Houston

Digging In The Mud To See What Toxic Substances Were Spread By Hurricane Harvey

2:56pm October 23, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

Hurricane Harvey dumped 50 inches of rain on parts of Houston. Scientists are now trying to identify contaminants spread by the storm, including those in mud at the bottom of the Houston Ship Channel.

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Filled to the brim by Hurricane Harvey's rainwaters, the Addicks and Barker reservoirs are finally empty once again. In this photo from Sept. 1, days after the hurricane first made landfall, a family looks at floodwaters in the Addicks Reservoir from a cl

National

Houston Reservoirs Have Finally Discharged All Of Hurricane Harvey's Floodwater

2:29pm October 18, 2017

by Bill Chappell

In late August, Hurricane Harvey brought record rainfall to Houston. In mid-October, the city's two large federal reservoirs are finally back to empty.

Patrick Bayou, pictured on Sept. 2, flooded when Hurricane Harvey slammed the Houston area. The bayou is a Superfund toxic waste site. A March cleanup report for the site did not include preparations for more severe flood events as a result of climate cha

An Absent EPA Climate Report, And A Tale Of Two Flooded Superfund Sites

7:12pm September 29, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

A 2014 EPA climate report warned that Superfund site cleanup and monitoring processes needed updates to prepare for more severe floods. That report is no longer located on the current agency website.

Flooding in Immokalee, Fla., after Hurricane Irma hit was still present days afterward. Public health officials say that even after waters recede, issues such as mold and mosquitos can remain.

National

Long After The Hurricanes Have Passed, Hard Work — And Hazards — Remain

3:44pm September 26, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

During Harvey, Irma and Maria, rising floodwaters and high winds raised alarm. But afterward there are new risks — standing water, mold, mosquitoes, deadly heat. Despair can linger, too.

A smokestack rises in the background over the East Houston community of Manchester, Texas, where the air was heavy with what smelled like gasoline after Hurricane Harvey in late August. The neighborhood is ringed by industrial sites.

Air Pollution From Industry Plagues Houston In Harvey's Wake

5:05am September 14, 2017

Flooding in Houston and utility outages led to belches of fumes from refineries and other industrial sites. Residents of a region already struggling with air pollution wonder: Is it safe to breathe?

The Highlands Acid Pit Superfund site remained flooded on August 31. The water has since receded, and some residents are concerned that toxins from the site could have spread into the nearby neighborhood.

In Texas, Concerns About Damage To Flooded Toxic Waste Sites

8:20pm September 04, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

Environmental officials are inspecting toxic waste sites in southeast Texas that were flooded and potentially damaged last week.

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For people who believe in God, natural disasters can challenge faith. For some, it becomes impossible to believe there is a God in command when truly awful things happen.

Religion

'He Has A Reason': How Natural Disasters Test The Faithful

2:22pm September 04, 2017

by Tom Gjelten

Spiritual leaders have long offered such counsel in times of human suffering. Theologians even have a term for efforts to explain why God and evil can coexist: theodicy.

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(Left) Charlie Wilson walks his dog Peanut outside of the convention center. (Right) Veterinarian Joanna Web gives a check up to a bird outside the shelter.

Houston Shelter Offers Respite For Pets And Their Owners Displaced By Harvey

8:17am September 02, 2017

by Claire Harbage

Before a convention center opened its doors and volunteer care to pets, their owners had to make a tough choice: Take shelter or stay with animals in floodwaters. But anxiety looms around what's next.

Andrew White helps a neighbor — and a dog — get to safety after their street was flooded by Hurricane Harvey.

A Bipartisan Bill Helped Save Pets From Harvey, And Maybe Their Humans Too

6:59am September 02, 2017

by Scott Simon

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, many people who lost their homes to flooding were able to save their pets. NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the importance of those relationships.

Early Data From Harvey Shows Epic Flooding

9:56pm September 01, 2017

by Christopher Joyce

Government flood maps may need to be withdrawn following Harvey. That, in turn, could have implications for insurers.