Michael Brown, former FEMA director, calls TS Harvey 'worse than Katrina'

***FILE*** US President George W. Bush (left) and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (second from right) get a briefing from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Michael Brown (ceter) upon their arrival in this 02 September, 2005 file photo, at a US Coast Guard Base in Mobile, Alabama, before touring the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina. less ***FILE*** US President George W. Bush (left) and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff (second from right) get a briefing from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Michael Brown (ceter) upon ... more Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 236 Caption Close Michael Brown, former FEMA director, calls TS Harvey 'worse than Katrina' 1 / 236 Back to Gallery

Michael Brown, the former FEMA head under the Bush administration during Hurricane Katrina, said Monday morning that the devastation Houston is suffering from Hurricane Harvey was worse in his eyes than what was seen during Katrina.

In a Monday interview with Chron.com Brown spoke about the challenges currently facing Houstonians and first responders as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to sit over the area.

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"There are several factors that make it worse than Katrina. For one there is the scope of the flooding. Harris County and the surrounding areas are so saturated," Brown said. "Also, the amount of damages will continue to grow. There will be mold and structural damages adding up."

Brown noted that Katrina's impact on the New Orleans area was worsened by that city's bowl-like geography. Houston's flatness is compounding the damage of what is a massive storm that doesn't want to move on from the area.

"This will unfathomably expensive for both the private sector and taxpayers," Brown said. "This will be easily the most expensive natural disaster in American history."

He has hopes than when all is said and done that lessons are learned from Harvey.

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"I hope that this leads to some discussion about the national flood insurance program too," Brown said.

Brown said that he is not surprised at all by the outpouring of aid that Texans are lending each other in this time of need.

"It's Texas, duh. I wouldn't have expected any less," Brown said. He thinks that Harvey's impact will make more people respect storms of this magnitude.

On Saturday afternoon some were writing off Harvey as a dud even after it devastated Rockport and Corpus Christi to the south.

"I don't like to use the term 'catastrophic' but when the National Weather Service and Weather Channel use that term you should sit up and listen," Brown said.

"I think people need to understand personal responsibility and should be more prepared," Brown said. "I have been out of the government since late 2005 and I am still saying the same things 12 years later."

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Brown, now a syndicated radio host and pundit, penned an editorial for The Hill in which he implored President Donald Trump to empower FEMA administrator Brock Long to do whatever was needed to lead the charge to get Texas back on its feet.

Long previously worked under Brown in the National Hurricane Center.

"May I humbly suggest that Hurricane Harvey is one of those times you must use your bully pulpit to ensure the federal government does its job and does it well," Brown wrote.

Brown served as general counsel, deputy director, director of FEMA and as under secretary of Homeland Security for President George W. Bush from 2001 until 2005, stepping down just after Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.