USA: Hurricane Ike Assessment Update
Our Hurricane Ike assessment team evaluated damage and response levels in the coastal communities of both Texas and Louisiana. We assessed the needs that are present now and those that may arise in the coming weeks. In order to obtain the most accurate information possible, we met with numerous area emergency officials, church pastors, mayors, community members and representatives from other responding relief organizations.
We identified Bridge City, Texas as a potential project location based upon the high level of storm surge flooding. All but 20 of of the community’s 3,400 homes had taken on water. However, the presence of Operation Blessing, the CRWRC and various Baptist disaster relief organizations makes us feel comfortable that Bridge City is currently receiving the response it needs and that a HODR project is not required there at this time.
HODR will continue to monitor the status of areas affected by Hurricane Ike and will have regular contact with potential partnering organizations. If we find a compelling need remains that warrants our help within the next 3-4 weeks, we will re-evaluate the possibility of launching a project in November.
In the mean time, HODR's US Operations will be focused fully on Project Cedar Rapids to ensure a successful final month. PCR will be ending October 25, 2008 after having completed four months of flood recovery work. Click here for information on how you can volunteer now at Project Cedar Rapids.
USA: Hurricane Ike Assessment Announcement
Preliminary reports regarding Hurricane Ike indicate that there is widespread damage throughout a large portion of the Gulf Coast. In Texas, particularly in areas close to Galveston which took the brunt of the storm, there appears to be significant wind damage to numerous homes and businesses, as well as flooding due to storm surge. In addition, failed levees in Louisiana have caused flooding within multiple parishes, many of which were still recovering from Hurricane Gustav. Because the devastation is so extensive, officials have yet to enter some of the affected areas, but anticipate that up to 100,000 structures have been damaged.
HODR has deployed an assessment team consisting of Bill Driscoll Jr., Tiffany Kelley, and Aaron Davis. They are currently en route to the Gulf Coast to evaluate the situation and determine how HODR can be of assistance to those affected by this disaster. If you have any contacts in Texas or Louisiana that may assist in the assessment, please e-mail Tiffany at Tiffany@HODR.org. To help us gauge volunteer response, please e-mail Tom Taylor at info@HODR.org, if you are interested in volunteering should a project develop from this assessment.
Want to support our Hurricane Ike assessment? Please donate via credit card or PayPal at the left of this page -- more than 90% of all funds donated to HODR go directly toward our response efforts. Want to volunteer now? Click here for information on how you can get involved with Project Cedar Rapids, which will continue as planned through Oct. 25, 2008.
Frequent updates will be available on our US Operations micro-blog.
