PROVIDENCE — There aren’t many who still remember the wall of water that crashed into downtown Providence and drowned the unsuspecting, or the massive waves that wiped the buildings off Napatree Point, or the devastation that killed more than 400 Rhode Islanders, out of more than 700 deaths in the Northeast, in the great hurricane of 1938.

If it happens again, and scientists believe that it could, at least one expert says the damage in the Northeast today would be comparable to the economic damages caused by Hurricane Katrina.

That impact is difficult to imagine by those who haven’t seen a hurricane’s power, which adds to the problems of those scientists, meteorologists and disaster specialists trying to warn the public.

They’re trying again now, with a public information campaign kicked off yesterday by the state and nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes to help Rhode Islanders mitigate the damage from a hurricane. The campaign coincided with the Northeast Hurricane Mitigation Leadership Forum that began yesterday in Newport and continues today with discussion on how the Northeast can be more resilient to natural hazards, the hurricane preparedness of Rhode Island and the economic and social impacts of hurricanes.

Catastrophe modeling expert Karen Clark raised the Hurricane Katrina specter at the forum. Most damage would be caused by storm surge flattening coastal areas and building its way up the bay, and high winds knocking down trees onto buildings, power lines, and blocking roads, she said. A repeat of the 1938 hurricane could cause insured losses of $20 billion to $40 billion, she said, and the total economic losses could be anywhere from $50 billion to $100 billion.

The Northeast has seen 10 hurricanes make landfall since 1900, none greater than a category 3 storm. At the conference attended by scientists, meteorologists, emergency directors, and other invited guests, experts discussed how they determine the threat and track of a hurricane, while also saying that there’s no way to predict where it will hit exactly.

Here, the storms typically move fast, from 30 to 50 mph. They are massive and can cause damage hundreds of miles inland. A storm surge forcing its way up Narragansett Bay will cause severe flooding and tremendous damage, the extent depending on whether the storm hits at high tide or low tide.

Those who survive a storm credit their luck, when they should be crediting preparation, said FLASH president Leslie Chapman-Henderson. The nonprofit alliance, formed 10 years ago in Florida in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes, works nationwide for consumer awareness on disasters, education on building codes, and public policies that strengthen homes. Taking steps to mitigate the impact of a hurricane –– such as shuttering windows, having impact-resistant siding and doors –– can reduce damages from a storm and protect people’s lives, Chapman-Henderson said. Information for all hazards, including videos on how to protect your home, is at www.flash.org

Rhode Island is distributing 160,000 hurricane resource guides through local Stop & Shop stores, CVS stores, Dave’s Marketplace locations, Shaw’s supermarkets and AAA offices, as well as online at www.GetHurricaneReadyRi.org. The state isn’t financing the campaign; the guides were paid for by a federal grant and matching funds.

During a news conference at the State House announcing the hurricane guides, Governor Carcieri and Adjutant General Robert T. Bray, who leads the state Emergency Management Agency, emphasized the importance for Rhode Islanders to prepare.

However, the last time Rhode Island faced an emergency — the Dec. 13 snowstorm — neither Carcieri nor Bray took charge. Carcieri was in the Middle East and out of contact; Bray called in sick.

Under state law, the governor is in charge of directing an emergency; otherwise, the responsibility falls to the lieutenant governor. Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts was rebuffed on attempts to take control. And she has said she often wasn’t informed when the governor was away.

Although Roberts is chairwoman of the state Emergency Management Advisory Council, which is intended to advise the governor on emergency management issues, her staff said that she was not invited to the hurricane forum nor told it was happening. According to her spokesman, Michael Tanaka, Roberts found out about the forum from yesterday’s media coverage.

The Journal questioned Carcieri about leadership during an emergency, particularly whether he would inform the lieutenant governor when he is out of state and whether he will curtail Bray’s federal travel. A Journal investigation found that Bray has traveled extensively since he was appointed in February 2006 — about seven months total in less than two years. The governor has said that the general would be responsible for the state’s emergency response during Carcieri’s absence.

Carcieri avoided the question about the lieutenant governor, saying vaguely that there is travel and they try to be sensitive about being away when a hurricane is going to hit. He also said he had no concerns about the general’s absences.

“There will be leadership," Carcieri said. “Dave Smith,” the new executive director of the state EMA, “is going to do a great job.”

amilkovi@projo.com