Disaster Safety Blog

Remembering the deadly Tuscaloosa tornado

It has been nine years since a deadly tornado devastated Tuscaloosa County, Ala., as a result of a supercell storm originating in Mississippi. This supercell was strongest in an outbreak of storms that stretched from Mississippi to North Carolina.

Dozens of homes, businesses and a school were damaged.The path of the tornado was 750 yards wide and 18 miles long, with estimated wind speeds of 207 mph to 260 mph. The National Weather Service determined the tornado to be an F4 on the Fujita Storm Intensity Scale.

When it was over, whole frame houses were leveled, leaving piles of debris; steel structures were badly damaged, and cars and trains were thrown around. The storm killed 11 people, and injured another 144. Property damage estimates were around $12.5 million.

This tornado is remembered as being the strongest December tornado in Alabama since records were first kept in 1950, and is tied with one other storm to be the second deadliest December tornado in the United States.

Learn how to minimize tornado damage with information from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Galveston's delayed recovery should be a lesson for other vulnerable areas

More than a year after Hurricane Ike tore through Galveston, Texas, and the surrounding areas, recovery continues and city officials are struggling to find ways to pay to rebuild, according to The Galveston Daily News and WKHOU-TV.

Although Galveston stands to get the biggest share of $844 million in a second round of federal disaster aid, city officials said it’s not enough to repair all the houses, roads, sewers, water pipes and other infrastructure damaged when Hurricane Ike struck the island Sept. 13, 2008, the news sources report. Here is an excerpt from today's story: 

"We want our people back," City Manager Steve LeBlanc told the Houston-Galveston Area Council at a public hearing Wednesday. "We need housing to do that. We need infrastructure to do that."

Galveston still is reeling from latent effects of the hurricane, including the loss of up to 20 percent of the population and a dip in property values that forced the city to raise taxes "just to make ends meet," LeBlanc said. The city also is facing mounting problems with flood-damaged streets, sewers and water pipes, outgoing Deputy City Manager Brandon Wade said.

Since the storm, the city has held together its infrastructure with pumps, generators and "zip ties," Wade said.

The regional organization charged with distributing the disaster recovery money to 12 area counties hit hard by Ike has tentatively recommended allocating $729.5 million, or 86 percent, of $844 million to area cities and counties to administer.

More than $100 million of the $844 million would go to the state for an affordable housing program in the area, and $9.9 million will go to the state to repair area medical facilities. Of the $729.5 million allocated to area cities and counties, $189.8 million, 26 percent, would go to Galveston, and $178.6 million, 25 percent, would go to Galveston County.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council will vote on the allocations Monday. The organization recommended in February allocating similar percentages to the city and county from a first round of disaster recovery money. That money is not expected to trickle down to city and county homeowners until March, at the earliest.

Galveston city officials told the area council Wednesday that rounds one and two funding combined would pay for only 20 percent of the cost to repair damaged city infrastructure and the more than 17,000 Galveston houses flooded during Ike.

Two-thirds of homeowners were uninsured, Sterling Patrick, the city’s director of grants and housing, said.

What happened in Galveston and the problems that continue to plague that community are examples of why a community-wide approach to property protection against hurricanes - and other natural disasters - is the best way to prepare, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Learn more about how to rebuild your community stronger or how to begin working with your neighbors now - before the worst happens - to create a more resilient community.

High winds threaten Ohio properties today

Most Ohio residents remember what it was like when the remnants of Hurricane Ike tore through that state in September 2008. Well, unfortunately they may see similar gusty conditions today thanks to a powerful winter storm.

Ike caused more than $1 billion in wind-related damage and was followed by another wind storm in February 2009 that racked another $89 million in property damage, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute.

A high wind warning has been issued for Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, with wind gusts up to 60 mph expected today and sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph at the wind storm's peak, the National Weather Service reports. Meteorologists describe this system as producing the "type of wind is typically associated with tropical storms."

The good news is, the winds Wednesday won't approach the sustained force as those that devastated the region in September 2008.

High winds are often accompanied by power outages, downed trees and hazardous driving conditions. Clearing out dead tree limbs and removing anything that might be picked up by high winds and turned into flying debris can help reduce the risk of property damage. Learn more about high wind protection with help from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Study says wind speeds increasing around Lake Superior

A new study links warming waters in Lake Superior with stronger winds that may be capable of causing increased property damage, according to the journal Nature Geoscience, where the study was published this week. 

The study was done by researchers in the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and the Large Lakes Observatory and Department of Physics at the University of Minnesota. The authors found surface water temperatures in Lake Superior have warmed faster than air temperature during the thermally stratified summer season, because decreasing ice cover has led to increased heat input.What this means for the people and properties in and around the lake region had not been studied extensively until now.

Winds are determined by temperature differences between the air and the water below. Typically, in summertime, the water is colder than the air above it, which creates stable atmospheric conditions and low winds, because the denser, cold air near the surface of the water is "content" beneath the less dense, warmer air above.

"As the lake is now getting warmer relatively quickly, that difference in temperature is getting closer to zero," said study lead author Ankur Desai of the University of Wisconsin in Madison in a news release. "That makes it less stable. As a consequence, the mean wind speed is increasing."

The gustier conditions caused a 5 percent increase per decade in the current speed on the lake, the researchers found. As winds increase, so does the vulnerability of homes and businesses in the surrounding areas to wind-related property damage. Learn how to protect your property against high wind damage with information developed by the building science engineers at the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

The researchers used analysis observations from buoys and satellites to learn that surface wind speeds above the lake are increasing faster than wind speeds over land, the study reports. A numerical model of the lake circulation suggests that the increasing wind speeds will continue and also will result in faster currents in the lake.

Storm damage estimates adding up in New Jersey

The storm fueled by remnants of Hurricane Ida is estimated to have caused $89 million in damage in Ocean City, N.J., and about $31 million worth of damage on Long Beach Island, the Press of Atlantic City reports.

In Atlantic County, initial damage estimates are coming in at $16 million, a figure that is still climbing as officials scramble to assess eroded beaches and flooded property, the newspaper reports.

Federal and state agencies will visit New Jersey's shore towns today to help determine the extent of the damage. Emergency management officials in the region worked frantically Monday to submit preliminary reports to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which could provide federal funds as relief to municipalities affected by the storm.

Teams visiting today will work first with local and county governments in Atlantic and Cape May counties, the newspaper reports. The counties of Ocean, Cumberland, Burlington and Monmouth are included in the emergency declaration issued Sunday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

Atlantic County's preliminary damage estimate of more than $16 million is significantly less than that of Ocean and Cape May counties.

Municipalities in Cape May and Ocean counties are reporting the largest amounts in damage expenses. The damage, however, doesn't include any insured losses to private properties.

When repairing damage to roofs and other areas around your home or business, take steps to reduce the risk of future storm damage. The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) can help. Learn more about how to make your property more resilient to high winds and water.

Ida expected to bring winds and rain to coastal Mid-Atlantic states

Tropical Storm Ida delivered swamping rains to parts of coastal Alabama on Tuesday before weakening and delivering heavy rain to Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Ida's remnants will develop into a powerful new storm off the East Coast today, according to The Weather Channel. Heavy rain, strong northeasterly winds and coastal flooding are predicted today through Friday. The worst weather is expected from Ocean City, Md., to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Eastern sections of the Carolinas could receive up to 8 inches of rain, and some coastal areas could record wind gusts of up to 60 mph today and Thursday.

Learn how to keep wind and water from damaging your property with help from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Typhoon is one for the record books

It's not often that a typhoon hits Nevada - mark the calendar as Oct. 13, 2009 being an exception.

Typhoon Melor, which was labeled a "super typhoon" by meteorologists roared ashore in Japan last week, made its way across the Pacific and combined with a jet stream off the Northwest Coast on Tuesday. The heaviest rains came through Tuesday, and about 2 inches were predicted in the valleys before the storm moves out today. More than a foot of snow was expected at higher elevations.

The storm was in full-swing about 5 p.m. Tuesday and is expected to continue impacting the area through today. Winds were averaging 25 mphd to 35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph. Localized flooding was expected with about 2 inches of rain per hour being reported.

Wind and water damage can happen at unexpected times. Will your home or business be protected? Learn the simple steps to reducing damage by keeping wind and water out. This free information is offered by the Institute for Business & Home Safety.

Gusty winds leave trail of damage in Michigan

Winds gusting up to 60 mph on Lake Michigan snapped trees and power lines Monday, causing some property damage and leaving homes and businesses in the dark.

The winds stirred up 13-foot-high waves, swamping piers. On land, the winds blew through Grand Rapids and the surrounding areas at about 50 mph. Several downed trees crashed through roofs and the downed wires were linked to at least two fires, one severely damaged a home and the other destroyed a farm building. More wind was expected today.

The National Weather Service said this is the first of two storm systems resulting from a stalled low-pressure weather pattern in Kansas meeting a high pressure system out of the Pacific Northwest.

Protect your property from high-wind damage with help from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). By completing a few low-cost maintenance projects, you can significantly improve the strength of your home or business. Learn how to trim trees to minimize the risk of damage.

Nearly 3,000 homes and businesses need repairs following Kansas storm

A supercell thunderstorm left a trail of damage across central Kansas on Monday and residents are still trying to sort through the rubble, the Salina Journal reports.

Wind speeds reached 79 mph in Salina and picked up as the storm system traveled east-northeast, according to the National Weather Service. Wind speeds south of Abilene were clocked as high as 110 mph.

So far, 2,500 homes and businesses in Saline County have been reported to have minor damage, while 250 received major damage, according to local officials. Damage assessments are continuing. 

There has to be an estimate of at least $3 million in public damage or uninsured private damage for the state to seek a presidential declaration and federal aid.

Severe weather is common in Kansas. Find out how to better protect your property with simple steps from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Falling trees and high winds cause damage in North Carolina

Dozens of homes were damaged Wednesday night by the powerful thunderstorms that ripped across the Charlotte, N.C., metro region, The Charlotte Observer reports.

Damage was reported in at least a half-dozen counties in the Charlotte area, but the worst damage was in Monroe County, according to the newspaper.

In Monroe, the storms left a path of damage from the Stewart Park community in southwest Monroe through the center of the city. Monroe's Downtown Historic District also was damaged. Officials said at least 25 homes suffered significant damage, mostly from fallen trees, the newspaper reports. Wind gusts of 60 mph or stronger were reported in the city.

Protect your property against damage from falling trees. Learn how to Trim Your Risk of Tree Damage with information from IBHS.