URI experts weigh in on hurricane

09/15/05 - Faculty members at the University of Rhode Island have been conducting research dealing with issues related to Hurricane Katrina. Natacha Thomas, a professor of civil engineering, has been looking into the evacuation plans of New Orleans, specifically focusing on the issue of transportation and how it affected the evacuation of the victims.

"Poor planning and the lack of reliable public transportation caused those without cars to have no way of leaving," Thomas said.

She said New Orleans was one of the most vulnerable spots in the country, saying there is a 12 percent chance that Louisiana will be hit once a hurricane reaches land.

Additionally, her research looks at whether the construction materials used in the buildings and levies contributed to the destruction and how to rectify the problem with different building standards.

Oceanography Professor Isaac Ginis has worked on developing a model used for predicting both the path and intensity of a hurricane. Ginis said this model, in use since 2001, is constantly being updated. It focuses on the ocean temperature, the most influential factor when determining the intensity of a hurricane.

"How much heat, which is a form of energy, that a hurricane takes up from the Atlantic Ocean, will most affect the strength of the hurricane when it hits land," he said.

He added that global warming is not the sole contributor to the heat fluctuation.

Ginis said the ocean cycles every 20 to 25 years and since 1995 have been in a cycle of increasing temperature. It is the natural variability of the oceans themselves that causes this temperature increase, he said.

Although it has been studied, Ginis said the temperature cannot be controlled no more than a hurricane can be controlled, as the power in a hurricane is equal to about "one hundred atomic bombs."

James Campbell, the director of the URI Counseling Center, shared information regarding the victims of the storm and their state of mind. He said practical issues are the highest priorities for the survivors of the storm.

Issues of living, getting jobs, housing and going back to school will be important, since they will want to restore a sense of normalcy to their lives, Campbell said.

Campbell has also seen the evacuees who have been relocated in Middletown. He said the elderly and young children are the most at risk for stomach problems, moodiness and sleeplessness, and it will take over a month from now to diagnose anyone with posttraumatic stress disorder. Those who have already had previous mental health issues will also be at heightened risk.

Campbell said people should remember that these individuals are not disabled by the tragedy and should have positive expectations for their recovery from the ordeal.

Expect to hear stories of great resiliency and of great tragedy, he said, but also to remember that many people experience and move on from tragic events.

"What they need is social support, and people wishing to help should go out and do something concrete, donate clothing and other items, write to your state representative, organize a collection drive," Campbell said.