Ernesto Worries Lake Okeechobee Residents

by Greg Allen, NPR

With Tropical Storm Ernesto bearing down on Florida, one of the most vulnerable populations may be the 60,000 people who live near Lake Okeechobee. A recent report found that the 143-mile dike that surrounds the lake is at "serious risk of catastrophic failure."

Local emergency management officials have scrambled to develop evacuation plans, and the Army Corps of Engineers is working on a $300-million dike upgrade. But that project is on hold because of problems found in a private contractor's work.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, August 29, 2006