I see in the paper where Vernon Parish has a buyout on flooded property. Also, Cameron has assistance at no cost for the raising of homes.

What did Lake Charles get, and what did they do with the money?

Barbe Street, Barbe Court, Norben Drive and the surrounding area flooded in both Rita and Ike. I know there was a lot of money spent on Pithon Coulee.

Why doesn’t Lake Charles have any programs like this for those that flooded numerous times and will again?

The city of Lake Charles has in the past taken part in the program the reader refers to — the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, said city spokesman Matt Young.

Under federal law, program funding depends on a presidential disaster declaration, and the money goes only to the areas of the state identified by the governor. Young said the city administered $1.8 million in FEMA elevation grants for eight homes after Hurricane Ike.

He said the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury usually applies for hazard-mitigation grants and works with municipal officials to identify flood-prone areas. The Police Jury has mitigated 55 residential structures parishwide using $8.4 million in FEMA funding, Young said.

Thirty-three of the projects were fully funded by FEMA grants related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he said. Other disaster and non-disaster grants from FEMA require a 10 percent to 25 percent local or homeowner cost share, Young said.

“The Police Jury is in the process of completing 18 residential flood-mitigation projects and anticipates receiving approval from FEMA for an additional 20 projects over the next few months,” he wrote in an email.

“Of these properties, four are in the Barbe Court area, and several more are located in the city of Lake Charles. Homeowners within the Barbe Court subdivision specifically have recently benefitted from both the city’s program, as well as the Police Jury’s program.”

Young said parish and municipal officials regularly review properties for mitigation grant eligibility and alert homeowners who may qualify.

For more information or to see if your property is eligible for a flood-mitigation grant, call Doug Burguieres with the city at 491-1394 or Jennifer Cobian with the Police Jury at 721-3606.

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Online: www.cityoflakecharles.com; www.cppj.net.

‘Cyclone’ first used for large storms

What’s the difference between a tornado and a cyclone?

For meteorologists “cyclone” refers to a massive weather system — think: hurricane — whose winds rotate around a central low-pressure system.

“Tornado” refers to the short-lived, funnel-shaped, whirlwind systems that often accompany large thunderstorms.

English meteorologist Henry Piddington in 1848 coined “cyclone” to describe whirling tropical systems such as hurricanes. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “cyclone” was first applied to a tornado in 1856.

“Tornado” dates from the mid-16th century, but it wasn’t specifically applied to a tornado until 1849, the year after Piddington invented “cyclone.”

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Online: http://etymonline.com.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.