NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, all you US NationStaters who are on or near the Gulf Coast -- give us a shout when you can to let us know you're ok.

I'm in PCB, and it's okish here, I still don't think we should be in school though, walking between classes is rough @.@
The roof is making creeky noises too, kinda scary, but I'm still alive.
The water from the gulf was up to my back deck this morning when I left.

I'm okie dokie, I just have a few peices of glass stuck in my arm, shoulder, and neck from an airborne tree busting out the window of a room I was in, but other than that I'm perfectly fine.

I'm okie dokie, I just have a few peices of glass stuck in my arm, shoulder, and neck from an airborne tree busting out the window of a room I was in, but other than that I'm perfectly fine.


Good to hear you're ok-hope all your family & friends are out of harms way as well.

Good luck and God speed to everyone in this hurricane's path.

Good to hear you're ok-hope all your family & friends are out of harms way as well.

Good luck and God speed to everyone in this hurricane's path.

Thank you for your conscern. Luckily my loved ones have not be harmed. I can only hope others can be as lucky.

on the extreme edge of this one. in panhandle region

got some wind, some rain.

Nothing like what those unfortunate folks in New Orleans, Slidell, Picayune, etc are getting.

Anyone in the Baton Rouge / Walker area? I have family there, and I'm wondering how bad it got hit...

Thanks for the thread Kat--I got Katrina when she was a baby and have recovered completely. My daughter is in Atlanta, far away from the eye which passed right over her house, judging from the satellite photos. Hope she has a house to go back to.

Wikipedia reports some of the East side of Orleans is under 6 feet of water. Just so you know.

Hey folks! Just lettin' ya'll know that all is well with me and my friends and family. New Orleans is pretty wet! Nothing this city can't handle, though. We had some worry for a bit when it was discovered that the roof of the Superdome was leaking pretty badly (yikes!) but everything seems to be holding up just fine.

Lots and lots of people without homes and power, but refugees and pretty much everyone but the most rescue workers are being told to stay out of New Orleans. Most of the area has no power, no phones, and is under water.

It's not as bad as it could have been, but I bet tourism is gonna be down for a while. I'm about half way home, myself. Stopped for coffee and pancakes in a casino and am on their internet thingy. I really need sleeeeeeep.

Anyway ... I'll holler when I'm back at the house (well, maybe tomorrow ... I think I'll get home and go to bed).

We may debate and argue until the ends of the Earth, but at the end of the day, NS is still a family. Thank you for the thread, Katganistan. :)

You Gulfans out there! Hope you're all safe! Please do NOT go and enjoy the view of the waves on the beach. Please!

We may debate and argue until the ends of the Earth, but at the end of the day, NS is still a family. Thank you for the thread, Katganistan. :)

You Gulfans out there! Hope you're all safe! Please do NOT go and enjoy the view of the waves on the beach. Please!

A very dysfunctional family that would make a corporation of psychologists rich, but still..a wonderful and welcoming family nonetheless. I'm sincerely relieved to hear that the damage was nowhere near as bad as originally thought (I was worried New Orleans would be completely underwater), and that those who've checked in so far are well.

Couple of quick notes:

1] I'm home again! Safe and sound.

2] Say what you will about us Americans, but we really come together in a crisis. Oh, sure, we may look radically divided and at each other's throats all the time, but when something like this happens, we put aside all manner of differences and face the problem at hand.

I'm going to sleep for a while now.

Am I the only one that thinks Katrina is super HOT????? Man, I'd poke her in the most inappropriate places imaginable!!! If you know what I mean.

This is not a time for tasteless jokes, nor is it the thread for it.

well said

Hurricane Katrina strikes the U.S. Gulf coast, causing over 50 deaths in Mississippi and leaving much of the city of New Orleans underwater as a levee along Lake Pontchartrain breaks.
I was shocked when I read this. I got that about 80% of the city is under water, and in some places its 7.5 meters (25 feet) deep! :eek:

I hope the people are OK... :(

I predict that there has been a permanent rise in the water level, caused by the global warming. Hence, part of New Orleans will remain submerged for at least a few years.

You'll have to excuse my ignorance, but what is PCB an abbreviation for? I was thinking one of the parishes, but I can't figure out which...

New Orleans is in danger of going under. This is not like a flood situation where the waters recede naturally. The city is in a bowl, averaging five feet below sea level with a huge lake and The Mississippi River above it. The City is surrounded by levees (dikes) that trap all the water that is now pouring in from broken levees. The 400,000 acre lake is now filling the bowl and there is no way to get rid of the water...

New Orleans survives only because it pumps water uphill into the Lake on a daily basis. Their combined capacity is 29 billion gallons per day, enough to empty a lake 10 square miles by 13.5 feet deep. The pumps are now silent, and the City continues to fill...

Important info, Hurricane Katrina Family Communications:

http://littlecoop.100megsfree5.com/katrina/

Well we made it okay here..we live near Gulf shores. Only gusts of 70mph and some downpours here and there and lost power for 14 hours but nothing too severe. Poor New Orleans..they are starting to find the bodies now. Water all the way up to the roofs. :( One man went crazy in the superdome and jumped to his death. Oh this is not necessarily due to global warming..New Orleans has and always has been below sea level..I dont think I care too much for preaching right now. These people have suffered greatly and then they showed the looting morons (( who proudly talked to the reporters mind you)) stealing microwave popcorn etc. :rolleyes: and then some were looting torn up homes...grrr....inhumanity to man.

I hope we don't have any NSers in Biloxi.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/12515793.htm

I hope we don't have any NSers in Biloxi.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/12515793.htm

For those who want to read the article but don't want to register, use the following at the registration screen:

MUKRI@BUGMENOT.COM
ANURA1

Courtesy of bugmenot.com

The damage is just incredible, one of the great disasters of our nation's history. It's our tsunami.

My aunt died in bay st. louis, near biloxi

My aunt died in bay st. louis, near biloxi
My God, I'm sorry. My daughter lives there--she went with her mother and a couple of other people to Atlanta but I haven't heard from her since the storm hit, and I'm a mess. You must be as well.

My Dad was in New Orleans visiting friends. He took a plain out on Saturday, but we were worried he was going to be stuck there.

My aunt died in bay st. louis, near biloxi

My sincere condolences.

I have found out I have relatives living in New Orleans (an aunt and uncles). They are okay. I didn't know, but I just talked with my family today. But I'm happy to know they are ok.

Also some moderately good news with concern of oil rigs:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/business/3330589

"BP started helicopter flyovers of several of its facilities today, and so far, the news has been good.

"No damage was observed from these aerial overflights, but we'll know more when we get the folks on board to complete their more detailed onboard inspections," said Hugh Depland, a spokesman for BP.

BP has already started to move small crews to some of its platforms. The crews will restart generators and inspect the facilities for damage prior to bringing them back on line."

"Exxon Mobil, Conoco, Apache Corp. are also inspecting their facilities.

Kerr-McGee said it has returned 50 workers to its facilities in the western Gulf, which was spared the brunt of the storm. The company expects to be able to today to restart half of the 130,000 barrel of oil a day production it shut down over the weekend.

"We're ramping it up throughout the day," said John Christiansen, a Kerr-McGee spokesman."

---

It appears Exxon Mobil, Conoco, Apache Corp have all been spared a lot of damage, and have been able to restart up key production today.

My thoughts are with all those who live in the area or know people who do, especially to thsoe who havn't heard from their loved ones yet-it must be really tough.

~Pabli

It's horrible. Losing New Orleans is, to me, like losing an old friend. I was there briefly helping out, but had to leave to tend to my own children back in Texas. I guess I was fortunate to leave when I did.

Nonetheless, it's horrible.

New Orleans was where my heart and soul was and I know it will never be the same again. I'm sure opportunists like Disney will come in and pony up the dough to rebuild, but you know what Disney will do to the place. Mardi Gras will become some family-friendly Mickey Mousecapade. Say goodbye to the Jazz clubs and the strip joints and the leather bars and the casinos. (Yeah, I know, some folks here will applaud all that.)

I'm holding a wake for the Big Easy this weekend with some friends and family who will be staying with me rather than being shipped to the Astrodome.

*sigh*

I'm also thinking of renting a boat and sailing out there to help with some of the rescue effort. Anyone in south Texas want to join me?

I'm also thinking of renting a boat and sailing out there to help with some of the rescue effort. Anyone in south Texas want to join me?

I applaud you for taking action. I also nominate you for hero-hood. If I lived closer to Louisiana (I'm in Canada), I would definitely be there helping instead of here, trying to budget to donate $100 to the rebuilding funds.

Well I've just gotten off the phone with the Red Cross and will be working with them over the next several days. I've also found a couple of places in Galveston and Corpus Christi who are willing to donate boats for rescue efforts.

I'll be shipping out in the morning to do what I can. I encourage anyone and everyone who can help to please do so. Sometimes it will mean sacrifices - such as my wife will be missing the next week of school so she can stay with the kids while I'm gone - but try not to forget that the people affected by this storm are worse off than you.

If you have money, donate it. If you have time, donate it. If all you can do is pray, then do it.

Houston area Red Cross: 713-526-8300 or 713-526-2300

We live in the Shenandoah subdivision of Baton Rouge, and we were spared from most of the devastation. We didn't get power back until monday night though. Also, a ton of branches and leaves fell in our yard, and our neighbor's tree almost fell over.

Keruvalia, good luck and be safe, we need more people like you in the world!

Hi! I know I'm not the most visible person, but I'm back online. Central Mississippi looks like it got hit by a 50+ mile wide F3 tornado for 14 hours. Tree limbs down all over the place, boil water notices, shortages, hoarding, gas problems...

But we're all alive here. Now I can sleep tonight, in AC!

Feel free to remember South Mississippi, for most of those towns are back in the stone age now. No flooding, true. They have to deal with no way out, no power, water, ice, food... No news. Some are just now figuring out how widespread the damage is.

The coast casinos are gone. I don't know if any of you ever made it to the Beau Rivage, but it's now 300 yards inland, dumped on a Holiday Inn. That's a fully loaded casino, slot machines, kitchens... everything, picked up and dropped there. Same with the rest. Bridges are gone. Wiped. Finished.

If the death toll stays low, it will be in tribute to the new evacuation procedures. They've been in place for the past few scares, so everyone was familiar with the procedure when it was needed most.

It's a place of great beauty, wiped out in one day.

I'm not a Generalite but eh, I'll post my little story.

This year I started attending the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science which is in Mobile. It's a boarding school college prep kind of thing.
I had been there for about two weeks when Friday night everyone was talking about this hurricane that was going to come through. No one was really worried about it because it was just a Category 2 and several days off.

The Administration had us call our parents though and let them know we might be evacuating us in the morning. So they woke us up at 8:00 in the morning to tell us we were evacuating, but we didn't need to take a lot though, it was just a Category 2.

So people threw some of their CD's and homework in their backpacks, grabbed their laptops and laundry and pretty much left everything else the way it was. It was a miserable 6 hour ride back up to Northern Alabama.

Sunday morning I found out that Katrina was now a Category 5 and that really sucked. Monday night the storm came right over where I live, it didn't do all that much damage though. I was really worried though about some of my friends who stayed down in the Gulf, but they're alright, the school's alright and everything so I'm going back Sunday.

Hope eveyone's alright! Thats a great thing some of you guys are doing- be proud and stay safe :)

I am not near the hurricane, however alot of my family members are. I'm not sure how they are. Does anybody know whats going on in the city of grambling Louisiana?

Hi Fresh, sorry about you family and no i don't know whats going on there, but i hope they will be ok. Cya in a min.

Grambling was relativly unhurt. According to their online newspaper a few trees down but that is it.

Regards,

JMayo

Contact info for Katrina victims/family, by state:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/30/katrina.advice.us/index.html

I lived in Uptown New Orleans, which as I understand it may be in the 20% of the city that had no initial flooding. However, that is becoming irrelevant as the city continues to take in water, and the last I heard only two or three pumps were working. I will never see my home again.

I lived in Uptown New Orleans, which as I understand it may be in the 20% of the city that had no initial flooding. However, that is becoming irrelevant as the city continues to take in water, and the last I heard only two or three pumps were working. I will never see my home again.

I'm sorry for your bad news, but take heart. The flooding from the lake has stopped except for high tide, since hydraulic equilibrium has been reached.

The pumps are still ok, and station number 6 is fine. The repair of the canals is assured now that water is not rushing in. They say 30 days to pump her dry.

Your house is in the best location, if anyone has a home left it may be you. You're blessed.

Here's a good local blog, more up to date than CNN - maybe it will help:

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08.html#075386

A childhood friend of mine was found dead in wreackage of her basement.

She just turned 17, I think.

Her name, Ironicly, was Katrina.

Katrina blog for those with family in Mississippi:

http://eyesonkatrina.blogspot.com/

Thank goodness for the strength of the Army Corp of Engineers.. they are saving New Orleans.. I feel everyone should recognize their contribution.. I also stand in solidarity with anyone in the region and will donate what I can. I'm not rich but I will do what I can to send money.

Just heard from my daughter tonight. She's safe and still in Atlanta. Her house in Bay St Louis is still standing but flooded, and they're going to try to get close enough to take a look at what can be salvaged this weekend. She'll be moving in with me temporarily so she can stay in school, because there's no telling when the Gulf Coast school system will be back up and running.

Does anyone live on or near Soniat St? Just curious what the extent of damage in that area was.....

(Near St. Charles Ave, Loyola Univ. and the Audubon Golf Club)

Got some TGs lately. I live in Panama City Beach, FL, and havn't been on my laptop (which has AIM) and some have asked if I was still alive or what not. Katrina missed me, and just to let ya'll know I am feelin' Norleans now, too many of them down here (some even going to my school temporarily now).

So no worries, laptop just went down unexpectantly (using school computer).

A childhood friend of mine was found dead in wreackage of her basement.

She just turned 17, I think.

Her name, Ironicly, was Katrina.

I'm so so so sorry.

I have to applaud some of the people here volunteering. I'm in Ireland if I was in the US I would volunteer in a flash. I'm gonna see what I can do from this end tho

It looked nasty out there

Mmkay ... I've packed some things and I'll be leaving in about 1/2 an hour to head to Galveston and take a boat over to New Orleans. No, I'm not really looking forward to it. I've heard stories of people shooting at rescue workers and life-flight helicopters and such. (Dunno if those are true, just what I've heard from folks)

I shouldn't be gone for more than a couple of days (I do have my own family to take care of, after all) but hopefully we can pull some people back with us and maybe bring closure to some who are unsure of their missing families.

*sigh*

Don't let the neocons take over in my absense! :D

NY Times maps of New Orleans, including extent of flooding Tuesday:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/2005_HURRICANEKATRINA_GRAPHIC/index.html

I have to applaud some of the people here volunteering. I'm in Ireland if I was in the US I would volunteer in a flash. I'm gonna see what I can do from this end tho


http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=441462

Thread on how to help.

Hey people i live in Mobile, Alabama and just got my power back.

The storm hit pretty hard here, but as far as I know no one has lost their life or home in Alabama. Nothing but minor inconviences such as Electricity, long gas lines and alot of yard work.

Power was out here for 3 days, but thats nothing compared to what people less than a hundred miles away are going through.

Im not in the gulf coast, I live by Dallas Texas. But today, we had gulf coast refugees come to my high school, and my lil sisters jr high school. I really hope other countries help us out with this disaster.

North Germania lived in New Orleans but he checked in elsewhere saying that he is in Mobile, Alabama. He's alright but unfortunately, like the rest of the city, what he has is what he has. My hope is that all NS'ers are safe like him and I hope all of them heeded the warnings to evac before the storm hit!

I live in Mobile..so I could see him walking down the street and wouldnt even know!

I live in Mobile..so I could see him walking down the street and wouldnt even know!

If you do, let him check his e-mail so he can call me and give me his PW so he doesn't lose his country.

Hey folks.

I'm on the US Army's satellite internet thingy. They let me drop an email to my wife and I told the Lieutenant about this site and he's letting me drop a message here as well since so many here are affected by Katrina.

New Orleans sucks. I've spent the last 4 hours in a biohazard suit wading through sewage on what they call "body patrol". Unfortunately, since the Louisiana National Guard is mostly in Iraq (we expect to get relief tomorrow), private citizens have been "deputized" and asked to help.

I'm not going to go into details about what it's like pulling a bloated shit covered body from a 2nd story apartment, but I can assure you that it sucks.

Some good news, though. A couple of the pumps are working again and the Engineers (God love those boys) are now thinking they can have the city cleared within 6 weeks. Gonna take some time to rebuild, but there is a ray of hope.

I don't know about things in Biloxi, MS or any of the other coastal cities, but we may have a New Orleans again within the year. I hope anyone with friends or family in the other places devastated by this hurricane can find information fast.

A side note for those of you who said that only trash was left in the city, I've just gotten word over NPR and other satellite news sources that many of the people in the Astrodome are going out to local places and filling out job applications. These people are *NOT* trash.

Another side note to you "Anarchists": Anarchy sucks! When desparate, hot, hungry people have no law and order, they start shooting. My guess is that the average wanna-be anarchist 16 year old on these forums would not survive when faced with true anarchy.

I should be back in Houston with my family by Sunday. It's hot and smelly here and the above ground cemetaries have done no good. Average turn around on volunteers has been 6-8 hours before they go crying home to mama. I'm going to try to stick this out as long as I can.

Pray for me.

James.

Hurricane Katrnia 2005 Relief Donations
As of Thursday Sept 1:
Total Collected: $26,640,315 Number of Donors: 183,870

This is pathetic. If you consider yourself an American then send something, anything.

Just call: 1-800 HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669.)
or at: WWW.RedCross.org

They need your help.

Hey folks.James.

Thank you for all that you are doing James. I grew up in N.O. and have/had family there(not sure yet) but I suspect that they are ok. I will find out tomorrow. This is all very sad. I would like to ask everybody who can, please help out anyway you can. Hopefully the old town can be put back together again. Thanks again.

My entire family searched about and donated about 1,300 dollars, not entirely sure on the exact number. We would contribute more but we ourselves are in real estate problems (Florida sucks...once Norleans gets on its feet we may move back there).

Come'on guys, help out. If a hurricane like this or even a massive tornado hit your home/city, wouldn't you want others to help out?

Hey folks.

I'm on the US Army's satellite internet thingy. They let me drop an email to my wife and I told the Lieutenant about this site and he's letting me drop a message here as well since so many here are affected by Katrina.

New Orleans sucks. I've spent the last 4 hours in a biohazard suit wading through sewage on what they call "body patrol". Unfortunately, since the Louisiana National Guard is mostly in Iraq (we expect to get relief tomorrow), private citizens have been "deputized" and asked to help.


A side note for those of you who said that only trash was left in the city, I've just gotten word over NPR and other satellite news sources that many of the people in the Astrodome are going out to local places and filling out job applications. These people are *NOT* trash.

Another side note to you "Anarchists": Anarchy sucks! When desparate, hot, hungry people have no law and order, they start shooting. My guess is that the average wanna-be anarchist 16 year old on these forums would not survive when faced with true anarchy.

I should be back in Houston with my family by Sunday. It's hot and smelly here and the above ground cemetaries have done no good. Average turn around on volunteers has been 6-8 hours before they go crying home to mama. I'm going to try to stick this out as long as I can.

Pray for me.

James.

You have my prayers.
I arrive next door in Slidell tomorrow. Same detail as you are working on I am sure. Thanks for leading the way.

Regards,

JMayo

I have always wondered what a complete federal, social, and economic break down of the United States would be like, and now that day has come.

<snip>
Pray for me.

James.

You have my prayers.
I arrive next door in Slidell tomorrow. Same detail as you are working on I am sure. Thanks for leading the way.

Regards,

JMayo

You guys are in my prayers, along with everyone affected by this disaster.

What you two are doing is commendable, and if anybody on this forum deserves to be called any sort of "royalty", it should be you guys, and anyone else going to such lengths to help their fellow man in the wake of this tragedy.

If I could, I'd join you guys. As is, I'm going to give what money I can to the Red Cross, and see what else can be done from Los Angeles.

Stay safe,
~Reploid Productions

You guys are in my prayers, along with everyone affected by this disaster.

What you two are doing is commendable, and if anybody on this forum deserves to be called any sort of "royalty", it should be you guys, and anyone else going to such lengths to help their fellow man in the wake of this tragedy.

If I could, I'd join you guys. As is, I'm going to give what money I can to the Red Cross, and see what else can be done from Los Angeles.

Stay safe,
~Reploid ProductionsI second that, and thank you both from the bottom of my heart.

I just want to say to all that have sufferred damage from this storm:

I am sorry for what you are going through and I know (from having sufferred several storms - none this bad) how long it takes to recover. The resulting financial losses from a hurricane go way beyond anything reimbursed by FEMA or insurance and take years to get past.

I am organizing a benefit in my coastal city to help with some of the problems that occur after FEMA and the RED CROSS have left. I'll do all I can from a distance. My prayers are with you!

Ugh ... I'm back home. Well at least I think I am. Every other license plate is a Louisiana plate. Heh. Lot of refugees in Houston.

As for New Orleans, all I can say is "My God". It was like being in some third world country. My heart bleeds for these people. I wish there were more I could do.

Good luck in Slidell, JMayo and try to keep in touch with how you're doing.

Ugh ... I'm back home. Well at least I think I am. Every other license plate is a Louisiana plate. Heh. Lot of refugees in Houston.

As for New Orleans, all I can say is "My God". It was like being in some third world country. My heart bleeds for these people. I wish there were more I could do.

Good luck in Slidell, JMayo and try to keep in touch with how you're doing.

Keru, good to see you made it home safely. We're swamped with Louisiana and Mississippie plates around here in Little Rock, too. A lot of our hotels have marquees with phone numbers for evacuees to call for lodging. Did you by chance get involved in evacuating some of the folks holed up in their homes. Because, if you didn't, I just saw a video of your twin brother carrying an old man out of his house. He was steady talking to the man and reassuring him and it sounded like you, too.

I want to state here my sad feelings for all the victims, like always that things like these happen.

In other order, I'd like to put in clear that if I could I wouldn't give money to the NO disaster. I only help those places that really need it, like Darfur, Sahel, Banda Aceh or Bam. The USA have enough money to pay this. We suffer yearly floods and we don't call for external help, because we can afford it.

I seize the opportunity to ask for those "¡Viva las armas!" people. what is happening is the definitive argument AGAINST weapons. Are those guns protecting somebody? Saving lifes?... Or not?

I am surprised this thing is still working since I dropped it in about 2 feet of water. A coule of keys are sticking but nothing I can't deal with.
I have been moved from the New Orleans area to help out in a few small towns in Mississippi. The 24 hours in Slidell is not one I will forget anytime soon. To many dead to many homeless and to many feeling like no one cares.
It may be hard for folks to understand why some of these people are still so angry when relief efforts are paying off. But as one man told me, it takes a while to recover from losing everything you have and then being forced to watch you children cry because they are thirsty and hungry.
I am currently on kitchen duty and that is a good thing. I am not sure I could handle finding dead bodies or seeing what seems to be an endless stream of body bags. Folks are guessing the death toll in all three states to easily reach 3000.

JMayo

I am surprised this thing is still working since I dropped it in about 2 feet of water. A coule of keys are sticking but nothing I can't deal with.
I have been moved from the New Orleans area to help out in a few small towns in Mississippi. The 24 hours in Slidell is not one I will forget anytime soon. To many dead to many homeless and to many feeling like no one cares.
It may be hard for folks to understand why some of these people are still so angry when relief efforts are paying off. But as one man told me, it takes a while to recover from losing everything you have and then being forced to watch you children cry because they are thirsty and hungry.
I am currently on kitchen duty and that is a good thing. I am not sure I could handle finding dead bodies or seeing what seems to be an endless stream of body bags. Folks are guessing the death toll in all three states to easily reach 3000.

JMayo

We can take a lesson. We must work to reapir and avoid it to happen again. And all around the world; now you know how did a Banda Aceh guy felt. But you at least have your PC.

Cool you survived. :)

Did you by chance get involved in evacuating some of the folks holed up in their homes. Because, if you didn't, I just saw a video of your twin brother carrying an old man out of his house. He was steady talking to the man and reassuring him and it sounded like you, too.

Honestly, I don't know. I carried a person or two and helped quite a few out of their flooded homes and into safety. I wasn't aware of any cameras, though. If there's a link to an online clip, I can let ya know, but I wouldn't want to take credit for someone else's actions.

I'm here in Galveston, we're all good.

There's another related thread in General, for which I include my response here regarding National Guard troops reportedly playing cards rather than helping out in my hometown that I fled a week ago today.

Thanks to all who are helping directly and with your donations. As this thread called for, I am checking in, abeit 80 miles away from my home -- now in Baton Rouge

Riley said that for the first three days after Monday's storm, which is believed to have killed several thousand people, the police and fire departments and some volunteers had been alone in trying to rescue people.

"We expected a lot more support from the federal government. We expected the government to respond within 24 hours. The first three days we had no assistance," he told AFP in an interview.

Riley went on: "We have been fired on with automatic weapons. We still have some thugs around. My biggest disappointment is with the federal government and the National Guard.

"The guard arrived 48 hours after the hurricane with 40 trucks. They drove their trucks in and went to sleep.

"For 72 hours this police department and the fire department and handful of citizens were alone rescuing people. We have people who died while the National Guard sat and played cards.

First off, thanks for this thread. As one who is homeless because of the hurricane and the GROSSLY INADEQUATE FEDERAL RESPONSE, I am especially appreciative of your starting this thread, OceanDrive2.

I will say that Commander Warren Riley (that's what the "W" stands for in his name) may have let off on the wrong guys. However, his response, and more importantly, the feeling it has here in the New Orleans diaspora (I cannot believe I had to say this) underscores the virtual abandonment of my hometown of 27 years by the powers that be, be they state or federal.

It needs to be noted that just in the past year alone, the Bush administration cut 71 million dollars from previously-authorized hurricane protection projects to protect New Orleans. That money, like so much else in the USA, has gone to the blackhole of a war whose original purpose has long evaporated in Iraq.

It also needs to be noted that over half of Louisiana's, Mississippi's, and Alabama's national guard units are in Iraq now. Those guys who drove in those trucks likely drove them in from another state -- for even more of the Louisiana's guard material is located in the sands of Iraq, not plying the floodwaters of New Orleans.

To be sure as one poster noted here in this thread, New Orleans Police aren't exactly the greatest models for confidence. Yet I happen to know Warren Riley as an acquaintance -- he is nothing but a no nonsense and straight forward person, with the best intentions for New Orleans. For the most part, what he said is apparently correct, if a bit understated (for the police themselves have been also "looting" --the very word is inappropriate given what little preparation had happened before the hurricane-- in order to just survive long enough before the outside world/our federal government took notice).

And it is true that there were both local, state, and federal (in)actions prior to the hurricane that could've prevented this awlful calamity. Scores of municipal buses and streetcars lay underwater -- emergency managers could've filled them with thousands of people without private vehicles and fled the city(more than 100,000 in the city alone did not own cars; myself I was damn lucky to get mine out of the repair shop two days before the storm hit so I could successfully flee). The Louisiana Superdome should've been stocked to the gills with provisions and staffed to handle the 20,000 inside. Remember this is a sports arena that regularly saw crouds of 80,000. Yet especially the state and federal government dropped the ball bigtime on this preparation.

Then of course Mayor Nagin in my opinion called for the evacuation too late -- 10am Sunday morning less than 24 hours before landfall was much too short a time. The suburbs and nearby outlying regions evacuated almost a full day before the city did. Yet it does need to be noted that until Saturday morning just two days before the hurricane it was forecast to hit the Gulf coast of Florida. Literally overnight, the storm track moved nearly 200 miles westward -- and that "cone of error" made New Orleans its new and final center. Mayor Nagin really cannot be held to account for such a misjudgement alone.

Then there's that matter of the 17th Street Canal levee breech. Locals have long known that at that drainage canal's mouth a city street bridge was being "hurricane proofed" and widened. Attached to the southside of that bridge was a construction barge. It is quite likely that barge broke loose during the height of the hurricane and broke the levee in the canal. To be sure, there is a furious debate going on now (as the area still remains under ten feet of water so the culprit barge has yet to be located). But even after the storm, it took the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers more than three days to even begin trying to plug the breech. Meanwhile whole areas of the city, including the Central Business District, Charity Hospital and parts of Uptown, which were dry in the days after the storm, became flooded just a few days ago.

When questioned about this by reporters with the Baton Rouge television station WAFB-TV 9, the Corps said that they lacked the heavy-lift helicopters necessary to immediately focus on filling the breech After a furious outcry by me and other evacuated New Orleanians taking refuge in Baton Rouge, they have finally plugged the canal's mouth so as to allow no longer the waters of Lake Pontchartrain into the city (and at its height those floodwaters inside the city equaled the level on the lake itself).

Then there's the breech of the Industrial Canal levee that flooded the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans and the suburban parish of St.Bernard with up to twenty feet of water. Storm surge from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MrGO) entered the canal as Hurricane Katrina headed for the region. It had no where else to go. At this point, I am furiously following up on reports that during the height of the storm the downriver levee of the Industrial Canal was dynamited in order to send floodwaters potentially away from the richer parts of New Orleans towards the nearly all African-American Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood as well as the mostly white but working-class St.Bernard Parish.

To be sure, we of the environmental community of New Orleans have long called for the closure and fill-in of the MrGO to staunch the flow of storm surge and reclaim once-vibrant wetlands that were destroyed by its early-1960s construction. Almost the very same thing happened during Hurricane Betsy in 1965 -- New Orleans' last direct hit by a major hurricane.

There's more to tell. Of course unfortunately I have so little time. Apologies for my lengthly post. Unfortunately, I have been to busy trying to located loved ones who I know fled and those I know who didn't -- as well as many friends and family that I pray and hope will not end up on a death list that surely will top "9/11" and may even rival the southeast Asia tsumani.

Those with the means to do so please make donations to the American Red Cross (the only outside agency that has been with us the entirety of this disaster):
http://www.redcross.org

Thanks for starting this thread and for your clamor to help the birthplace of jazz as well as my home.

Nolaerie
Pacific Defenders

Greetings to All and Sundry,

We’re still waiting for word of one of our own, from Wysteria, who lives in Pascagoula, one of the worst hit areas by Hurricane Katrina. Right now we’re just waiting for word from Caphtoria’s player for when he once again has internet access to get back to us. We understand that with the devastation caused by the hurricane it might be quite some time. He's a guy I've gotten to know quite well at our weekly regional chat sessions and we're all pulling for him to come out of this in one piece. Here’s the thread on the Wysterian Forum, where we have been talking about the hurricane:

http://invisionfree.com/forums/Wysterian_Forum/index.php?showtopic=2037

The Bruce

Greetings to All and Sundry,

We’re still waiting for word of one of our own, from Wysteria, who lives in Pascagoula, one of the worst hit areas by Hurricane Katrina. Right now we’re just waiting for word from Caphtoria’s player for when he once again has internet access to get back to us. We understand that with the devastation caused by the hurricane it might be quite some time. He's a guy I've gotten to know quite well at our weekly regional chat sessions and we're all pulling for him to come out of this in one piece. Here’s the thread on the Wysterian Forum, where we have been talking about the hurricane:

http://invisionfree.com/forums/Wysterian_Forum/index.php?showtopic=2037

The Bruce

Yeah, I really hope Chris is okay. :(

I am surprised this thing is still working since I dropped it in about 2 feet of water. A coule of keys are sticking but nothing I can't deal with.
I have been moved from the New Orleans area to help out in a few small towns in Mississippi. The 24 hours in Slidell is not one I will forget anytime soon. To many dead to many homeless and to many feeling like no one cares.
It may be hard for folks to understand why some of these people are still so angry when relief efforts are paying off. But as one man told me, it takes a while to recover from losing everything you have and then being forced to watch you children cry because they are thirsty and hungry.
I am currently on kitchen duty and that is a good thing. I am not sure I could handle finding dead bodies or seeing what seems to be an endless stream of body bags. Folks are guessing the death toll in all three states to easily reach 3000.

JMayo


Sopme sources (including mayor Nagant) saying maybe as high as 10,000 in NO alone. If so, that would really truely make this the worst natural disaster in US history, topping the Storm of 1900 in Galveston that killed anout 10,000....

:(

Has anyone checked in from Pascagoula, Mississippi? One of the guys from our region lives there. He was posting on our regional forum as late as three hours before the storm hit, but we haven't heard anything since...

Edit: Oh, I see Bruce has already posted about this here.

I sure hope Chris is okay.

Sopme sources (including mayor Nagant) saying maybe as high as 10,000 in NO alone. If so, that would really truely make this the worst natural disaster in US history, topping the Storm of 1900 in Galveston that killed anout 10,000....

:(

Yes we are learning the info given to us does not match up with what is being reported on the news. No ones story is the same. The Civil authorities say one thing, military another and reporters even another. Until everyone alive gets food, water, shelter and medical care then the number of dead can wait. We will be fighting about this for years but the politics are not important to me as of yet and I hope they don't become a major issue until the basics are taken care of. We have had enough people die because of the lack of political movement. We should not let the system get bogged down again.
When all the towns in MS and LA have been reached and check and the folks taken care of I am not going to worry about the math.


JMayo

I don't know if any of you ever made it to the Beau Rivage, but it's now 300 yards inland, dumped on a Holiday Inn. That's a fully loaded casino, slot machines, kitchens... everything, picked up and dropped there.




The casino barge was thrown inland, but the hotel tower (http://www.roofing.ms/Graphics/Photos/BR_bldg_wide-lrg.jpg) is still there, although most of the bottom floors were destroyed, leaving a shell on the lower floors after a 30 foot surge hit it.

in canada so......



but just want to say that i am sorry for the shit you guys are caught in and hope you all make it out of there.

If you do, let him check his e-mail so he can call me and give me his PW so he doesn't lose his country.

No worries. I hear these game moderator folks can revive nations that died for inactivity. ;)

Here in Pensacola, we fared pretty well, but I'm on my way over to Baton Rouge at the end of the week to start helping with the debris cleanup effort. I remember how things were here after Ivan, and this was a thousand times worse, from what I can tell. I'm not looking forward to seeing the devastation there. My boss is already talking years, not months, before we're home from this one.

<snip>
Pray for me.

James.



You have my prayers.
I arrive next door in Slidell tomorrow. Same detail as you are working on I am sure. Thanks for leading the way.

Regards,

JMayo


You are truly heroes. Thank you for your work, and know that you and your family are in the thoughts and prayers of the country.

i hate katrina THESE GAS PRICES GRRRR....ROAR!!! :mad: :mad:

you know they did a study 3 years ago about how new orleans would fare if a major hurricane hit. they prdicted all of this the levys breaking mass evac looting lack of supplies goverment slow to act and help i was scary seeing the preditions come true

Yo I'm glad so many of your are okay and I'm sure all the other people that haven't checked in are safe and sound.

Godspeed.

Yeah, they had some kind of show on FX a while back called "Oil Storm" that dealt with the same situation. It was like a fake documentary of some people and it was just amazing to see how fast this could get out of hand.

I'm isolated pretty much here at college, but I watched the news (CNN - All I had :/ ) daily to see the reports.

Let us not forget, this is the same kind of stuff that happens in India and China, and other Asian countries.

Being back home is great.
I am still highly disappointed in the response. I watch well qualified people returned home because FEMA wanted to use skilled rescue workers to boast their images. They actually wanted police officers and Fire officers to put on little vests and hats and hand out flyers. There are thousands of volunteers with no rescue or safety training that could hand out flyers.
People are still with out power in many places and phone service will take longer to restore in some areas. The red cross who I was with most of my time down there is a great organization to give your money to but I would also like to suggest Habit for Humanities. Many folks are going to need homes to live in and they are willing to work to get them.

JMayo

My Cousin is ok.

Alive and well, spare my net and my kitchen.

Although Tmobile or someone is setting up hotspots near the shelters (like I'd go within a mile of those places; I feel for the people inside, but it's really anarchaic in there.)

Yeah, they had some kind of show on FX a while back called "Oil Storm" that dealt with the same situation. It was like a fake documentary of some people and it was just amazing to see how fast this could get out of hand.

I'm isolated pretty much here at college, but I watched the news (CNN - All I had :/ ) daily to see the reports.

Let us not forget, this is the same kind of stuff that happens in India and China, and other Asian countries.

No oil storm. That documentary is BS. In fact there has been a record amount of oil well dug and more investment has been put in.

And Bush just met with the Chinese leader..

http://www.forbes.com/business/2005/09/09/exxon-canada-oil-cx_0912oxan_canadaoil.html?partner=rss

Anyways as to the response, we have to now rebuild the area. I'm tired of seeing politics being mixed into this with people screaming "the federal response was grossly inadequate" when that is not entirely the case. The state government is the first to respond.

I'm okay! :) thank goodness it missed me...

im afraid i died.... :(