FLORIDA CONSIDERS NEW RULES
Two top Florida Republican state senators say legislators will consider bills during their next session to require nursing homes to have generators.
Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican, on Friday called the deaths that occurred at a Broward County nursing home this week “unacceptable.” She predicted someone connected to the nursing home will “probably go to jail over this.”
FEMA auctioned trailers as Harvey made landfall.
The federal government auctioned off disaster-response trailers at fire-sale prices even as Harvey devastated southeast Texas, reducing an already diminished supply of mobile homes ahead of what could become the nation’s largest-ever housing mission.
More than 100 2017model Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers were sold over the two days before the Category 4 hurricane landed in the Gulf Coast, an analysis of government data by The Associated Press found. Harvey was already projected to be a monster storm that would inflict unprecedented damage. The sales continued until Aug. 28, when floodwaters sent thousands of Texans onto rooftops and into shelters.
About 79,000 homes in the areas affected by the hurricane were flooded with 18 inches or more of water, Michael Byrne, FEMA’s federal disaster recovery coordinator for Harvey, told AP.
The auctions — about 300 since the beginning of the year — have left FEMA with a standing fleet of only 1,700 units. The agency has put out bids for another 4,500, but officials could not say when they would be ready to meet needs arising from Harvey, Irma and future storms.
Harvey’s insured losses estimated at $19 billion.
TEXAS» The AUSTIN, nation’s largest state insurance trade association estimates insured losses from Harvey at nearly $19 billion — and that doesn’t count damage not covered by insurance.
The Insurance Council of Texas says windstorm and other claims from Harvey will be worth nearly $3 billion. Approximately 250,000 damaged cars and commercial vehicles will trigger around another $4.75 billion in insurance claims.
The council cites the Federal Emergency Management Agency in estimating that Harvey’s flooding will result in $11 billion in payments to homeowners with flood insurance. The flood losses would be the second highest on record, trailing only Hurricane Katrina’s $16 billion.
Jose gets stronger, but no threat to land.
Jose has re-strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic, but there is no current threat to land.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory Friday afternoon that Jose had sustained winds of 75 mph.
It was located about 640 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 485 miles southwest of Bermuda.