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Effects of Hurricane Georges in Louisiana

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Hurricane Georges
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Georges making landfall in Mississippi
Winds1-minute sustained: 105 mph (165 km/h)
Fatalities3 indirect
Damage$30.1 million (1998 USD)
Areas affectedSoutheast Louisiana
Part of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season

The effects of Hurricane Georges in Louisiana included $30.1 million in damages and three deaths. Hurricane Georges began as a tropical wave off the coast of Africa in mid-September. Tracking towards the west, the wave spawned an area of low pressure two days later which quickly strengthened into a tropical depression. On September 16, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Georges and further to Hurricane Georges the next day. The storm reached its peak intensity on September 20 with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), just below Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Over the following five days, the hurricane tracked through the Greater Antilles, causing over 600 fatalities, mainly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. By September 25, Georges entered the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm made landfall three days later near Biloxi, Mississippi with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). Shortly after landfall, the hurricane significantly slowed with forward motion reducing to a general drift towards the east. Georges dissipated on October 1 near the Atlantic coast of Florida.[1]

Damages in the state amounted to $30.1 million (1998 USD) and three indirect fatalities were reported. Numerous homes located outside the Levee system were flooded by Georges's storm surge and 85 fishing camps on the banks of Lake Pontchartrain were destroyed. The highest rainfall in the state was 2.98 in (75.69 mm) in Bogalusa and wind gusts reached 82 mph (132 km/h).

Preparations

Track of Hurricane Georges

At 1500 UTC on September 25, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for coastal regions of Louisiana east of Morgan City. The following day, the watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning as Hurricane Georges neared landfall. At this time, a hurricane watch was also issued for areas between Morgan City and Intracoastal City. As Georges slowed and forecasts showed a higher chance of landfall east of Louisiana, the hurricane watch was cancelled and the hurricane warning was changed to a tropical storm warning. By September 29, all watches and warnings were discontinued as Georges moved inland and weakened.[1]

Between September 25 and 26, large scale evacuations took place as Georges was forecast to make landfall near New Orleans.[2] On September 26, roughly 1.5 million people in New Orleans were told to evacuate the city as mayor Marc Morial issued a mandatory evacuation for most of the area. Nine shelters, were opened throughout the area and could accommodate up to 450,000 people.[3] He also declared a State of Emergency to allow federal assistance into the affected areas immediately following the storm. A curfew was also put in place for those who ignored the evacuation orders or could not leave the city.[4]

An estimated 500,000 people evacuated from Jefferson and Orleans Parishes ahead of the hurricane. About 31,000 others took refuge in shelters set up throughout the state. In Jefferson Parish, an estimated 3,900 people evacuated to public shelters while 20,000 took shelter in Orleans Parish, 14,000 of which were located in the Louisiana Superdome. In Plaquemines Parish, about 15,000 residents evacuated and 2,300 took refuge in public shelters.[2] In Grand Isle, the island's 1,500 residents were ordered to evacuate for the fourth time in the span of a month. Due to the large-scale evacuations, 175 off-duty state troopers and 250 national guard troops were deployed to help speed up the evacuation process. Only two highways, U.S. Route 90 and Interstate 10 lead in and out of New Orleans; however, heavy rains from previous storms flooded parts of Route 90, hindering the evacuation process.[5] Lt. Col. Ronnie Jones of the Louisiana state police stated that the evacuation of Hurricane Georges was "probably the largest evacuation we have ever achieved".[6]

Impact

Total rainfall in the United States from Georges
Chandeleur Islands before Georges
Chandeleur Islands after Georges

Compared to the record breaking rainfall in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, Hurricane Georges produced relatively little rain in Louisiana, peaking at 2.98 in (75.69 mm) in Bogalusa.[1] The effects of the hurricane were limited to the southeastern portion of the state, with the worst of the damage being in Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes. A storm surge of 8.9 ft (2.7 m) was recorded in Gardene Bay before power at the recording station failed. Gale-force winds impacted most of the Parish and gusts peaked at 82 mph (132 km/h). The combination of high winds and the large storm surge cut power to most of the area and flooded at least 50 homes, all of which were located outside the levee system. A storm surge up to 7.4 ft (2.2 m) flooded areas outside the levees in the Parish, damaging at least 65 homes. The nearby Chandeleur Islands suffered severe erosion from the storm.[2] A lighthouse located on the islands prior to Georges was partially submerged in the Gulf of Mexico, nearly 1,200 feet (370 m) from land. Six foot (1.8 m) sand dunes, with a boardwalk placed on top, located on the islands were completely eroded by the storm, leaving the boardwalk just above the water's surface.[7]

In St. Tammany Parish, the effects of Georges were mainly limited to wind damage as gusts reached 48 mph (77 km/h) knocked down trees and power lines. A storm surge of 4.3 ft (1.3 m) flooded 20 homes in the parish. Winds in Jefferson Parish gusted up to 55 mph (88 km/h), causing minor roof damage and power outages. In Orleans Parish, a storm surge of 5.81 ft (1.77 m) destroyed 85 fishing camps which were constructed on wooden pilings. Winds gusting up to 68 mph (109 km/h) knocked down numerous trees and power lines in the parish, leaving 80,000 residences without power. Throughout the state, a total of 160,000 homes and businesses were without power due to Georges.[2] A total of three people were indirectly killed by Georges. The first two fatalities occurred during an evacuation when two men collapsed and died due to medical conditions worsened by the evacuation. The third fatality was the result of a house fire which was sparked by an emergency candle that was knocked over. Total damages from the storm amounted to $30.1 million (1998 USD; $39.8 million 2009 USD).[2]

Aftermath

Lake Pontchartrain during Hurricane Georges

Prior to the impacts of Hurricane Georges, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared disaster declarations for Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Plaquemines, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist St. Tammany, Terrebone, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes. The declaration allowed residents to receive individual and public assistance.[8] Including relief funds to Puerto Rico and Mississippi, a total of $14,150,532 in paid losses was reported by FEMA.[9] A total of $56 million was raised in relief funds for areas affected by Tropical Storm Frances and Hurricane Georges in Louisiana.[10] Throughout the state, officials opened 67 shelters and deployed 1,200 FEMA personnel to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.[11] The day after Georges made landfall, 4,000 of the 14,000 residents who evacuated to the Louisiana Superdome returned to their homes; however, mayor Marc Morial requested that the residents stay in the superdome for their own safety.[12] In attempts to prevent major flooding in the aftermath of Georges, the United States National Guard provided the Gulf Coast with 1.25 million sandbags. Rescue teams also flew nearly 50 missions in response to calls for help from stranded residents.[13] The United Methodist Committee on Relief deployed its disaster response team on September 29 to the state to assess damages wrought by Georges.[14] Thomas Michot, a United States Geological Survey ecologist, surveyed the islands following Georges and stated that "the single most important line of defense standing between New Orleans and future hurricanes had all but disappeared".[15]

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b c John L. Guiney (January 5, 1999). "Hurricane Georges Tropical Cyclone Report". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e "NCDC Event Report: Louisiana Hurricane". National Climatic Data Center. 1999. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  3. ^ Staff Writer (September 28, 1998). "Hurricane Georges forces evacuation". Minnesota Daily. Retrieved May 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Mary Dejevsky (September 28, 1998). "Georges heads for New Orleans". The Independent. Retrieved April 22, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Associated Press (September 27, 1998). "Hurricane Georges heading toward Big Easy". Highbeam Research. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  6. ^ Jerry Schwartz (September 28, 1998). "Hurricane Georges Slams Into Gulf Coast (News)". Associated Press. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  7. ^ United States Department of the Interior (October 6, 1998). "Hurricane Georges damages Chandeleur Islands". Highbeam Research. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  8. ^ Government of the United States (September 23, 1998). "Designated Counties for Louisiana Tropical Storm Frances and Hurricane Georges". Federal Emergency Management Agency. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  9. ^ Government of the United States (March 7, 2008). "Significant Flood Events". Federal Emergency Management Agency. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  10. ^ Government of the United States (October 2000). "Accomplishments of the Clinton-Gore Administration". Government of the United States. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  11. ^ Federal Emergency Management Agency (September 29, 1998). "-FEMA: Hurricane Georges Monday Noon update". Highbeam Research. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  12. ^ Stephan Hawkings (September 29, 1998). "Hurricane Georges blasts Gulf Coast with rain, wind". Associated Press. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  13. ^ Associated Press (September 29, 1998). "National Guard mobilized to help with aftermath of Hurricane Georges". Highbeam Research. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  14. ^ Staff Writer (October 2, 1998). "UMCOR: Hurricane Georges News, October 2, 1998". United Methodist Committee on Relief. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  15. ^ Kyle Donaldson (August 12, 2008). "Documenting the Aftermath of Hurricane Georges". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
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