NY mostly ignored reports warning of superstorm

[jsr]

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/NY-mostly-ignored-reports-warning-of-superstorm-4101866.php

NY mostly ignored reports warning of superstorm
By MICHAEL GORMLEY, Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — More than three decades before Superstorm Sandy, a state law and a series of legislative reports began warning New York politicians to prepare for a storm of historic proportions, spelling out scenarios eerily similar to what actually happened: a towering storm surge. Overwhelming flooding. Swamped subway lines. Widespread power outages. The Rockaways peninsula was deemed among the "most at risk."

But most of the warnings and a requirement in a 1978 law to create a regularly updated plan for the restoration of "vital services" after a storm went mostly unheeded, either because of tight budgets or the lack of political will to prepare for a hypothetical storm that may never hit.

Some of the thorniest problems after Sandy, including a gasoline shortage, the lack of temporary housing and the flooding of commuter tunnels, ended up being dealt with largely on the fly...

Cuomo is now asking the federal government for more than $32 billion to cover the immediate costs triggered by Sandy, and another $9 billion for preventive measures to better protect the area for the next big storm.

[lalalu]

1. There were also similar reports in New Jersey.

[libodem]

2. I was just discussing this with a friend yesterday

She said there were predictions up to four months in advance that were ignored.

[Earth_First]

3. Interesting since FEMA and NOAA/NWS both stated that 2/3 of the affected area was outside...

the 100 year flood plain maps.

So how exactly does one plan for a disaster which even the professional authorities state took them by surprise?

[In_The_Wind]

4. +1