"A Texas Newsroom Predicted A Disaster. Now It’s Close To Coming True."

"The Texas Tribune and ProPublica last year published a multi-part investigation looking at what would happen if Houston was hit by a major hurricane.

The reporters partnered with scientists at several universities in Texas to conduct simulations, gaming out various storm scenarios for the country’s fourth-largest city, with its rapidly growing population, huge stores of oil and natural gas, and a major NASA facility.

The conclusion: The city and region were woefully unprepared for a major hurricane, with inadequate infrastructure for evacuation and flood control. A major storm would inflict catastrophic damage, bringing “economic and ecological disaster.” The series won awards, including a Peabody and an Edward R. Murrow, but it didn’t lead to substantive policy changes or big new investments in infrastructure."

Karen K. Ho reports for the Columbia Journalistm Review August 25, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"Hell and High Water" (ProPublica/Texas Tribune)