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With landfall expected in less than 36 hours, and the National Hurricane Center's forecast of Ida becoming a Major (possibly Cat 4) hurricane, residents of south-central Louisiana have only a few daylight hours left to prepare for the storm, and/or evacuate.
Key messages this morning from the NHC on this storm follow:
While the impact of Ida may be tempered somewhat by it making landfall in a relatively unpopulated region of Louisiana, its effects may still be severe hundreds of miles inland. Power outages may be numerous, and restoration times may take days, or even weeks, in some locations.
Although we think about the first 24 hours of a hurricane's impact as being the most dramatic and newsworthy, the real impact often comes in the days, weeks, and months that follow, long after the evening news coverage has abated.
After the storm has passed, flood waters are often slow to recede, and they can leave behind a multitude of dangers. Downed electrical lines, dangerous debris, weakened and compromised structures, and even displaced wildlife (think : alligators, snakes, rats, etc.) can pose ongoing threats following the storm.
Not only do flood waters easily hide dangerous objects - like broken bottles, razor sharp metal sheeting, live electrical wires, and rusty nails – they can also harbor nasty viruses and bacteria (seeFlood Dangers Run Deep).
Thousands of homes and businesses may find themselves without electrical power, Internet or even cell phone service for days, possibly even weeks, after the storm has passed. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy left some parts of the Northeast without power for a week or longer, while Hurricane Maria left most of Puerto Rico dark for six months.
As we've discussed many times, the dangers from a hurricane often increase in the days and weeks after the storm has passed, due to injuries or illness that occur during the `recovery' period. Some of the many dangers include:
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (see CDC HAN 00415: Hurricane Florence — Clinical Guidance For Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning)
- Food poisoning (see A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes)
- Chain saw accidents (see Preventing Chain Saw Injuries During Tree Removal After a Disaster)
- Toxic mold and mildew (see CDC Mold After a Disaster).
- And even psychological impacts (including PTSD) (see Sandy 1 Year Later: Coping With The Aftermath).
While the psychological impact of a major disaster cannot be fully prevented, individual, family, and business preparedness can go a long ways towards reducing the impact of any disaster. The CDC also has some advice on Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event.
A small reminder that in the wake of a disaster not all wounds bleed, not all fractures show on an X-ray, and that the best treatment doesn't always come from inside your first aid kit.
Note: You should try and download and save much of the information from these websites onto your computer or smart phone before the storm - or even print some of it out - so you’ll have it even if there are disruptions in your power or Internet access.
