Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans Exactly 7 Years After Hurricane Katrina

Exactly 7 years to the day of Hurricane Katrina hitting the city of New Orleans, Hurricane Isaac has struck the city early Wednesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. Winds came in gusting at 70 mph accompanied by torrential downpours, leaving 75% of residents without power.

Isaac’s surge has topped a levee in the southern part of New Orleans, closer to the mouth of the Mississippi River. In Mississippi, sections of highway U.S. 90 have been shut down due to storm surge flooding. The hurricane is predicted to move through Louisiana Wednesday and Thursday before reaching Arkansas early Friday morning.

Since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has installed a system of 24 drainage pump stations that empty rainwater from the city. However, the system can only remove an inch of water on streets in the first hour and half an inch every hour afterward. Even with this system, flooding is inevitable in New Orleans during heavy rainfall.

With extreme flooding, mold poses a great threat in homes and buildings. Exposure to active mold growth can cause health problems in infants, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems.

“After flooding occurs, many building occupants find that the water damage has also led to mold growth,” states Diane Miskowski, MPH, Business Development Manager at EMSL Analytical. “To help residents determine whether mold growth is a problem in a residence or office, EMSL Analytical has created a quick and affordable ‘Do-It-Yourself Mold Kit’ that anyone can use.”

For more information or to order a “Do-It-Yourself Mold Kit,” call 1-888-958-8170 or visit www.moldinspectionkit.com.

EMSL has been offering testing services following natural and manmade disasters since its foundation in 1981. For more information on testing services and products provided by EMSL please call (800) 220-3675, visit www.EMSL.com or email info@EMSL.com .

[b]About EMSL Analytical, Inc.[/b]
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, food, and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-800-220-3675

jfrasca@emsl.com