HURRICANE CENTER: KATRINA LEAVES DEADLY WAKE
Mayor Nagin advises WWL-TV to the extent of damage in the city
At least 50 dead on the Gulf Coast
As I sit here with my coffee this morning, watching the news and trying to absorb the scope of the death and destruction in Louisiana and Mississippi, I find myself thankful and and in awe. I’m thankful, of course, because New Orleans is only 400 miles to the east. But for a twist of fate here or there, what is happening in Louisiana and Mississippi could easily have happened here. I’m in awe at the almost-impossible-to-comprehend scale of destruction, devastation, and death that Hurricane Katrina left in her wake.
Yesterday, it looked as if New Orleans had managed to escape some of the heavy flooding from Lake Ponchartrain that had been feared. Early this morning, a levee in New Orleans was breached, and at least some of the flooding fears have become reality. With the rising of the sun this morning, more devastation will be revealed and the death toll will begin to rise. Oddly enough, things could have been worse. Given that the eye of the storm passed to the east of downtown New Orleans, the city avoided the absolute nightmare worst-case scenario- not that the body blow it suffered could in any way be defined as getting off easy.
It’s difficult to imagine what tragedies the next few days and weeks will reveal. Those of us on the Gulf Coast who were spared should be thanking whatever Deity we subscribe to (Yes, there but for the grace of [insert name of Higher Being here] go I….) that we were spared. But for a difference of 400 miles…well, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not ponder those possibilities. As one government official in Mississippi put it, “This was our tsunami.” Indeed it was.
In the meantime, those of you who want to make a difference can go to the American Red Cross. There is much work to be done, and many, many people will be needing a LOT of help for an extended period of time. I have a feeling that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.
You hit it on the head with this post... I was in Florida (on vacation) last year around this time and got stranded in Hurricane Frances... which was NOTHING compared to this storm, and I simply can't imagine being anywhere near New Orleans or the surrounding area.
I was amazed most by those blogging through the storm, being able to share what was happening as it happened.
LOVE your blog - keep up the good work!
there's a blogger in trouble in new orleans. if anyone knows someone with a boat in new orleans, please comment here:
http://www.ernietheattorney.net/ ...1.html#comments
I'm 200 miles East of New Orleans and we got tropical storm force winds for over 24 hours as well as storm surge damage to US 98 along the beach.
I drove through Mississippi after Camille in 1969 and it looked like it had been carpet bombed. You could follow the path of the storm by the destruction.
The death toll will be going up as the week continues and new areas are reached.
Its been very difficult to reconcile the images on the tv and internet with our current California reality of beautiful blue skies and warm days.
I have some friends down there in that neck of the woods. I hope they're okay and that the city isn't destroyed beyond hope of rebuilding. Its weird to think that New Orleans was "lucky" in that they didn't get the square uppercut to the jaw hurricane right into the city since it doesn't look like they were lucky at all. Scary days indeed.
The T-P has put out a call for boats for the evacuation of the city. They will need help from E. Texas and other distant points. Please forward far and wide
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/
We need boats!
Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Officials have issued a call for anyone with a flatboat to help rescue people stranded by the flood.
Anyone with a boat, especially a flatboat, who can safely make it to the intersection of Cleary and Airline Drive in Metairie is asked to go there.