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Disaster Officials Brace for Havoc from Historic El Niño

This year’s El Niño is ranked to be among the three biggest in half a century

El Nino
FILE - In this Jan. 27, 1983 file photo, the landmark Crystal Pier in the San Diego community of Pacific Beach collapses under the force of surging waves during an El Nino storm. One hundred feet of the 56-year-old structure was lost. Evidence is mounting that the El Nino ocean-warming phenomenon in the Pacific will spawn a rainy winter in California in 2015, potentially easing the state�s punishing drought but also bringing the risk of chaotic storms like those that battered the region in the late 1990s. A strong El Nino arrives about once every 20 years. Ocean temperatures show this one to be the second-strongest since such record keeping began in 1950. That would make it weaker than the El Nino of 1997-98 but stronger than the El Nino of 1982-83.(AP Photo/Dipping, File)
AP
(TNS) - Federal disaster officials warned Tuesday that El Niño-fueled storms in California could inflict millions of dollars in damage this winter — from mud-soaked homes to broken levees to downed electrical lines — and said they’re taking steps to minimize the toll.

A new report by FEMA details the havoc that ensued during the strongest El Niños of the past, including the 1982-83 event that caused 36 deaths, with the aim of honing current efforts to brace for landslides, flooding and outages.

This year’s El Niño is ranked to be among the three biggest in half a century. The weather pattern is marked by above-average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific that, when really warm, tend to drive moisture toward California.

“You have an event where we’ve been able to look back at over five decades and see the compounding impacts,” said Bob Fenton, FEMA’s administrator for California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. “It’s approaching us this winter and we want to make sure the federal government is preparing.”

FEMA’s report outlines the framework of a coordinated response from government agencies at every level, from advance work clearing storm drains and securing transmission lines, to having road crews and emergency workers ready for when wet weather strikes.

Worries over sewage

For the aftermath, public health officials are being put on notice about possible problems with sewage disposal, water contamination and subsequent illnesses, while shelters are being plotted in case people lose their homes.

Residents, too, have a responsibility to act, the report notes, recommending that homeowners purchase flood insurance and do basic property maintenance, such as clearing gutters and removing old trees, that can make a big difference in minimizing risk.

Certain parts of the state are identified as more vulnerable to El Niño than others. For example, areas hit hard by this year’s wildfire season, like Lake County, are susceptible to mudslides and flooding, according to the report.

“Because the earth is scorched, the water tends to run at a much quicker rate and doesn’t absorb into the ground,” Fenton explained. “If you live in one of those areas, you need to understand the risk in your area.”

Flood prevention

Federal and state officials have poured money into stabilizing slopes and creating channels to help with drainage in fire zones.

Flooding in urban areas is an equally tricky issue. The drought has only exacerbated the problem, the report notes, by hardening the ground and increasing the likelihood of runoff when it rains.

Also, with El Niño-warmed water in the equatorial Pacific and elsewhere, the report projects ocean levels to be as much as 8 to 11 inches higher through spring, resembling the spike in sea levels that’s expected due to global warming by midcentury. Coastal flooding is more probable.

Cities like San Francisco are working to protect low-lying areas. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is purchasing water-tight construction barriers to keep floodwaters off streets and sidewalks.

“In addition to all the things we’re doing to clean sewers and clear out our catch basins, we’re also looking outside the box,” said Tyrone Jue, a Public Utilities Commission spokesman.

Caltrans hires 800

The state Department of Transportation said Tuesday that it hired 800 extra people to maintain highways during storms this winter.

FEMA’s report warns not only of heavy rain, but of consistently wet weather. In 1998, San Francisco saw 24 rainy days in January and 22 in February, according to the report. Perpetually stressed hillsides and storm water drains made problems worse during past El Niños.

“It wasn’t necessarily one big event that caused the damage and the flooding, but multiple events over time,” said Fenton.

During the El Niño winter of 1997-98, California suffered $883 million in damage, according to the report, with 17 storm-related deaths and 40 counties declared federal disaster areas.

The 1982-83 rainy season was even worse. Nearly 8,000 homes and businesses were destroyed and economic losses were estimated at $1.2 billion.


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©2015 the San Francisco Chronicle

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