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Hurricane Irma has yet to dissipate and is now in Florida, but has been weakened to a tropical depression with sustained winds of 35 mph, thankfully, after it bounced between categories 2-5 for days. The highest wind reached was a minute long sustained 185 mph. The fatalities as of September 12 are marked at 49, but the $190 billion expected damage cost is, thus far, around $30 billion making it the 4th or 5th costliest hurricane on record versus the #1 place. Again, this is just an update, not a final report.
According to Wikipedia, the storm has caused catastrophic damage to Barbuda (3 reported fatalities), Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Anguilla (1 reported fatality), and the Virgin Islands (4 reported fatalities) as a Category 5 hurricane. Additional fatalities reported are 1 death in Barbados, 10 deaths in Cuba, 11 deaths in the French West Indies, 1 death in Haiti, 3 deaths in Puerto Rico, 4 deaths on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, and 11 deaths in the United States.

The New York Times reports Florida Governor Rick Scott as saying that over all, Irma’s damage to his state was not as bad as the direst forecasts had predicted, but that some areas were thoroughly brutalized. About 62% of residents remained without power. And northern Florida, including Jacksonville, was flooding. Many areas have suffered fuel shortages, downed power lines, and standing water.
The National Weather Service declared a flood emergencies and coastal flood warnings are in effect, some lasting until Thursday. They advise residents take appropriate actions to protect life and property. Areas impacted by this destruction are experiencing high levels of rampant looting, warning that the property they protect isn’t just due to forces of nature, but also by those who would take advantage of the situation. Police advise people to “choose wisely and stay home” and to “stay home and look after loved ones and be thankful they are all safe” instead of looting.
Bear in mind, the floods aren’t just affecting residential homes and their inhabitants, but also retail establishments and their owners. Property damages to local storefronts, due to flooding and wind demolition, also impacts the merchandise.

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On the coat-tails of Hurricane Harvey rides Hurricane Irma, already the strongest hurricane ever recorded outside the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, nearing historical precedent and a theoretical limit for how strong it can get.

Irma is a category 5 hurricane with maximum winds reaching approximately 185 mph, surpassing the 157 mph requirement categorizing a standard cat 5 hurricane. Formed in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean near the Cape Verde Islands, these Cape Verde Hurricanes are known to have a tendency of becoming some of the largest and most intense hurricanes, such as hurricanes Hugo (1989, cat 5, highest winds of 160 mph, 107 direct deaths), Floyd (1999, cat 4, highest winds of 155 mph, 57 direct and 20-30 indirect deaths), and Ivan (2004, cat 4, highest winds of 165 mph, 92 direct and 32 indirect deaths).

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By now, we’ve all heard of the disaster of Hurricane Harvey and its affects on numerous southern states, specifically that of Texas. Record accumulation of rainfall is affecting south-east Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi while tropical storm force winds affecting primarily Texas and Louisiana has produced massive flooding throughout Texas.

Search and rescue by boat and air is underway, as there’s no end in sight of the floods and damage, as well as the residents seeking refuge from this catastrophic event. The National Weather Service forecast rainfall of 15 to 25 inches through Friday, with as much as 50 inches in a few areas stating that flooding is expected to continue for days. The NY TIMES reports a record 22 inches fell on the county in one day, while The Guardian states, “The sheer scale of Harvey – some parts of Texas may experience a year’s worth of rainfall in just over a week”.

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Damitdams was contacted by the city of Boise, Idaho to supply cofferdams for flood protection for one of the city buildings that is uses for monitoring traffic control in the city of Boise.

The building is roughly 100 yards from the Boise River, which is a tributary for of the snake river.  The river, which  is 102 miles long, is expected to reach record levels this year. Damitdams Inc. supplied 4 cofferdams at a size of 4 feet tall by 200 feet long.

The cofferdams will be connected to surround the building, creating a water tight barrier against the rising waters of the river. It is Expected that the levels of water flooding the building will reach 2 or 3 feet within the next couple of days . A representative from Damitdams went to Boise to help install the cofferdam and help prepare for the flood. Once the flooding is no longer a threat, a DamitDams representative will return to remove the cofferdam.

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A Caisson is a watertight structure used for retaining water in order to work on the foundations for bridges, piers, and other structures. Generally speaking, the water is pumped out to create a completely dry work environment. Some caissons can be open-air caissons, whereas others may use compressed air to keep the mud and water out. Installation involves pushing it into the mud, until it reaches clay or another solid foundation. Due to the pressures inside of caissons, there are many risks to the workers.

There are four main types of caissons:

Box

Box caissons are put into place and filled with concrete, and may make up the foundation for other structures. These caissons must be anchored to allow them to remain in the proper position until they have been filled with concrete.

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