Davis Declares State of Emergency in Los Angeles

NewsABC ^ | AP

[BJungNan]

Davis Declares State of Emergency in LA California's Gray Davis Declares State of Emergency in Part of Storm Damaged Los Angeles County

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Nov. 15 — In one of his last acts before leaving office, Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency in part of Los Angeles County pounded by a freak hailstorm that deluged the community of Watts with 5 inches of rain and hail in two hours. "I looked up at the sky and said, 'God, please let this be the last disaster of my term,'" Davis said Friday, speaking at the county Department of Public Social Services, where hundreds of flood victims were lined up to receive emergency assistance.

Three weeks earlier, Davis was declaring a state of emergency in four counties ravaged by massive wildfires that destroyed more than 3,600 homes and killed 22 people.

The storm Wednesday night created a winter white landscape in some areas of Los Angeles while flooding others, damaging dozens of homes, stranding hundreds of motorists and knocking out power to more than 100,000 homes and businesses.

The emergency declaration makes the hard-hit Watts section of Los Angeles and the cities of Compton and South Gate eligible for low-interest loans to help residents rebuild.

[BJungNan]

A little snow falls in Los Angeles - Watts to be exact - and they call it a disaster. What is going on here? What disaster? What damages - besides to the taxpayers?

[thinktwice]

"The sky is falling." -- Gray Davis

[Skwidd]

"I looked up at the sky and said, 'God, please let this be the last disaster of my term,'" Davis said Friday,

Comedy gold.

[Yaelle]

He's just realizing it NOW? LOL.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I looked up at the sky and said, 'God, please let this be the last disaster of my term,'"

Mr. Davis, your whole term was a disaster!

[StatesEnemy]

5" of rain?

Big Whoop.

Go hang out in Melbourne, FL in August.

[EggsAckley]

Five inches of rain in two hours can be a disaster. The ground gets saturated and everything starts slipping. They had waist-deep water in the city. Yes, I call it a disaster.

[rickmichaels]

The emergency declaration makes the hard-hit Watts section of Los Angeles and the cities of Compton and South Gate eligible for low-interest loans to help residents rebuild.

Jesse Jackson to arrive on the scene and denounce the interest charged on the loans as a racist conspiracy in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

[EggsAckley]

The geography of Melbourne FL normally experiences lots of rainfall, LA does not. The soils cannot tolerated that much in such a short time.

[sangoo]

The emergency declaration makes the hard-hit Watts section of Los Angeles and the cities of Compton and South Gate eligible for low-interest loans to help residents rebuild.

I guess I have been out of the loop. They need to rebuild after a two hour rainstorm? Maybe it's just another opportunity to involve the government to show how compassionate they are.

[ChadGore]

Re: "I looked up at the sky and said, 'God, please let this be the last disaster of my term,'"

How fitting. In his closing days the people of California suffer, and Davis is so vein as to think it's "all about him."

How very clintonian.

[Reeses]

It's obvious Davis is planning to stay in politics, he didn't get the message despite going down in infamy. He would have loved being mayor of SF, one of the few places that still favor him, but the election timing was 2 months too soon. The next option is running for US Senator however both seats are currently held by Democrats. Where will this failed socialist find his next government paycheck?

[76834]

Seems that I remember them praying for rain during the fires a few weeks ago.
Well...... You got er baby!!!

Be very careful what you pray for, You might just get it.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

"I looked up at the sky and said, 'God, please let this be the last disaster of my term,'" - it's all God's fault!

[sully777]

Then take a trip to San Antonio and see how Texans see the LA situation! Like I said in another post about the LA storm, thank God He placed a Texas rancher in the office of POTUS during national trials.

[Not A Snowbird]

As funny as it may sound, by LA standards it's a disaster. It just doesn't rain much there, so a dump like this causes quite a bit of damage. The problem is that I doubt too many people carry flood insurance in Watts, whereas people in my state of Washington either find high ground to build on or buy decent insurance.

[pgkdan]

5 inches of rain in 2 hours is a big deal anywhere. Even in a rain forest. We've had 5 inches fall over several days and have had flooding and other serious problems. That much rain in 2 hours could cause serious flash flooding and soil erosion.

[Mac The Knife]

When did Arnold know and what did he do about it...