at close of business on Sept. 7, 2006:
| 1 | Hurricane Rita was the number 1 disaster in Texas in 2005 and the only declared disaster for the state in that year. |
| 3 | Hurricane Rita, which made landfall Sept. 24, 2005, in both Texas and southwestern Louisiana, was one of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded during the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Rita intensified to a Category 5 storm while in the Gulf Coast before making landfall as a Category 3 storm on Sept. 24 along the Texas and western Louisiana coast. |
| 44 | There were 44 Disaster Recovery Centers during the last six months to serve Rita disaster survivors. At one point, there were 27 DRC's open at the same time. DRC staff responded to almost 425,000 inquiries from disaster survivors. |
| 76 | On Dec. 13, 2005, FEMA leased 76 households in travel trailers in one day. A total of 1,510 households were placed into trailers that month. |
| 250 | Prior to landfall of Hurricane Rita, 250 ambulances and 650 buses were sent to Houston to help evacuees. |
| 1,660 | FEMA has responded to 1,660 disasters since its inception in 1979. |
| 4,000 | FEMA issued 4,000 authorization codes to allow FEMA to work closely with evacuees in hotels to make sure they were registered with FEMA for assistance, referred to appropriate agencies if not eligible for FEMA programs, and prevent fraudulent use of hotel rooms by individuals intent on defrauding taxpayers. |
| 4,600 | Since Hurricane Rita made landfall, 4,294 households have leased 4,600 travel trailers for temporary housing. Currently 3,153 households still are leasing 3,403 units (some families have more than one trailer). About 1,000 trailers have been returned to FEMA from households who have moved back into their homes. |
| 12,000 | Approximately 12,000 FEMA, Department of Defense, US. Coast Guard and State of Texas personnel conducted relief operations for Hurricane Rita. |
| 25,189 | The Texas declared disaster area for Rita stretched over 25,189 square miles in 29 counties, an area larger than West Virginia. |
| 20,870 | The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed 20,870 Blue Roofs on Hurricane Rita disaster residences. |
| 33,000 | Rita displaced an estimated 33,000 people from Texas to other states. |
| 37,000 |
Hurricane Rita's landfall in Louisiana sent 37,000 evacuees from that state to Texas. |
| 42,444 | There were 42,444 evacuees from Hurricane Rita staying in Texas shelters on Oct. 1, 2005. |
| 85,729 | Hurricane Rita impacted 85,729 square miles in Texas and Louisiana. |
| 350,670 | Some 350,670 home inspections have been completed on disaster-struck buildings hit by Hurricane Rita. |
| 480,000 | Nearly 480,000 Rita disaster survivors registered with FEMA. Of those, 336,084 were referred for housing assistance and 224,418 applications approved. Currently, about 23,000 households are still receiving assistance in Texas, with about 2,000 of the households representing evacuees who were victims of Rita in Louisiana. |
| 4.5M | FEMA provided 4.5 million gallons of water in 909 truckloads; 3 million pounds of ice in 744 trucks; and 289 large generators. Total cost: $74 million. |
| $6M | More than $6 million has been given out in Texas for Disaster Unemployment Assistance related to Hurricane Rita. Some 7,926 claims have been approved. |
| 8.7M | More than 8.7 million cubic yards of debris from Rita has been removed in Texas following Hurricane Rita. |
| $103 .6 million | Federal law provides a percentage of disaster funding for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects to reduce the potential for damage in future disasters. This number for Hurricane Rita is $103.6 million. Projects in Texas will include voluntary buyouts of homes in the flood plain, construction of safe rooms in residences for storm protection, and public shelters. |
| $360.3M | FEMA has obligated $360.3 million in Public Assistance to Texas for costs related to Hurricane Rita.The funds will be used by the State of Texas to reimburse local governments and agencies for eligible and documented debris removal, emergency protective measures, etc. |
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 11-Sep-2006 09:10:03