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National Situation Update: Sunday, September 24, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Midwest:  The cold front is moving with torrential rain and severe thunderstorms crossing the Ohio Valley. The next surge of torrential rain will dump 1 to 3 inches (possibly more) of additional rain on already flooded areas of the Ohio Valley. A few severe thunderstorms could develop north into southern Michigan.

The cold front will be heading into the Appalachians, ending the thunderstorms from west to east across the Ohio Valley. By afternoon, the only lingering showers in the Plains and Midwest may be around the Great Lakes.

South:  From Arkansas, Tennessee and east Texas, a squall line of strong-to-severe thunderstorms with torrential downpours will sweep across the South as the cold front is propelled eastward into very warm and muggy air.

The threat for damaging winds and hail will accompany the thunderstorms through the Tennessee Valley, lower Mississippi Valley and eastern Texas. A tornado threat can't be ruled out.  The front will advance from the southern Plains into eastern Tennessee, northern Alabama, central Mississippi, central Louisiana and the Gulf Coast of Texas. The risk for severe downpours will extend from the Carolinas to the northern Gulf Coast.

Northeast:  Strong thunderstorms and locally heavy rain will be advancing across western New York, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The cold front will sweep across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Warm and humid ahead of the front, thunderstorms could turn severe across southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic with damaging wind gusts and hail. Heavy downpours are possible.

West:  The last of the showery rain and mountain snow is exiting eastern sections of Wyoming and Colorado as the storm is moving eastward. Gusty north-to-northwest winds linger over the high Plains. The winds have increased over the Southwest and Santa Ana winds will linger in the mountains around Los Angeles this morning.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Five More Cases of Spinach-Related Illness Confirmed

The outbreak of E. coli linked to fresh spinach was blamed for another five cases of illness Saturday, raising the number of people sickened to 171, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.  The number of states affected held steady at 25.

So far, 92 people have been hospitalized, including a Wisconsin woman who died. Two other deaths have been reported in suspected cases -- a child in Idaho and an elderly woman in Maryland -- but those cases are still being investigated.

For more than a week, the Food and Drug Administration has recommended people not eat fresh, raw spinach. State and federal investigators since have traced the contaminated spinach back to three counties in California's Salinas Valley, and already farm inspections there are turning up possible problems.

On Friday officials said spinach grown anywhere outside that area is safe to eat. However, the industry needs to figure out how to let consumers know the origin of what they're buying before the green can return to the shelves, said Dr. David Acheson of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.  (Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather

Severe weather moved through Illinois and Indiana Friday, September 22, 2006. The following reports were provided by the State EOC's:

IL- Only reports of minor damage in Jackson and Massac Counties. No request for State assistance and no local emergency declarations.

IN- IDHS has activated the EOC at 9:00 am EDT, September 23, 2006, (Level 2 activation) with a duty officer and a dispatcher at this time.  The State has EMS and building inspectors on stand by if needed. The area coordinators are now working with the local EMA directors in the affected areas on assessments.

State DNR reports that they have been involved with many of the water rescues.
District 10 (Vanderburgh Co.):  Received 5 to 8 inches of rain resulting in street flooding and flooding of other typical areas around Evansville. 

District 9: Clark Co. The local director reporting they will declare a state of emergency. A shelter has been opened at River Valley School on New Albany Rd managed by the Salvation Army.  No one sheltered last night. The Salvation Army also issued dry clothing to 20 people who then departed to stay with family. Several water rescues were made - most due to people driving under flooded overpasses.

Harrison Co. declared a local emergency at 4:30 am EDT September 23, 2006.  No additional information at this time.

Floyd Co. has declared a local emergency.  The director advised there were 15 to 20 water rescues due to people driving into deep water. 2 swift water rescues, one person rescued from a tree after 3 hours in the water.

The DHS\FEMA Region V Duty Officer is in communication with the State EOC. Updates will follow as information is received.  (FEMA Region V)

More Midwest Storms Are Forecast; 7 Dead

High winds, heavy rain and tornadoes pounded parts of the Midwest and the South, leaving seven people dead and stranding others in trees and shelters while forecasters warned Saturday of more stormy weather to come.

Stormy weather buffeted the region Friday. Areas in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri received more than 10 inches of rain in 24 hours, said David Blanchard, a National Weather Service forecaster in Paducah, Ky.

"There's so much moisture in the atmosphere, you could get a lot of rain in no time flat," said Brian Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Two tornadoes swept through south-central Missouri on Friday afternoon, damaging more than 100 homes and tearing off part of a roof at a middle school moments after a tornado drill.
Students at St. James Middle School said they had just completed a tornado drill when they were forced to rush back into the hallway for the real thing. No teachers, children or staff members were injured.

Officials in Sharp County, Ark., worked Saturday to rescue people who were stranded after heavy rains flooded much of the county, including one person stuck in a tree, sheriff's officials said.

Six people were killed in Kentucky, including a father and his 1-year-old daughter who died when their truck slid off an interstate into flood waters near Elizabethtown.  Two women died trying to cross a flooded roadway early Saturday. Witnesses told rescue officials the women were swept away in a flooded creek.  Others killed included a Jessamine County woman who ran her pickup truck into high water and a woman in the southwestern part of the state whose car struck a guard rail.  In northwest Arkansas, a woman died when her boat was struck by lightning as tried to make it to shore. Another person in the boat was injured and treated at a hospital.

In Kentucky, flooding forced more than 100 people out of a Louisville apartment complex.
Portions of Interstate 64 just east of Louisville were closed in both directions due to standing water. Dozens of cars were stranded. At one point, just about every road in the county was flooded, said a Hardin County 911 dispatcher, after 5 inches of rain fell.  (Media Sources)

MO Severe Storms and Tornadoes

A series of storms swept across Missouri on Friday, September 22, 2006 causing damages in Phelps, Madison, Perry, St. Francois, Iron and Crawford Counties.  Southeast Missouri experienced flash flooding in New Madrid, Ripley and Butler Counties.

A cold front crossed Missouri on Saturday morning September 23, 2006 including severe storms that have the potential for reforming late Saturday afternoon and evening. No fatalities and ten injuries have been reported. SEMA reports ARC/SEMA/local preliminary assessments for Perry, Iron, Madison and Phelps Counties:

                                   Destroyed         Major               Minor
Single Family Homes    67                     46                   156
Mobile Homes             17                     18                    18
Multi-Family                 0                       4                      6
Totals                          84                     68                    180

SEMA estimates 60% of the above were insured.

Butler County: The City of Neelyville reported flash flooding and requested USACE sandbags to protect the local school.

Crawford County: The ARC reports 6 homes with major and 6 homes with minor damage in Leasburg. The ARC is sheltering 2 people in nearly Cuba.

Dunklin County: The City of Campbell evacuated 25 families to the Community Center temporarily until they can find housing with friends and relatives.

Iron County:  Local officials report 8 homes destroyed, 13 with major damages and 5 with minor damages; 1 mobile home was destroyed and 4 mobile homes are reported to have major damages. An apartment building was also damaged. The number of units in the building is unknown at this time.

Madison County:  Damages reported to Mine La Motte are: 1 home destroyed, 7 with major damages and 14 with minor damages. Six mobile homes are reported destroyed, 7 with major damages and 16 with minor damages. One mobile home resident suffered serious injuries. The Mine La Motte School reports extensive damage. A shelter is set up in Fredericktown to accommodate 30 families.

New Madrid County: The county opened a shelter on Saturday, 09/23/06, due to overnight flooding. The City of Lilbourn reported 12 homes flooded with 30 residents sheltered at the county shelter. Portageville reports 30 homes damaged by flooding and 10 homes damaged by high winds. Portageville, Lilbourne and Marston are currently conducting sandbagging operations and the City of Portageville has received pumps from the USACE for temporary emergency response activities

Perry County:  Local authorities closed access to Crosstown where 52 homes were destroyed, 10 had major damage and 21 received minor damage. Damages to mobile homes include 10 destroyed, 7 with major damages and 2 with minor damage. One church was destroyed and 2 churches received major damages. The Perry County Hospital treated 6 injured people. The ARC is providing housing vouchers to 20 families. They are operating 4 mobile and 1 fixed feeding operations, serving 450 meals.

Phelps County:  The City of St. James reports 6 homes destroyed 16 homes with major damage, 127 with minor damage and 38 affected. Four multi-family dwellings received major damage and 6 had minor damage. The St. James Middle School gymnasium roof was destroyed. Local officials report several businesses sustained damages. Three people were injured, although none seriously. An ARC shelter was established in St. James. A local packing plant, which employs 50-80 people, received major damage.

Reynolds County: The ARC is providing assistance to the family of one house destroyed in Black.

Ripley County: The ARC opened a shelter in Naylor on Saturday, 09/23/06, to support 20 evacuees from a senior citizens housing facility due to flooding from 10"-12" of rain that fell overnight.

St. Francois County:  Local officials report 2 buildings destroyed.

Washington County: The City of Richwoods reports 1 building received roof damage.

FEMA Region VII received a request for an Individual Assistance (IA) Federal/State Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) at 6:19 pm EDT September 23, 2006, to include the counties of: Butler, Crawford, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, New Madrid, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois and Washington.  IA PDA teams will start assessments at 9:00 am EDT Monday, September 25, 2006.  Public Assistance (PA) Joint FEMA/State PDAs may be requested at a later date as the State continues to assess damages.

The FEMA RVII RRCC was activated at Level 1 Saturday, September 23, 2006. Hours of operation are 9:00 am - 8:00 pm EDT.

SEMA EOC activated at Level I operations; hours of operation are 9:00 am - 8:00 pm EDT.

SEMA Area Coordinators and the MSHP are supporting local damage assessment efforts.  Madison and Perry Counties issued emergency declarations. The Missouri Department of Transportation is hauling sand to New Madrid County for sandbagging operations. The ARC is operating shelters and conducting damage assessments in numerous counties. The Salvation Army is providing assistance in St. James (Phelps County.) The AmeriCorps is providing tarping and chain saw/debris removal crews in Phelps and Madison Counties, with the United Methodists providing skid loader crews to assist AmeriCorps in debris removal operations.  (FEMA Region VII)

Tennessee Storms Cause Minor Damage

Severe storms brought heavy rain and strong winds through Tennessee on Friday and Saturday, causing minor damage and some flash flooding.  The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings in effect until Sunday morning throughout the northern half of the state and in lower-lying areas.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency had not received any reports of tornado touchdowns, major damage or injuries as of Saturday evening, spokesman Jeremy Heidt said.
``We had our worst flooding (Saturday) morning in Obion County, and that's been cleared up,'' he said. ``People who were evacuated have returned home.''

Nearly 300 people had to be evacuated Friday night from a trailer park in Obion County in upper northwest Tennessee after water from a creek nearby began to flow out its banks, Heidt said.
The first round of heavy rains which fell overnight Friday saturated the ground, causing the flooding after Saturday's storms moved through.

Severe storm and flood warnings were issued for most of East Tennessee for Saturday night as the line of storms which stretched throughout the South and Midwest moved east. Six people were in Kentucky.

In Tennessee there were scattered reports of downed trees and some power outages.  Emergency management officials in the city of Jackson believe a small tornado caused minor damage in the city and a two-vehicle wreck Friday evening. A tree went down, causing an accident and officials with the Jackson-Madison County Emergency Management Agency could not confirm the tornado's damage path.  (Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea:
There are no current threats.

Central and Eastern Pacific:
There are no current threats.

Western Pacific:
There are no current threats. (USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center).

Hot, Dry Winds Blow Into Calif. Wildfire

Hot, dry Santa Ana winds increased Saturday as crews battling a three-week-old wildfire in Los Padres National Forest rushed to carve fire breaks before the fiercest gusts arrived.  Winds were gusting to 52 mph in the area about 75 miles north of Los Angeles, officials said.

No imminent threat was reported to homes. But 10 homes were evacuated, and hundreds of people in communities about 10 miles from the fire's edge were urged to be ready to evacuate if the winds from the northeast set the flames racing.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for extreme fire conditions through Sunday in the area. Forecasters said gusts as high as 70 mph were possible during the weekend.
Such conditions could drive the blaze in mile-long leaps along ridges and steep canyons, with flames spreading as fast as 11 mph, said a representative of the U.S. Forest Service.

A light, moist wind from the south had calmed the fire for much of the week. Crews used the time to burn chaparral and wrap isolated homes in protective material. Fire trucks waited in some driveways to protect dwellings. More than 20 aircraft were "painting the hills with fire retardant" but would have to be grounded if the winds became too powerful.

The fire along the border of Ventura and Los Angeles counties doubled in size to about 80,000 acres, or 125 square miles, when Santa Ana winds kicked up a week ago. The fire began on Labor Day and has burned 116,971 acres, or nearly 183 square miles. It was nearly 40 percent contained.  More than 3,000 firefighters were battling the blaze, which has cost $31.7 million to fight.  (Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity to report. ( FEMA HQ)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A minor earthquake (3.9 magnitude) struck at 1:44 am EDT 265 miles southwest of Portland, OR.  No tsunami was generated and there were no reports of damage or injuries  (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No activity to report. (FEMA HQ)  

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 3

National Fire Activity

• Initial attack activity: Light (96 new fires)
• New large fires: 2
• Large fires contained: 2
• Uncontained large fires: 19
• Area Command Teams: 1
• Type 1 IMTs committed: 6
• Type 2 IMTs committed: 8

Fire Use Teams:  Australia and New Zealand assisting with 63 fire specialists and managers.

Predictive Services Discussion:  Strong offshore winds will continue in California through today. A high pressure ridge will build over the West through the weekend as showers depart to the east. Strong northeast winds will continue for northern California, while strong offshore winds in southern California remain through today with greatest impact over the coastal mountains and inland valleys.   (National Interagency Fire Center, National Interagency Coordination Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No activity to report.  (FEMA HQ)