Alabama is entering what’s considered to be the most active part of this year’s hurricane season. Forecasters are pointing to Hurricane Camille as an example of how bad things can get. It was this week back in 1969, when this storm brushed by Alabama creating storm surges that were ten feet above normal on Dauphin Island. It was the second most powerful storm ever to hit the U.S. Doctor Wes Stubblefield is with the Alabama Department of Public Health. He says there are things you can do to avoid illnesses if a future hurricane strikes…
“Making sure that they understand about disease prevention, things like understanding what happens to water supplies during national disasters, and also what happens to maybe potentially spoiled food,” he said.
Stubblefield says other health related things residents can do is to have a family preparedness plan and an emergency supply kit where you keep several days of medication and water, potentially other items such as cash or extra batteries in a place where you can grab them and go. And then also being familiar with plans in the community about shelters that may be in your area that are important for those who for the general public, but also those that have healthcare needs that exceed the standard shelters. Stubblefield also warns about what can happen after a hurricane blows by.
“Being careful about flood waters, because flood waters can be contaminated with sewage and other in other poisons. Being careful about carbon monoxide poisoning or burning, burning any sort of heat producing items inside of a home.”
Weather watchers spent the week keeping an eye on the progress of Ernesto. The system grew from a tropical wave and left Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands on alert for heavy winds.
NOAA’s website called the damage caused by Hurricane Camille back in 1969. The agency’s website said.
“Most property damage along the immediate coast was caused by high water. The water was estimated at nearly 10 feet above the astronomical tide on the night of August 17th through the 18th along Dauphin Island and coastal Mobile County. Further east, the storm tide was estimated at 6.3 feet above astronomical tide in the Pensacola area, 4.5 feet above astronomical tide across coastal Santa Rosa County and 4.0 feet above astronomical tide across coastal Okaloosa County. A few of the high-water marks from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Report on Hurricane Camille in 1970 were
The greatest damage across our area was found in southeast Mississippi, Dauphin Island, the Alabama coastline, and the Mobile metro area. Damage consisted of roof damage, partial destruction of buildings, fallen trees and washed out roads across Mobile and Baldwin Counties in southwest Alabama and Stone and George Counties in southeast Mississippi. Power lines and trees were down across the entire area. There was extensive damage sustained to the motels, restaurants, service stations and fishing camps along the Causeway (Highway 90) over Mobile Bay. Sections of roads in southern Mobile County and on Dauphin Island were completely washed out or covered in sand according to the USACE report.”
In addition to the anniversary of Hurricane Camille, weather watchers are also currently keeping an eye on Hurricane Ernesto which formed this week. It knocked out power to half of Puerto Rico, before turning north toward Bermuda.
