Hurricane Katrina Disaster Updates

[nanandjim]

Is there any prisons in new Orleans? I wonder what happened with all the prisoners? so many questions - like the airports - did all the planes fly out prior to the storm or are their jets underwater?

This whole thing is so unreal, it's like when you hear about a lost city like Atlantis etc.. New Orleans may never recover from this, even when the water recedes.

I know that the military fly out all of their planes when they expect a hurricane to hit a particular area. So, I am assuming that they would fly out all commercial planes, too. Just guessing, though...

 

[T'sNana]

This is so sad. I can't get rid of the lump in my throat upon watching this tragedy! It's an embarrassment as a US citizen that there weren't more accommodations made BEFOREHAND, knowing this hurricane's potential! UGH!! The people have lost their lives, homes, jobs, etc., etc.!!! Just to think of those helpless, helpless people!! God Bless Them!

 

[Details]

Next question...How high are the transport vehicles? It looks like they have huge tires.

Fairly high, but the critical factor is the air intake for the engine. Usually they make a specific air intake, and put it up on the truck's roof. That lets them drive through water that is right up to their air intake. The driver and passengers may get wet, but it'll keep driving. That's why they don't swamp out like passenger cars do.

 

[T'sNana]

Ehh, I don't think Presidents really do much for disasters - it's the specialists, the people in the administration who really figure out what is needed. The President just needs to be available as a rubber stamp. It's a nice photo op, good to see they care, but I doubt they really need to be hands on with this kind of thing.

Personally, I don't need a photo of him there, but that's just me. But, he can PUSH for these agencies to do more, I would think. He needs to be on hand to give encouragement to the American people...not on vacation, IMO.

 

[Details]

Airplanes were removed, most at the least. They were working on getting one working runway, for emergency flights. I don't know if that runway was found to be usable.

 

[Mabel]

Is there any prisons in new Orleans? I wonder what happened with all the prisoners? so many questions - like the airports - did all the planes fly out prior to the storm or are their jets underwater? and museums etc.. imagine the cultural losses on top of the human toll.

This whole thing is so unreal, it's like when you hear about a lost city like Atlantis etc.. New Orleans may never recover from this, even when the water recedes.

According to Google, there's a Parish Prison in NO with a capacity of 7,000. I haven't heard any mention of what they did with the prisoners.

 

[Ntegrity]

This is so sad. I can't get rid of the lump in my throat upon watching this tragedy! It's an embarrassment as a US citizen that there weren't more accommodations made BEFOREHAND, knowing this hurricane's potential! UGH!! The people have lost their lives, homes, jobs, etc., etc.!!! Just to think of those helpless, helpless people!! God Bless Them!

What do you think could have been done beforehand? There's nothing that can stop a 20-foot wall of water. FEMA and the Red Cross were mobilized before the storm hit. There's not much else that could be done.

 

[concernedperson]

Here is a good article which answers a lot of questions that have been asked earlier. Doesn't address the prison situation. I imagine they will be evacuated like everyone else....they just won't be a priority.Will have to divvy up the cretins among the state's other facilities.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/30/katrina/index.html

 

[concernedperson]

Now one of the prisons is flooded and prisoners are sitting on an exit ramp and in cages with guns drawn on them. New CNN coverage.

 

[Details]

They evacuated everyone they could. Not much more you can do. Not everything can be solved.

 

[nanandjim]

What do you think could have been done beforehand? There's nothing that can stop a 20-foot wall of water. FEMA and the Red Cross were mobilized before the storm hit. There's not much else that could be done.

Ntegrity - How is your area?

 

[Cypros]

According to Google, there's a Parish Prison in NO with a capacity of 7,000. I haven't heard any mention of what they did with the prisoners.

I just saw images on CNN. All of the prisoners are outside and under guard. It looked like they were sitting in rows on an elevated walkway. Unreal.

 

[Nore]

Personally, I don't need a photo of him there, but that's just me. But, he can PUSH for these agencies to do more, I would think. He needs to be on hand to give encouragement to the American people...not on vacation, IMO.

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Bravo!!!!

 

[Texana]

I am just heartsick over the damage.

Mr. Texana grew up in New Orleans.

Galveston never recovered after the Storm of 1900 (before they named hurricanes) when thousands upon thousands were killed. Before that, it was one of the top five cities in the U.S. Now, it's a minor resort town.

My heart just goes out to these people in Miss. and La.

 

[Details]

I'm worried about New Orleans - this might be the end of it. But in a lot of ways, it's long overdue. It's under sea level, and sooner or later nature will win.

 

[BarnGoddess]

Personally, I don't need a photo of him there, but that's just me. But, he can PUSH for these agencies to do more, I would think. He needs to be on hand to give encouragement to the American people...not on vacation, IMO.

The President didn't just decide to go on vacation during a storm alert, he was already there. He was due to return after Labor Day. He has been in communication with the governors of the states involved. He made trips last year to all the storm areas. I guarantee you he will be there as soon as it is feasable for him. I really don't think anyone expects him to walk through standing water just for a photo op or to make an appearance. Let's face it, he declared the area a disaster before the storm even hit, for crying out loud.

 

[concernedperson]

New Orleans (and the suburbs) is a city under seige right now. Every bit as bad as any middle eastern city.The death toll nobody is really addressing at this time because I think they are avoiding panic.

The dire consequences are not fully realized by most citizens. This story is unfolding hourly and the end results will be staggering.

In Mississippi, they are painting black marks on houses with dead people and red marks with injured people. In New Orleans and other low lying parishes they will be scooping bodies up later from flooded areas.

When Cass posted that her friend had an order for 100,000 body bags I was aghast but now I see that there is some anticipation as well as what has already happened.

Seeing Kathleen on the news conference really confirmed to me that this is the worst of the worst. She is almost always composed and has been that way since she was a young girl, but her anticipation at the beginning of this storm and her crumbling features since this tragedy tells me a different story.

The area really does need military support now. Need a general who is less emotionally involved to get this job done. Being somewhat dispassionate about this and addressing it with that resolve will save New Orleans for the future. It has to be pinpoint precision not I hope or I guess. This is not a slam on officials, I just think now it is too much for them.

 

[jubie]

I'm worried about New Orleans - this might be the end of it. But in a lot of ways, it's long overdue. It's under sea level, and sooner or later nature will win.

Is this even possible? To just walk away from NO? Surely they can dry it out and repair the damage even if it takes years....




This is just the early hours, I'm afraid things will get much worse before they get better.


Praying for all those suffering.

 

[Details]

New Orleans has always been borderline - tons of levees protect it, but it is below sea level. On one side a lake, on the other side the Mississippi are just waiting to pour into the basin that is New Orleans.

And the levees are built only to a Cat3 hurricane - they can and did fail - even though the worst of the hurricane missed the city.


Yeah, I think we can, and may have to abandon New Orleans. But then I'm not a big fan of building in areas that are built for disaster - river flood plains, deltas, etc.

 

[LDC]

Prisoners from the Orleans Parish Prison are staged on the highway as floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina cover the streets.