General Discussion

alarimer

(17,146 posts)

68. It was a tropical storm on Wednesday

Tue Aug 29, 2017, 11:40 AM

Aug 2017

It became a hurricane on Thursday and landed on Friday. Let's assume that 1 million people would need evacuating. You cannot put that many people on the road at the same time and not have them be sitting ducks. There would have been thousands on the road when the floods started. They would all die. We've all seen cars get swept away by flash floods. Not pretty.

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Two words for those who're flinging shade at Houston municipal officials: Hurricane Rita [View all] TygrBright Aug 2017 OP

K&R ismnotwasm Aug 2017 #1

What the OP failed to mention Cryptoad Sep 2017 #79

Well said. narnian60 Aug 2017 #2

Exactly! Phoenix61 Aug 2017 #3

Thank you, TygrBright angel823 Aug 2017 #4

Thanks, angel823. Stay safe. Keep us updated on you and your family. n/t TygrBright Aug 2017 #6

like after katrina republican talk radio will be used to blame dems certainot Sep 2017 #82

I live here OBrien Aug 2017 #5

IMO their state and local governments are doing an outstanding job of keeping deaths to a minimum. appleannie1943 Aug 2017 #7

And that's really what it's about TexasBushwhacker Aug 2017 #20

thank you Bright. barbtries Aug 2017 #8

It is heartbreaking. TygrBright Aug 2017 #15

So far, 9 trillion gallons of water. It's the Kobayashi Maru of disaster scenarios. Turn CO Blue Aug 2017 #9

One journo said: "Harvey's trying to pick up the whole damn' Gulf and dump it on the Big Bend." n/t TygrBright Aug 2017 #10

Exactly. It was a no-win scenario even two days beforehand - for all the reasons you state Turn CO Blue Aug 2017 #19

What does this have to do with Bob Loblaw Aug 2017 #11

When I lived in Houston .. ananda Aug 2017 #12

Most of the people who stay in their homes have a lot of pets or can't afford a hotel. I used to kerry-is-my-prez Aug 2017 #13

Add to that martigras Aug 2017 #14

Not true re: zoning TexasBushwhacker Aug 2017 #58

Those people should have watched the Mayor's press conference just a few minutes ago... George II Aug 2017 #16

I saw that on MSNBC SCVDem Aug 2017 #22

I also think people not from Texas have no idea how big Houston is. alarimer Aug 2017 #69

It is possible that the mayor saved more lives by not issuing a mandatory evacuation. SweetieD Aug 2017 #17

KNR Lucinda Aug 2017 #18

Mayor Turner has lived in Houston for decades GETPLANING Aug 2017 #21

Also, there was very little notice More_Cowbell Aug 2017 #23

They had time to evacuate. Igel Aug 2017 #27

and let's say theoretically...that an evacuation was called a WEEK in advance... steve2470 Aug 2017 #24

What about security? KY_EnviroGuy Aug 2017 #38

excellent point nt steve2470 Aug 2017 #40

People in Houston ,,,, Cryptoad Aug 2017 #25

Too many like to find some one to blame. Cattledog Aug 2017 #26

May I... syringis Aug 2017 #28

Unfortunately, some blaming is already happening. Thanks for your well wishes, syringis! pnwmom Aug 2017 #37

I evacuated from the Beaumont area during Rita. Our area has about 300,000 residents Dustlawyer Aug 2017 #29

And too, there's a certain irony... zentrum Aug 2017 #30

Mexico is number 32 in crime rate rankings zentrum Aug 2017 #31

i would add, without reading the thread yet, KatyMan Aug 2017 #32

Thank you Dopers_Greed Aug 2017 #33

+1 onenote Aug 2017 #34

Katrina saw many people evacuated by the Feds to other states. WinkyDink Aug 2017 #35

Thank you. Horse with no Name Aug 2017 #36

There are too many armchair FEMA employees. EllieBC Aug 2017 #39

Evacuating major cities isn't all that easy. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 2017 #41

Exactly. Houston knows what it's doing. Evacuations are dangerous in & of themselves. Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #42

Amen! Thank you for this post. Catherine Vincent Aug 2017 #43

K & R SunSeeker Aug 2017 #44

K & R. Nt Heartstrings Aug 2017 #45

The proper way is phased mandatory evacuations Lee-Lee Aug 2017 #46

I've been through manditory evacuation drills like that. And through manditory evacuations. haele Aug 2017 #67

Your last paragraph says it all. 7962 Aug 2017 #74

New Orleans lost about half of its population after Katrina greymattermom Aug 2017 #47

Republicans Global warming & Climate change is real. 30-40 inches of rain in 3 days is HERE to STAY. Sunlei Aug 2017 #48

Houston Mayor Turner made the right call,... Jimbo101 Aug 2017 #49

there's also US290 going towards Aus but that's been hit with closures and ongoing construction work onetexan Aug 2017 #50

On One Of The Sunday Shows (can't remember which one) Me. Aug 2017 #51

This hurricane is not out of line in frequency or power with regular hurricane patterns. AtheistCrusader Aug 2017 #52

That is incorrect dbackjon Aug 2017 #57

You can't credibly describe this as 1000 year flooding. 1000 years ago the houston impermeable surfa AtheistCrusader Aug 2017 #62

Yes, the development is a major issue with the drainage dbackjon Aug 2017 #70

True, for the long game, it's critical to keep the climate perspective. AtheistCrusader Aug 2017 #71

Saw this today dbackjon Aug 2017 #73

Same thing happened in Ga in '94; that flood was "only" a tropical storm. it didnt move. 7962 Aug 2017 #77

See this breakdown of how climate change factors affect intensity and behavior of storms... TygrBright Aug 2017 #61

I read that. Some problems with it. AtheistCrusader Aug 2017 #64

As in building at or below flood levels, or even sea level ( New Orleans) 7962 Aug 2017 #75

K&R Lithos Aug 2017 #53

The republicans say we need smaller government. usaf-vet Aug 2017 #54

yeah, 3 mil people on the road to where? that place could be worse! Motley13 Aug 2017 #55

Sort of like the movie Independence Day. Blue_true Aug 2017 #59

Anyone who has ever lived in Houston knows that the city can be evacuated McCamy Taylor Aug 2017 #56

Harvey went from a tropical depression to a Cat 3 hurricane in 48 hours TexasBushwhacker Aug 2017 #60

Yeap, between a rock and a hard place uponit7771 Aug 2017 #63

"Well we screwed it up before so why try" isn't a strong policy base Lee-Lee Aug 2017 #65

This message was self-deleted by its author LanternWaste Aug 2017 #66

It was a tropical storm on Wednesday alarimer Aug 2017 #68

Yes. It went from a tropical depression to Cat3 in 48 hours TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #80

Perfectly said. Just perfect. dixiegrrrrl Aug 2017 #72

Since Houston can never be evacuated, but it is the most vulnerable city to climate change Not Ruth Aug 2017 #76

the teevee gnewz must 2nd guess at all times. 30 vs 100, i'd say the mayor got it right, but as a di pansypoo53219 Aug 2017 #78

What prevented the governor from ordering evacuation? keithbvadu2 Sep 2017 #81

Nobody cares what that fuckwad thinks. PDittie Sep 2017 #83

Because ir wasn't a hurricane obamanut2012 Sep 2017 #85

Really the only way to go was north. Demtexan Sep 2017 #84