Saturday, September 06, 2008

GoErie.com: First-aid shiparrives in Haitian city

GoErie.com: First-aid shiparrives in Haitian city: "GONAIVES, Haiti -- U.N. peacekeeping troops began handing out food and water to famished Haitians on Friday after the first shipload of aid sailed into a crumbling port on the outskirts of this flooded city, where tens of thousands are stranded in the wake of Tropical Storm Hanna."

News : St. Mary evacuation key for hurricane results (New Iberia, LA)

News : St. Mary evacuation key for hurricane results (New Iberia, LA): "Four days after Hurricane Gustav passed through West St. Mary Parish, parish officials say the area is slowly returning back to normal.

Duval Arthur, director of the St. Mary Office of Emergency Preparedness, said as of Thursday, 40 percent of power has been restored to Franklin and Baldwin, and he expects that number to rise significantly today after extra crews were brought in Thursday."

How New Orleans Coped With Gustav | Newsweek News | Newsweek.com

How New Orleans Coped With Gustav | Newsweek News | Newsweek.com: "he sign and its addenda ('Still Here. Woman Left Friday, Cooking a Pot of Dog Gumbo, Still Got Claw Hammer') was so emblematic of the city's post-Katrina troubles as well as the resilience and highly necessary sense of humor of its residents that it is now part of the Louisiana State Museum's permanent collection. So when Gustav reared his ugly head, Rue was forced to paint another: 'Don't Try. Sleeping Inside with a .357, a Pit Bull, and Six Big Snakes.' Except that this time his graffiti served largely to entertain. To date only two episodes of looting have been reported, and all seven perpetrators were apprehended on the scene by cops out in full force."

Friday, September 05, 2008

Hurricane Relief Efforts Create Red Cross Debt, Nonprofit Says - washingtonpost.com

Hurricane Relief Efforts Create Red Cross Debt, Nonprofit Says - washingtonpost.com: "The American Red Cross said this morning it is going deep into debt to fund a $70 million Hurricane Gustav relief effort, an unusual occurrence even as the nation's biggest disaster-aid charity braces for a trio of powerful storms lurking in the Atlantic.

The Red Cross has raised less than $5 million toward its Gustav expenses, officials said. To recoup its Gustav cost -- most of it borrowed money -- the nonprofit organization plans to roll out an aggressive national campaign Monday."

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Gustav, now downgraded to a depression over western Louisiana, spared New Orleans the devastation wrought three years ago by Katrina, as Hurricane Hanna hit the Bahamas on a course for the Carolinas."

Hanna lashes Bahamas, Ike forms over Atlantic - AOL News

Hanna lashes Bahamas, Ike forms over Atlantic - AOL News: "Hanna lashes Bahamas, Ike forms over Atlantic
By VIVIAN TYSON,
AP
Posted: 2008-09-02 09:16:14
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos (AP) - Hurricane Hanna slumped to tropical storm strength while grinding away at the Bahamas and other Atlantic islands on Tuesday, and forecasters said it still poses a hurricane threat to the U.S. East Coast."

Monday, September 01, 2008

Five Navy helicopters from Norfolk respond to hurricane | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

Five Navy helicopters from Norfolk respond to hurricane | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com: "Five Navy helicopters with a dozen rescue swimmers headed south this morning to help as Hurricane Gustav reached the Gulf Coast.

Meanwhile, plans for a major relief effort there continued to flow through downtown Portsmouth via the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, where about 40 to 50 people are working in the offices at 431 Crawford St., said Lt. Rob Wyman, a Coast Guard spokesman."

AFP: New Orleans under flood threat as Gustav tears into US coast

AFP: New Orleans under flood threat as Gustav tears into US coast: "New Orleans under flood threat as Gustav tears into US coast

4 hours ago

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AFP) — Ferocious rain and wind gusts unleashed by Hurricane Gustav pushed water cascading over protective works in New Orleans Monday three years after Katrina swamped the fabled jazz city.

Wave surges washed over a levee wall lining a portion of the city's Ninth Ward -- ground zero of the disaster in 2005 -- and water had reached as high as road signs around the Industrial Canal in the ward's north."

Tech Steps Up in Post-Katrina Relief Efforts - TheStreet.com

Tech Steps Up in Post-Katrina Relief Efforts - TheStreet.com: "Editor's note: This is the final part of a series on improving disaster response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Shortly after Katrina hit Aug. 29, 2005, crews in California were preparing to fly C-130 cargo planes to stricken areas of the Gulf Coast, initially to send search-and-rescue teams and, later, to airlift cargo and displaced residents.

Yet they had to wait two days on the tarmac while authorities compiled vital information on weather, flight routes and the status of airports and runways."

As Gustav Lands, There Are Lessons to Be Learned

As Gustav Lands, There Are Lessons to Be Learned: "Hurricane Gustav, the largest and most dangerous storm to make landfall in recent years, roars ashore today. No doubt, politicians and pundits will be quick to make comparisons to the disaster response three years ago after Hurricane Katrina ravaged millions of square miles over three states and devastated coastal areas, including the city of New Orleans."

Yes, it's largest evac in LA history | Weather Watch

Yes, it's largest evac in LA history | Weather Watch: "f you’re among the many who have been wondering, officials are confirming the evacuation in Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Gustav was the largest in state history.

More than 1.9 million residents were evacuated, emergency management officials said today."

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Get Involved in Gustav Online Volunteer Efforts

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Get Involved in Gustav Online Volunteer Efforts: "As you know by now, Hurricane Gustav looks even more destructive than Katrina (see this round up from Lisa Stone, BlogHer, of the news reports and links). Three years ago, in the wake of the devastating storm, social media and others started organizing online. This time, online organizing efforts using social media are happening before the storm hits."

Looming hurricane may deal a blow to Gulf oil - Sep. 1, 2008

Looming hurricane may deal a blow to Gulf oil - Sep. 1, 2008: "NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- As officials evacuated New Orleans, the oil industry shut down rigs and pulled back personnel as Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf coast over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

A lot is at stake as the industry faces potentially its worst storm since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated crude and gas facilities in 2005."

Chicago breaking news, local news, Chicago sports, Chicago weather, business, jobs -- chicagotribune.com

Chicago breaking news, local news, Chicago sports, Chicago weather, business, jobs -- chicagotribune.com: "Gustav weakens to Category 2 storm

The hurricane is on track to hit west of New Orleans as the few remaining in the city watch nervously and hope levees only partly reinforced in the three years since Katrina will hold."

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Hurricane Gustav's clouds begin to roll in, and a fearful New Orleans becomes a ghost town

Hurricane Gustav's clouds begin to roll in, and a fearful New Orleans becomes a ghost town: "NEW ORLEANS - With Hurricane Gustav just a day away from a possible monster hit on New Orleans, the mayor Sunday pleaded with the last of its residents to get out, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on those who stay and warned looters they will be sent directly to prison."

American Red Cross - Preparing Communities for an Emergency and Keeping People Safe - Preparedness

American Red Cross - Preparing Communities for an Emergency and Keeping People Safe - Preparedness: "As mandatory evacuations are issued in the Gulf Coast states, the American Red Cross is starting to receive evacuees in shelters throughout the Gulf Coast."

Main Page - Hurricane Gustav Wiki

Main Page - Hurricane Gustav Wiki: "Hurricane Gustav

This is the wiki for information relating to Hurricane Gustav and its approach to the northern Gulf coast. It's intended to be centralized site for links to information everywhere else on the web; please publicize it far and wee. Information will be moved here as time progresses from the similar wiki built during and after Hurricane Katrina's landfall 3 years ago. Please be polite and patient in working with the wiki and the community it attracts, to the extent that you can, and hopefully, everyone will get through this one in one piece.

As usual, the main page of the wiki is protected against general editing. If you have a link you think belongs here, please put it on the Discussion page, and we'll triage it up here as soon as possible. If you want to help out on the wiki or the transcription project, please at least scan over the entire front page; there's lots of good meta here.

Please do not start adding new pages yet. We are still implementing structure and establishing best practices."

PhilanTopic: Gulf Coast Recovery Three Years After Katrina

PhilanTopic: Gulf Coast Recovery Three Years After Katrina: "Gulf Coast Recovery Three Years After Katrina

It's hard to believe three years have passed since Hurricane Katrina delivered widespread devastation to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region -- or that another hurricane, Gustav, now a category 4 storm, has drawn a bead on southeastern Louisiana and could make landfall as early as Monday."

Charities Brace for Hurricane Gustav - Philanthropy.com

Charities Brace for Hurricane Gustav - Philanthropy.com: "Charities Brace for Hurricane Gustav

By Peter Panepento

Charities are preparing for a major disaster recovery effort as Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast for a predicted Monday afternoon landfall.

The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are dispatching swarms of employees and volunteers to help those who are being evacuated for the storm and to be ready for what could be a relief effort on par with the effort that followed Hurricane Katrina three years ago. (Read The Chronicle’s most recent update on how nonprofit leaders are rebuilding the city and listen to audio excerpts from people who moved to the city to help with the recovery.)"

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms on Yahoo! News

We are posting a variety of informational links Re Hurricane Gustav. Standard Disclaimers apply.


Hurricanes and Tropical Storms on Yahoo! News: "NEW ORLEANS - With Hurricane Gustav just a day away from a possible monster hit on New Orleans, the mayor Sunday pleaded with the last of its residents to get out, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on those who stay and warned looters they will be sent directly to prison."

Direct outreach to the (non-geek) folks in the disaster zone. - Gustav Information Center

Direct outreach to the (non-geek) folks in the disaster zone. - Gustav Information Center: "For those who want to apply social media skills to provide direct assistance to the storm victims/survivors and volunteers - and we're talking our non-geek citizens at the shelters, churches, agencies, etc - here is a repost from my 2005 Hurricane Disaster Direct Relief blog of how I did it for Katrina. This simple effort was breathtakingly successful, well beyond our expectations as described in this NY Times piece)

What we did and could do again (I can assist in this effort):"