City Provides Storm 2006 Update
As of Tuesday, the entire community is entering the 13th day of an ongoing weather emergency event, the City provides new numbers of disaster and devastation.
Since Thursday, July 27, the City & County has received over 15 inches of rain-this is nearly twice the average annual rainfall. The potential for thunderstorms continues until Wednesday.
City, County, State and Federal agencies have mobilized to deploy all available assets and resources to assist the community in life and property protection, damage response and repair and an aggressive ongoing cleanup effort.
Preliminary damage assessments on major impacted areas are as follows:
Public Infrastructure – $21 Million Private Property (residential & commercial)- $77 Million Flood control/landfill – $3.5 Million
1,515 homes have been damaged in the City & County.
766 homes minor damage 455 homes major damage 295 homes have been destroyed
53 commercial properties damaged
14 minor damage 24 major damage 15 destroyed
Drainage facilities damaged
17 drainage channels 3 pump stations
Roadways & streets damaged
100 damaged roadways
The City has set up a call center that will remain open until August 11, 2006 for individuals to report damage to residential or commercial property and report damage to the infrastructure – the number is 541-4558.
The call center has received over 3,700 calls to date
A major debris clean up effort is currently underway, to have debris from the storm picked-up at residential properties, please call 621-6700, after you have registered at the 541-4558 number.
As of 4pmMonday. the Environmental Services collected debris from 60 residences 5 crews from Special Collections have been dedicated to this effort
Red Cross Emergency Shelters have been set up in various parts of the Cityand County as needed. Throughout the weather emergency over 10 shelters and 5 service centers were made available. Currently, Canutillo Elementary is the only shelter that remains open.
The Salvation Army has also assisted the City, Countyand Cuidad Juarez with food, clothing, cleaning supplies and other necessities.
Beginning today, the Salvation Army is leading a major community service effort called “Operation AYUDA.” This is a collaborative effort by the Salvation Army, Red Crossand the Housing Authority.
Operation AYUDA will assist those in need that have been affected by the storm with housing, clean up, financial & other community services.
A centralized intake center will open to allow resident to give their information and find out how to receive assitstance with their various needs.The intake center will be located at the Judson F. Williams Convention Center, and will be open Monday – Friday, 10 am – 7 pm
The City-County Health Department Vector Control continues to spray in all areas to control mosquito outbreaks.
The Street Department as well as TxDot have been working around the clock since Tuesday to clean up, pump major flooded areas and will now begin to repair and reconstruct infrastructure damages.
The El Paso Police and Fire Department, as well as all public safety agencies, were exceptional in their response to the weather emergency.
21,982 calls were received through 911 since July 30 1,967 calls were responded to as public service responses The most significant day was Tuesday, Aug.1. 5,376 calls were received 477 were responded to as public service responses There were no reported deaths and only minor injuries, due to the storm
A new website has been created to assist in keeping everyone informed. To get up to date information or phone numbers please visit the City website by following the link provided and click on “Storm 2006.”
