THE CATASTROPHE AFTER IRENE’S EXIT RECORD-TO-NEAR-RECORD FLOODING IN NEW ENGLAND AND CANADA IS STILL HAPPENING AUGUST 29---?, 2011 Dr. Walter Hays, Global Alliance For Disaster Reduction

AUG 28: FORECAST OF IRENE’S EXIT

IRENE CAUSED A $10+ BILLION DISASTER (Note: the final economic toll is not known yet)

Irene smashed power poles, ripped transmission wires and flooded electrical stations over the weekend, blacked out more than 7.4 million homes and businesses from South Carolina to Maine, and killed 38 people

---BUT A CATASTROPHE IS STILL BUILDING

New England and neighboring states like New York are still on high alert for major flooding during the next several days as rivers overflow from the runoff of Irene’s storm surge and heavy rainfall.

Flooding is also expected in Eastern Canada, especially in Quebec, where about 250,000 homes are without power.

NOTE: IT WILL TAKE WEEKS FOR THE RIVERS TO RECEDE AND RETURN TO NORMAL LEVELS

VERMONT Flooding from the storm, which passed through on Sunday afternoon (Aug 28), essentially shut Southern Vermont down

Several feet of water flooded downtown Brattleboro during the afternoon, and smaller towns in Windham and Bennington Counties faced “catastrophic” flooding in some neighborhoods..

In Vermont (and upstate New York), normally placid streams turned into raging torrents and rapidly moved tree limbs, cars, and parts of bridges down stream..

Vermont's mountainous terrain amplified the effects of Irene's flooding by increasing the velocity of stream flow while increasing the runoff time.

VERMONT: Worst flooding in the state since 1927 Whole communities under water: businesses, homes, roads, bridges, rail systems, and crops Vermont’s Emergency Operations Center was under- water and had to be relocated.

VERMONT: FLOODING

VERMONT: ROADS WASHED OUT

WINOOSKI RIVER: WATERBURY, VT

WATERBURY, VT

VERMONT FLOODING

VERMONT: 3 OF THE ICONIC BRIDGES FAILED

VERMONT: FLOODING

The problem is NOT that Irene passed north along Vermont’s border with New York and unleashed far more rain than expected on Vermont; IT’S A RUNOFF PROBLEM THAT IS STILL HAPPENING

NOTE: Too much water after flooding and its quality is a major factor in health care problems.