News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

August 31, 2012

Wabash Valley prepares for deluge from remnants of Hurricane Isaac

TERRE HAUTE — Predictions are changing by the hour on how much rain the weakening Hurricane Isaac will dump on Indiana.

 But one thing is certain — this Labor Day weekend is shaping up to be full of thunderstorms, rain and possibly some rough weather.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is asking everyone to prepare for storms and localized flooding. The Vigo County Emergency Management Agency is recommending that each household have enough food, water, medicine and other survival needs to last 72 hours in case of power outages.

“Our big concern is trees coming down, damaging homes and power lines,” said J.D. Kesler, assistant Vigo EMA director.

On Thursday, EMA staff already had loaded two bales of sandbags into a truck to be ready in case an emergency delivery was requested. The empty bags can be filled by homeowners if used to protect private property, or can be delivered and placed by county highway crews if in a community area. Additional sandbags are in storage near the EMA offices at Hulman Field.

Kesler said local officials are prepared to keep watch on areas that historically get early flooding — such as Pennington Road between Indiana 63 and Indiana 150, and the First Street extension south of Springhill Road near Honey Creek.

“Those areas are normally prone to early flooding,” Kesler said, adding that the big concern will be motorists who drive around road-closed barricades and then become trapped in high water.

The forecasted rainfall as of Friday evening for the Terre Haute area was 5.5 inches during two days, he said.

The National Weather Service also has forecast that Indiana may receive 2 to 8 inches of rain by Tuesday, with areas in Central Indiana and communities along the I-70 corridor — such as Terre Haute and Indianapolis  — expected to receive the heaviest amounts of rainfall.

Rainfall is expected to be steady from Saturday through Monday, according to the NWS. Locations that may be particularly prone to flooding include areas around the Wabash, Eel and lower White rivers, and the east fork of the White River around Jackson County.

While many Hoosiers remember flooding in September 2008 as a result of Hurricane Ike, Kesler said conditions that contributed to the flooding locally are much different than they were four years ago.

“We do not see any possibility of that,” Kesler said of a repeat flood. “The precursors in 2008 were a wet, wet spring and saturation of the ground, and we got 12 inches of rain in 12 hours.”

Some thunderstorms are expected to accompany Isaac, with heavy winds and scattered tornadoes possible.

Kesler said he has been monitoring the progress of Isaac as it moved north through Mississippi on Thursday and headed into the Tennessee area.

“When it gets to Paducah [Kentucky] and we see how things fall out there, we will see how it’s going to play out,” he said.

As of Thursday, Isaac had unloaded more than 10 inches of rain in a significant part of southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi, according to AccuWeather.com. Cities in the path of Isaac as a rainstorm include St. Louis, Louisville, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

Soon after heat builds over the region, a rainstorm from the diminishing tropical system Isaac will take an arced path into the Ohio Valley, bringing a potential for up to 4 inches of rain, AccuWeather.com reports.

In the core of the storm, however, local amounts of 6 to 8 inches are possible in the Ohio Valley.

Kesler said that residents may want to prepare for the storm by making sure their gutters and downspouts are free of debris, so that water is carried away from their homes.

The public can also prepare for flooding by:

• Keeping up to date on local weather conditions by monitoring media report, or visiting www.weather.gov.

• Reviewing a tornado plan to know where to go in heavy winds. Basements are a primary choice, followed by rooms with no exterior walls and no windows.

• Checking emergency supply kits and having enough food, water, medication and other essentials to last 72 hours.

• Remember food safety in case of power outages that can cause food to spoil.

• Have a communication plan to stay in contact with family members and friends.

• Avoid walking or driving through flooded areas.

• Follow the directions of public safety officials.

For more information about preparing for severe weather, go online to www.in.gov/dhs/

getprepared.htm.



Reporter Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @TribStarLisa.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Jersey Shore Open for Business Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Today in History May 24 Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy SeaWorld: Penguins Are Coolest Thing in Florida Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News