Scientists Warn Of Future New Orleans Style Catastrophes

"Concentrated development in flood-prone parts of Missouri, California and other states" -- in addition to the "weather situation" -- "has significantly raised the risk of New Orleans-style flooding as people snap up new homes even in areas recently deluged," according to scientists at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in February.

"Around St. Louis, where the Mississippi River lapped at the steps of the Gateway Arch during the 1993 flood, more than 14,000 acres of flood plain have since been developed since...Similar development has occurred around Dallas; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles; Omaha, Neb.; and Sacramento, Calif...The lack of coordination among local, state and federal officials after a flood was evident with Katrina. [Scientists believed that] even before a storm hits, coordination on issues such as land use and development is a problem."