Tropical Storm Allison rapid needs assessment--Houston, Texas, June 2001

On June 5, 2001, Tropical Storm Allison made landfall on Galveston Island, Texas. During the next 2 days, the system soaked much of southeast Texas and south-central Louisiana with more than 10 inches of rain as it moved slowly northward. On June 7, the storm made a clockwise loop back to the southwest, bringing even more rain to already drenched areas. The record rainfall caused billions of dollars in flood-related damage and approximately 25 deaths and led to a presidential disaster, declaration covering 31 Texas counties (Figure 1) and 28 Louisiana parishes. Harris County, Texas (2000 population: 3,400,578), center of the Houston metropolitan area, was among the hardest hit with some areas receiving up to 37 inches of rain in 24 hours (Figure 2). To evaluate the community's immediate public health needs, the City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) conducted a rapid needs assessment in the areas most affected by flooding. This report summarizes assessment results, which identified increased illness in persons living in flooded homes, suggesting a need for rapid resolution of flood-related damage and the possibility that residents should seek temporary housing during clean-up and repair. The findings underscore the usefulness of rapid needs assessment as a tool to minimize misinformation, identify actual health threats, and ensure delivery of resources to those with the greatest and most immediate need.