Storm Brewing

We've said this before, but the thing about a hurricane that made what happened in Hurrican Katrina particularly tragic is that you can see a hurricane coming, and plan for it.

There's another one coming. Hurricane Rita is now at Category 5 level and aimed right at Galveston and Houston.

People who live in Galveston and Houston study and are regularly reminded of what happened to when Galveston residents thought they could ride out the Hurricane of 1900. They were reminded again of the dangers both of hurricanes and of neglect by Hurricane Katrina. In Galveston this time, city officials not only issued a mandatory evacuation, but organized buses to help people who don't have their own transportation. Still, this storm should be a Category 4 or 5 when it hits a heavily populated, very flat part of the country. Houston has a lot of trees, and some of them will fall on houses. The storm could turn and hit people who aren't expecting the brunt of it. This is another big one. Texas and Houston are a wealthier state and city than Louisiana and New Orleans, and may have more resources available to help people who need it, but the federal government had better show that, given the lesson it's just had, that it has started preparing now to go help.