Irene Travel Disruptions Continue
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Hurricane Irene Hits East Coast
Roaring Brook flows onto Route 73 in Keene, N.Y., on Tuesday.
Irene Flooding Damages Roads, Strands Towns
Hundreds of roads and scores of bridges remained impassable days after the massive storm cut a treacherous swath across 11 states. In some rural and coastal communities, those roads and bridges were the sole access routes. Vermont's National Guard was airlifting supplies to nearly a dozen cut-off towns.
In preparing the public for a disaster, officials want to make the right call, but they also want to avoid blame.
To Dodge Blame, Officials Prep Public For Worst
Because people are more likely to blame public officials if there is a repeat of a previous disaster, officials tend to disproportionately focus their safety efforts on preventing similar disasters in the future, researchers say. So, for example, officials might over-react to a hurricane in light of Katrina, even if the real threat to public safety may lie elsewhere.
In Pompton Lakes, N.J., earlier this week, Gino Borova stood in the driveway of his house — which was flooded by water from the Ramapo River.
Rebuilding After Irene Is Not Going To Boost The Economy
The idea that money spent on fixing the billions in damages will be good for the overall economy is known as the "broken window fallacy," Planet Money's Adam Davidson says. In reality, spending is just shifted around.
N.J. Chef: 'It's A Disaster In Here' After Irene()
August 31, 2011 Hurricane Irene tore a path through some big coastal tourist destinations. That means some restaurants will miss out on Labor Day, usually a big weekend. In Monmouth Beach, N.J., Sallee Tee's Grille was flooded. And its chef-manager says it may take weeks to rebuild.
In Irene, Politicians Navigate Tides Of Public Opinion()
August 30, 2011 President Obama, like every other politician in America, has the lessons of Hurricane Katrina seared into his memory. During and after Hurricane Irene, he and his team appeared on top of the situation. But natural disasters are one of the ironies of politics — a competent response won't help much, but an incompetent one can really hurt.
Costs Of Irene Add Up As FEMA Runs Out Of Cash()
August 30, 2011 It's not yet certain what the total cost of Hurricane Irene will be, but it's likely to add up to several billion dollars. That means tough choices for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has had to deal with a string of natural disasters this year.
Irene Is Gone, But Disruptions Remain()
August 29, 2011 Irene's sweep up the East Coast caused millions to lose power this past weekend — many of whom may not have it restored for days. And although most mass transit systems are up and running again, long-distance travelers aren't so lucky: They're stranded at airports and rail stations across the region.
East Coast Starts To Add Up Irene's Economic Blow()
August 29, 2011 It's still early to make exact pronouncements about how much damage Irene caused, and President Obama says the cleanup in many areas will be tough. But overall, the storm appears to have caused much less damage than forecasters said was possible.
Cleanup Begins In Irene's Deadly Wake()
August 29, 2011 The death toll from the storm rose to 35 as residents of mid-Atlantic and Northeast states began assessing the damage wrought by the destructive storm. Millions were still without power, and torrential floodwaters threatened towns in Vermont and elsewhere.
The Two-Way
Though Worst Of Irene Over, Flooding Still A Concern()
August 28, 2011 Now just a tropical storm, Irene pummeled New York and the Northeast Coast with intense wind and rain. But speaking on Sunday, President Obama said areas are still at risk of flooding and urged people to continue to listen to the guidance of their state and local officials in the coming days.
The Two-Way
Some New Yorkers Look On Irene's Bright Side()
August 27, 2011 Parts of New York City are under evacuation orders, with more than 370,000 people ordered to leave low-lying areas as Hurricane Irene approaches the city. But on Saturday afternoon, at least, some residents were making the most of it.
13.7: Cosmos And Culture
Hurricane Irene = Climate Change: Probably Not()
August 27, 2011 But if we want to stay true to the science – which is our best and only hope – then we have to very, very honest about the limits of our knowledge and the range of our ignorance.
Hurricane Irene Storm Tracker()
August 27, 2011 This map displays information about current crises for which the Google Crisis Response team has collected geographic information. The data comes from a variety of sources, including official information sources and user-generated content.
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