From a professor of geography at LSU: Suburban Sprawl and Poor Preparation Worsened Flood Damage in LA

* * * based on my experience studying risk and resilience in this region, I see parallels between the damage of current flooding and the damage caused by Katrina. In both cases, human decisions magnified the consequences of extreme natural events. Planning and permitting enabled development in areas that had experienced repeat floods, and agencies had failed to complete projects designed to mitigate flood damage before the storms hit.

As I noted in an earlier posting, serious problems will surface in LA when the reality of no  insurance for many of the estimated 60,000 homes damaged is fully realized.

See: Louisiana residents without flood insurance face uncertainty.  Some details:

In Louisiana, an estimated 42 percent of homes in high-risk areas have flood insurance, according to FEMA. Only 12.5 percent of homeowners in low and moderate-risk zones do.

Many of the areas hit hard by record rainfall last week were not considered at high risk for flooding.

Those residents without flood insurance are eligible for up to $33,000 in FEMA individual disaster assistance funds, although most will likely receive less than that, based on payments following other major disasters.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, FEMA paid $6.6 billion to approximately 1.07 million households and individuals in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, an average of just over $6,000 per grant, according to agency figures. Superstorm Sandy in 2012 produced an average payout of under $8,000 for about 180,000 residents of New York and New Jersey.

 NOTE: See comments from Ed Thomas, President of Natural Hazards Mitigation Association.

This is one of several articles about the lack of national attention to the extreme flooding in LA. I got confirmation of this concern from a friend working on the disaster in LA. The Diva wants to clarify the call  for more attention, although she is dependent on secondary sources.

See: America Is Ignoring Another Natural Disaster Near the Gulf. “Southern Louisiana is drowning again. No one seems to care.”

I do give Craig Fugate, FEMA, and DHS credit for trying hard to help. Both Fuguate and the DHS Secretary have gone to visit LA.

Update on August 19: According to CNN, some folks in LA said President Obama should  cut short his vacation and pay attention to their plight.

Last night Gov. Edwards of LA was on TV. When asked his opinion re the President’s visit, he said he was welcome anytime, but that he asked the President to wait a week or two so that he would not have to divert some many resources to preparing for his visit and security. Edwards said he was satisfied with FEMA’s assistance, but was disappointed in the lack of media coverage. The latter is essential for donations to charities, like the Red Cross, which the state desperately needs to help the victims.

Today I see that president candidate Donald Trump is planning to visit the disaster area. Big question about what good that will do for the flood victims.