A number of weather forecasts call for Hurricane Irene to pass just off the Jersey coast and deliver heavy precipitation to our area beginning Saturday afternoon. With a new moon coincidentally expected to bring exceptionally high tides and area lands saturated from earlier rains, the risk of flooding is significant.
American Red Cross disaster teams have been training for just this sort of coastal event. Chapters all along the Eastern Seaboard participated in a regional disaster drill back in June that simulated a humanitarian response to a major hurricane even worse than Irene. The Jersey Coast Chapter set up a shelter operation at Brookdale Community College only three months ago and just might have to do so again this weekend.
Down in Cape May Courthouse, the Southern Shore Chapter is helping with public information to help residents prepare for the storm, per NBC 40. Actually, a national response is underway. According to Fox 59 in Indianapolis, Hoosiers are sending Red Cross volunteers to the East Coast to help out with disaster preparation, but their focus is on North Carolina.
May we not see one inch of personal property damaged. May we not see one inch of human flesh injured. But may the developers of that County Road monstrosity finally realize the monumental error of situating homes in that location.
ReplyDeleteGov. Christie is weighing the idea of mandatory evacuation of the Jersey Shore area. I can't imagine that will include Cliffwood Beach?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Lakeshore Drive will flood, and the park will flood, and the beach will move up the street.
The bulldozers will be out in full force next week!
Keansburg has mandatory evacuations starting Friday at noon.
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