larger and more powerful
When Bill Patzert, a climatologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory labelled our 2015/16 El Niño “Godzilla,” he knew what he was talking about. In comparing it to the most powerful El Niño ever recorded in in the winter of 1997-98, the current approaching weather pattern is larger and more powerful.
What can we expect from El Nino?
- pounding rain
- roaring wind
- power disruptions
- rushing rivers and channels
- flooded freeways
- powerful mudslides
How large is this El Niño?
The overheating area of the Pacific ocean, known as the El Niño Subduction Zone, is 8 million square miles in size. The United States is 3 million square miles. This El Niño is more than two and half times larger than the continental United States!
It truly is a monster.
How to Survive the Storm?
The first thing to do is to get ready. Do you have an escape plan? Is your home or apartment prepared? Do you have Insurance?
There are several key areas to be concerned with:
- Preparing your home
- Preparing your family
- Preparing your vehicles
- Knowing when to seek shelter
- Knowing when to stay inside
- Resources when you need them
Get the latest info on El Niño by visiting our El Niño website: http://el-nino.mysafela.org.
Flood Insurance
Don’t waste a moment
Do what you can to purchase flood insurance. Know what it means to have this type of insurance, and be aware of the waiting periods involved.
- Until the late 1960s, flood insurance was practically unavailable to home and business owners. Therefore, Congress voted in 1968 to create the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This Federal program provides flood insurance at reasonable cost in exchange for the careful management of flood-prone areas by local communities.
- Today, you can insure almost any enclosed building and its contents against flood loss, as long as your community is participating in the NFIP.
- Remember, most standard homeowner’s policies do not cover flood loss. For more details on flood insurance protection, call your agent or company today.
- Make it your policy to protect your family against devastating flood losses.
Resources
The good thing about El Niño is that we can prepare for it. By doing so, we can survive it. If you want more information, or need assistance, there are a number of resources available to you.
And your local government wants to talk to you, too!
Sign up TODAY for NotifyLA
It’s FREE, and is your best bet to get information on weather, disasters, evacuations, public health notices and much more. No, your email won’t be overrun with messages – but you will get the right information at the right time!
It only takes a few minutes, and it could give you the head start on getting out of harm’s way.
For other resources, consider the following:
Federal:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention –http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/landslides.asp
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) –http://www.noaa.gov
- National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) – http://www.floodsmart.gov
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – http://www.fema.gov
- U.S. Forest Service – http://www.fs.fed.us
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) – http://www.usgs.gov
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Debris Flow Maps –http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/ofr-03-475/
State & County of California:
- Department of Conservation – http://www.conservation.ca.gov
- Chief Executive Office, Office of Emergency Management –http://lacoa.org
- Department of Public Works – http://dpw.lacounty.gov
- Department of Public Works Coordinated Agency Recovery Effort (CARE) — http://www.dpw.lacounty.gov/care/
- Fire Department – http://fire.lacounty.gov
- Sheriff’s Department – http://sheriff.lacounty.gov
Los Angeles:
- Mayor Eric Garcetti — http://www.lamayor.org
- LA Council Offices — http://lacity.org/city-government/elected-official-offices/city-council/cou…
- Emergency Management Division — http://www.readyla.org
- Los Angeles Police Department — http://www.lapdonline.org
- Los Angeles Fire Department — http://lafd.org
Non Government Organizations:
- MySafe:California — http://www.mysafecalifornia.org
- MySafe:Los Angeles — http://www.mysafela.org
- American Red Cross – http://www.redcross.org • Geological Society of America – http://geology.com
- National Landslide Hazards Mitigation Strategy – http://pubs.usgs.gov