NPR Series: Hurricane Irene Hits East Coast https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=139993836 Hurricane Irene pounded coastal regions of North Carolina, Virginia and neighboring states as it headed north on a track expected to take the storm right over New York City and into New England later this weekend. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 09:32:05 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Series: Hurricane Irene Hits East Coast https://www.npr.org/series/139993836/hurricane-irene-hits-east-coast To Dodge Blame, Officials Prepare Public For Worst Because people are more likely to blame public officials if there is a repeat of a previous disaster, officials tend to disproportionately focus their safety efforts on preventing similar disasters in the future, researchers say. So, for example, officials might over-react to a hurricane in light of Katrina, even if the real threat to public safety may lie elsewhere. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:57:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140085048/to-dodge-blame-officials-prepare-public-for-worst https://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140085048/to-dodge-blame-officials-prepare-public-for-worst

Because people are more likely to blame public officials if there is a repeat of a previous disaster, officials tend to disproportionately focus their safety efforts on preventing similar disasters in the future, researchers say. So, for example, officials might over-react to a hurricane in light of Katrina, even if the real threat to public safety may lie elsewhere.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

]]> Shankar Vedantam Rebuilding After Irene Is Not Going To Boost The Economy The idea that money spent on fixing the billions in damages will be good for the overall economy is known as the "broken window fallacy," Planet Money's Adam Davidson says. In reality, spending is just shifted around. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:30:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/08/31/140080586/rebuilding-after-irene-is-not-going-to-boost-the-economy https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/08/31/140080586/rebuilding-after-irene-is-not-going-to-boost-the-economy The idea that money spent on fixing the billions in damages will be good for the overall economy is known as the "broken window fallacy," Planet Money's Adam Davidson says. In reality, spending is just shifted around.

]]> Mark Memmott N.J. Chef: 'It's A Disaster In Here' After Irene Hurricane Irene tore a path through some big coastal tourist destinations. That means some restaurants will miss out on Labor Day, usually a big weekend. In Monmouth Beach, N.J., Sallee Tee's Grille was flooded. And its chef-manager says it may take weeks to rebuild. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140071445/n-j-chef-its-a-disaster-in-here-after-irene https://www.npr.org/2011/08/31/140071445/n-j-chef-its-a-disaster-in-here-after-irene

Hurricane Irene tore a path through some big coastal tourist destinations. That means some restaurants will miss out on Labor Day, usually a big weekend. In Monmouth Beach, N.J., Sallee Tee's Grille was flooded. And its chef-manager says it may take weeks to rebuild.

]]> NPR Staff Irene Travel Disruptions Continue Two days after the departure of Irene, traveling up and down the East Coast remains a daunting challenge for many. Some air travelers remain stranded at major airports. And passenger rail service is still disrupted between Philadelphia and New York, one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the country. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140070119/irene-travel-disruptions-continue https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140070119/irene-travel-disruptions-continue Two days after the departure of Irene, traveling up and down the East Coast remains a daunting challenge for many. Some air travelers remain stranded at major airports. And passenger rail service is still disrupted between Philadelphia and New York, one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the country.

]]> Joel Rose Vermont Reels In Irene's Wake Roads and bridges are out in Wilmington, Vt., in the wake of Hurricane Irene. Melissa Block talks with Fred Ventresco, town manager of Wilmington, for more. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140070117/vermont-reels-in-irenes-wake https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140070117/vermont-reels-in-irenes-wake Roads and bridges are out in Wilmington, Vt., in the wake of Hurricane Irene. Melissa Block talks with Fred Ventresco, town manager of Wilmington, for more.

]]> Flooding From Irene Damages Roads, Strands Towns Hundreds of roads and scores of bridges remained impassable days after the massive storm cut a treacherous swath across 11 states. In some rural and coastal communities, those roads and bridges were the sole access routes. Vermont's National Guard was airlifting supplies to nearly a dozen cut-off towns. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:16:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140062270/flooding-from-irene-damages-roads-strands-towns https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140062270/flooding-from-irene-damages-roads-strands-towns

Hundreds of roads and scores of bridges remained impassable days after the massive storm cut a treacherous swath across 11 states. In some rural and coastal communities, those roads and bridges were the sole access routes. Vermont's National Guard was airlifting supplies to nearly a dozen cut-off towns.

(Image credit: Michael Loccisano)

]]> Scott Neuman Irene Forces Laptop Users To Find WiFi Outlets In addition to the frustration of food spoiling in refrigerators and darkened homes, the loss of the Internet is heightening the anxieties of power-less utility customers. In some towns, free WiFi coffee shops have become a hot spot for the disconnected. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140052797/irene-forces-laptop-users-to-find-wifi-outlets https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140052797/irene-forces-laptop-users-to-find-wifi-outlets In addition to the frustration of food spoiling in refrigerators and darkened homes, the loss of the Internet is heightening the anxieties of power-less utility customers. In some towns, free WiFi coffee shops have become a hot spot for the disconnected.

]]> Craig Lemoult Flash Floods Force Daring Rescue In Upstate N.Y. Parts of upstate New York were hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene — high winds and a wall of heavy rain swept away homes and bridges. Dozens of major highways, including sections of interstates 87 and 90, were closed to traffic. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140052791/flash-floods-devastate-upstate-new-york https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140052791/flash-floods-devastate-upstate-new-york Parts of upstate New York were hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene — high winds and a wall of heavy rain swept away homes and bridges. Dozens of major highways, including sections of interstates 87 and 90, were closed to traffic.

]]> Brian Mann In Irene, Politicians Navigate Tides Of Public Opinion President Obama, like every other politician in America, has the lessons of Hurricane Katrina seared into his memory. During and after Hurricane Irene, he and his team appeared on top of the situation. But natural disasters are one of the ironies of politics — a competent response won't help much, but an incompetent one can really hurt. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140042265/in-irene-politicians-navigate-tides-of-public-opinion https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140042265/in-irene-politicians-navigate-tides-of-public-opinion

President Obama, like every other politician in America, has the lessons of Hurricane Katrina seared into his memory. During and after Hurricane Irene, he and his team appeared on top of the situation. But natural disasters are one of the ironies of politics — a competent response won't help much, but an incompetent one can really hurt.

(Image credit: Pool)

]]> Mara Liasson Costs Of Irene Add Up As FEMA Runs Out Of Cash It's not yet certain what the total cost of Hurricane Irene will be, but it's likely to add up to several billion dollars. That means tough choices for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has had to deal with a string of natural disasters this year. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140042914/costs-of-irene-add-up-as-fema-runs-out-of-cash https://www.npr.org/2011/08/30/140042914/costs-of-irene-add-up-as-fema-runs-out-of-cash

It's not yet certain what the total cost of Hurricane Irene will be, but it's likely to add up to several billion dollars. That means tough choices for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has had to deal with a string of natural disasters this year.

(Image credit: Paul J. Richards)

]]> Brian Naylor