Relief Efforts In Texas, And What Comes Next

Small explosions shook a chemical plant northeast of Houston today, as floodwaters shut down the cooling systems that keep the chemicals stable. In Beaumont, Texas, flooding shut down the system that provides water for the entire city. And in Houston, officials ordered the mandatory evacuation of areas around the Barker Reservoir.

There are enormous immediate and long-term challenges in this continuing catastrophe. We check in with two people about how relief efforts are going, and what needs to happen next.

Robert Picard, a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Red Cross. He is assisting in relief efforts in Texas.

Tiziana Dearing, co-director of the Center for Social Innovation at Boston College, and a member of WBUR's executive advisory board. She tweets @tiziana_dearing.