MCEER deploys reconnaissance team to investigate the effects of Hurricane Katrina

Long Beach, CA - September, 2005. Hurricane Katrina struck the southern coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005 at approximately 7:10 am EDT as a Category 4 hurricane (NOAA). The hurricane caused major wind and flood damage along the US Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Total economic losses from this event are estimated to exceed $125 billion (Risk Management Solutions, Inc.).

Shubharoop Ghosh of ImageCat Inc. and J. Arn Womble of Wind Engineering Research (WISE) Center at Texas Tech University joined a reconnaissance team of MCEER experts to deploy the VIEWS™ field data and visualization system. They focused on collecting available remotely-sensed data of damage caused by the hurricane and deployed the VIEWS™ system to rapidly collect video surveys of damage over large geographical areas.

VIEWS™-based damage assessment was conducted between 7-9 September 2005. Data collection was focused on the coastal towns and cities of Mississippi known to have experienced catastrophic damage to buildings and bridges. The team visited hardest hit areas in Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Gautier and Pascagoula in Mississippi.

About VIEWS™

VIEWS™ is a notebook-based data collection and visualization system, which integrates GPS-registered digital video footage, digital photographs and observations with high-resolution satellite imagery collected before and after a disaster. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of a crisis situation, VIEWS™ streamlines the flow of information from the field to the key decision makers.

For more information, contact:
Charles K. Huyck at 562 628-1675 or
Shubharoop Ghosh at 562 628-1675