Disaster Recovery News

The spring flood season is just around the corner. According to FEMA, floods are the most expensive type of disaster in the U.S., and everyone should have a home and/or business safety plan that includes flood insurance. Flood insurance does not just cover damage from excessive rains or bodies of water that reach flood stage. It covers water damage in general, including a malfunctioned sump pump, burst or broken pipe or a leaky roof. Even if you do not live in a flood-zone, having a flood insurance policy can help save you money when it comes to the high costs associated with recovering from water damage.

Myths and Facts about Flood Insurance

Myth: There is no way a flood will ever happen where I live.
Fact: Nearly 25% of flood insurance claims occur in areas that have a low to moderate risk of flooding. While it may not rain a lot where you live, the pipes in your home or office to a broken sewer line can cause water damage at any moment. Moreover, you do not need to live in a flood-zone to purchase flood insurance.

Myth: Flood insurance is an expense I cannot afford.
Fact: It is cheaper to pay for flood insurance than to pay for flood restoration services out-of-pocket. Additionally, the farther away your home or business is located from a flood-zone, the cheaper a flood insurance policy costs.

Myth: If there is a flood, federal assistance will help pay for the flood recovery expenses.
Fact: Federal assistance is often not available for more than 50% of community flooding incidents. Before a community is eligible for federal disaster assistance, the President must declare it a disaster area, which could take several weeks. Disaster assistance is then generally provided in the form of a loan that includes interest. When you have a flood insurance policy, the only thing you may need to pay is the deductible—an amount you can choose when you purchase a policy. In the event of a flood, a flood insurance policy will provide the funds to pay for the flood remediation expenses, such as drying wet documents and replacing water-damaged items.

When it comes to flood insurance, it is not a question about whether you may experience a natural disaster or not. The real question is if you can afford to pay the thousands of dollars associated with recovering from water damage.

[photo: thirteenthbat]

An octopus the size of a person’s forearm when stretched out all the way caused massive flooding at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium last Thursday. The sea creature swam to the top of its tank and took apart the recycling system’s valve, causing approximately 200 gallons of water to flood into the building, including the children’s exhibit where the octopus was on display.

Officials at the aquarium guess that water continuously flowed for about 10 hours before the problem was discovered. Fortunately, the little octopus was not hurt nor endangered in any way by her actions.

Although the aquarium is built over the beach, it has no floor drains. The LA Times reports that after the staff’s attempts to clean-up, “the only significant damage was to newly installed ecologically sensitive flooring in several offices. It consists of linseed-and-cork tiles that soaked up the seawater and squished beneath workers’ feet the rest of the day.”

More on this story.

When businesses experience flooding, expert disaster recovery specialists need to be called to help clean and assess the damage from the water. The quicker the clean-up, the faster one can be back in business. The proper cleaning and drying of items after a flood can prevent mold and further damage to the item or building.

Read more about how businesses can recover from a flood.

Last week parts of Oregon had declared a state of emergency because of heavier-than-expected snowfall. This week parts of the state are dealing with the aftermath now that the temperatures have warmed up and turned the snowfall into rain.

The rivers are at flood-stage in the coastal areas and geologists are warning there may be landslides due to the weight of the melting snow. The Oregonian reports: “On Thursday, rain was falling at the rate of one-half inch an hour (in Tillamook County), and a second storm was expected to push through later in the evening…The Oregon Department of Transportation reported that water up to 16 inches deep closed Oregon 22 (Three Rivers Highway) about four miles west of the junction with Oregon 18 (Salmon River Highway)…The county opened a shelter at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds and activated its reverse 9-1-1 system to warn residents and businesses in flood areas to evacuate.”

Clackamas County in the Portland-Metro area has also declared a state of emergency. Mobile home parks and various neighborhoods have been evacuated and authorities have closed some roads. According to The Oregonian: “(Clackamas) County has closed about 60 roads. That includes the following due to landslides: U.S. 26, west of Sleepy Hollow; Oregon 224, near Tong Road; Welches Road, about a half mile north of Salmon River and Clackamas River Drive, between house numbers 13405 and 15077.” Residents are encouraged to stay home and not travel unnecessarily. One home has already been severely damaged from a landslide that injured five people.

Find relief information about the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross here.

Check out the following links for information about flood restoration:

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  • Recovering from water damage
  • Recovering documents after a storm
  • Business continuity after a storm
  • Mold Prevention

The 2008 hurricane season is coming to a close on November 30th after sixteen storms (eight of these being hurricanes) hit the United States. Colorado State University researchers stated to the AFP that this year’s season has ended with record damages. A typical hurricane season has eleven tropical storms and five hurricanes, two of which are considered of high-intensity. 

Of the eight hurricanes, five of the storms categories 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricanes Ike and Gustav were the big contributors to the estimated 20 billion dollars of damage.

More on this story.

Learn more about recovering from water damage.

The Weather Channel has posted a severe weather alert for the regions of southwest Washington to northwest Oregon. The forecast calls for heavy rains and strong winds starting on Tuesday morning. The severe weather is expected to last at least through Wednesday night.

The snow levels will lower to around 4500-5000 feet. Accumulations may get up to 5 inches before the snow level rises again.

The Weather Channel states:

“IT IS NOT CERTAIN YET WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAIN FALL WILL BE FOCUSED

BUT THIS MODERATETO HEAVY RAIN COULD CAUSE SOME RIVERS AND STREAMS

TO RISE RAPIDLY.URBAN AND STREET FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE...

ESPECIALLY WHERESTORM DRAINS ARE BLOCKED DUE TO LEAVES…STRONG WINDS

ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST TUESDAY THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING

WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH AT TIMES NEAR BEACHES AND HEADLANDS.IN

ADDITION TO THE WIND AND RAIN...ANOTHER CONCERN WITH THIS STORM WILL

BE THE POTENTIAL FOR MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IN AREA BAYS AND ALONG THE

COAST…THE STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BUILD WEST SWELLS ALONG

THE COAST TO 16 TO 18 FEET... THE RESULT MAY BE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING

OF LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THECOAST AND BAY SHORES ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY

MORNING AND THURSDAY MORNING.”

All the details of this storm are still uncertain as this system is still developing. Those who live in this area of the country should check their local weather station’s bulletins for up-to-date news on the status of the storm. Those who reside in areas in danger of flooding should take measures to prevent water damage. A disaster recovery specialist can assist those who have experienced water damage to help prevent mold and restore important items such as documents, photos, and books.

More on recovering from water damage.

Photo by oregonianphoto.