Hurrican Harvey

[Tank]

Hurricane Harvey was the headline on the BBC this morning.

[Dragonia]

It's unfathomable... up to 50 inches of rain? It's like a lake dumping on that entire section of Texas. Hard to imagine.

[Dave]

I can imagine how those people feel. I spent a day paddling a two man kayak around a flooded village in the 1960s, delivering mail, food, camping stoves and medicine, taking kids and pets to dry land etc. There waa 10 feet of water and a lot of very unhappy people.

I was in the RAF then and went back to warmth and comfort, those poor buggers had months of cleaning and repairing and fighting insurance.companies, if they are even insured against flood.

[Biggus Dickus]

It is unfathomable, and the scope and depth of this storm and the effect on the region is pretty unprecedented I can't imagine living through that right now...and with no let down in site as heavy rain in expected to last through the week, so they really don't know how bad it still might get. (The average annual rainfall in Houston is 50 inches. The city has seen 25 inches of rain in two days. Another 25 could fall by Saturday...fuck)

I also saw the Governor activated the entire National Guard of the State of Texas, and that's the largest contingent state forces in the US, about 22,000 members.

I really feel for everyone down there.

[Davin]

I read this somewhere: "God is punishing Texas for voting for Trump."

[Dave]

I read this somewhere: "God is punishing Texas for voting for Trump."

Hey, that's a twist, thought Trump was god's chosen according to his evangelicals.

[xSilverPhinx]

...and Trump will continue to deny global climate change.

What happens afterwards? I'm assuming the government will pay to rebuild what was destroyed? Or is it solely up to insurance companies?

[Icarus]

Wait a minute.... Is the Houston area where Bruce lives? 

[Arturo]

...and Trump will continue to deny global climate change.

What happens afterwards? I'm assuming the government will pay to rebuild what was destroyed? Or is it solely up to insurance companies?

Little bit of both. Supposed to be anyway.

[Dave]

...and Trump will continue to deny global climate change.

What happens afterwards? I'm assuming the government will pay to rebuild what was destroyed? Or is it solely up to insurance companies?

It seems that the storm frequency is nothing unusual but perhaps the average severity and duration might be. The Gulf of Mexico water temperature has been rising for 30 years according to one guy on the BBC, this is feeding the storms. But the fact that it stalled over Houston, close enough to the Gulf to still be "fed",  is a case of severe bad luck.

So, yes, global warming is still in the mix.

[Velma]

I'm starting to see people whining about other countries not coming to help despite the fact the US always seems to send aid to others. There are a few problems with that:

A. Other countries have send aid in the form of supplies and people during past disasters.
B. You probably didn't hear about it because it doesn't fit with the American attitude of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps.
C. There are official channels and procedures for that sort of international aid. They can offer, but it has to be acknowledged and accepted. I doubt that is high on the list of things to do for this administration.

[Dave]

I'm starting to see people whining about other countries not coming to help despite the fact the US always seems to send aid to others. There are a few problems with that:

A. Other countries have send aid in the form of supplies and people during past disasters.
B. You probably didn't hear about it because it doesn't fit with the American attitude of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps.
C. There are official channels and procedures for that sort of international aid. They can offer, but it has to be acknowledged and accepted. I doubt that is high on the list of things to do for this administration.

Perhaps Trump should seek help from the UN?

[Davin]

I'm starting to see people whining about other countries not coming to help despite the fact the US always seems to send aid to others. There are a few problems with that:

A. Other countries have send aid in the form of supplies and people during past disasters.
B. You probably didn't hear about it because it doesn't fit with the American attitude of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps.
C. There are official channels and procedures for that sort of international aid. They can offer, but it has to be acknowledged and accepted. I doubt that is high on the list of things to do for this administration.

D. Don't go around bad mouthing other countries and then expect them to help out when you need it.

[Arturo]

Heh, maybe if you found a job, Hurricane Harvey wouldn't have happened.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Over 11 trillion gallons of water have fallen in coastal Texas.  Try to imagine that.

I live 200 miles from the coast so all we got was rain and refugees.