Martial Law has been declared in some areas. Also there are reports of looting.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050830/sc_af...ns_050830162048

And of course now the looting has begun.

Supposedly the twin span bridge that connects the Riverwalk/Moonwalk area at the central business distyrict end of canal St. to residential Westbank is supposedly GONE.

This news channel is streaming some pretty good live video from New orleans.

 

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

These people should be shot on site.

Interesting to note, the rains of Katrina are not that far away from us right now. This has taken a way more straight northerly track vs the trending to the east that was expected. We might get some of this rain.

 

This is unbelieveable. All journalists are being ordered to leave the city, downtown is now being flooded, including the french quarter, and thousands are believed to be still trapped on the roofs of their homes.

 

(I heard all that on CNN btw, wish I had a link).

This is unbelieveable.  All journalists are being ordered to leave the city, downtown is now being flooded, including the french quarter, and thousands are believed to be still trapped on the roofs of their homes.

 

(I heard all that on CNN btw, wish I had a link).

 

Why didn't these people evacuate?

Interesting to note, the rains of Katrina are not that far away from us right now.  This has taken a way more straight northerly track vs the trending to the east that was expected.  We might get some of this rain.

 

 

It's been raining sideways all day here in Bloomington. It's ridiculous.

whitesoxfan101., try this lin k i posted earlier. It has breaking web stories and good live streams as well.

 

This news channel is streaming some pretty good live video from New orleans.

 

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

 

Absolutely, if they cannot fix the existing breaches, reinforce the levee system, and get the levee pumps running on emergency power, then they haven't seen the worst of the flooding.

I am hoping that Chris is out of there (not sure what hotel he is/was at).

http://www.nola.com

 

That site is doing a great job of coverage of the storm, although I guess the people that write for it had to evacuate the city due to the flooding.

 

I don't think anybody realizes how bad this is yet, it's impossible to wrap your mind around how catastrophic this is.

Well hello everyone..... I now have power again in Birmingham, but apparently still more than 150,000 people here are without. My parents said places were losing power in Evansville, IN today from the wind and rain.

 

I'm floored by all of the sites, photos, etc. I have seen from New Orleans and MS. Apparently, Mobile and Gulf Shores AL are flooded big time as well. Someone posted an article on page 1 of this thread that discussed the possibilities of what may happen in this case and it seems to be coming true. I hate to say this, but New Orleans as we know it, is no more. This is going to get worse and turn into a major health hazard in addition to the damage to people and homes.

 

I hate it, but it is kind of like a wreck on the side of the road, I can't keep from watching it and wanting to know more. Yet, I have a sick feeling in my stomach.

 

As far as I know, my aunt and uncle are okay in Ocean Springs, MS. Last I heard, the just lost a couple of trees and water had gotten into their front yard, close to their front porch, but none inside. I can't get a phone call through down there, so it is frustrating.

Interesting to note, the rains of Katrina are not that far away from us right now.  This has taken a way more straight northerly track vs the trending to the east that was expected.  We might get some of this rain.

 

We're supposed to be getting some of that today in Upstate NY--it's already looking kind of foul, so I imagine the rain won't be far behind.

 

And, glad to hear you're okay Rex!

Weather literally just changed here in Hillside. Sun is gone, temp's dropped at least 10 degrees and there is a nice breeze.

Why didn't these people evacuate?

 

No rental cars, no flights out, no public transportation, no money. The biggies. Being an idiot and trying for a Darwin Award was very low.

Prison riot

Tuesday, 8:10 p.m.

 

By Ed Anderson and Jan Moller

 

An uprising at Orleans Parish Prison and widespread looting contributed to a deteriorating situation in Louisiana's largest city Tuesday in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Tuesday, according to witnesses and second-hand accounts from evacuees.

 

The problem is being compounded, officials said, by a breakdown in the ability of public agencies to communicate with one another, said New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas.

 

Thomas said he confirmed with New Orleans police that an uprising - and possible “hostage situation” - took place at the parish prison sometime late Monday or early Tuesday. Details were sketchy, but Thomas believes the uprising took place when prisoners were being evacuated in the storm's aftermath.

 

It's not clear how many prisoners were involved, or how many hostages were taken, as Thomas said he has been unable to contact police since evacuating to Baton Rouge on Tuesday. Cell phones are not working.

 

“The most frustrating thing about this whole thing has been communication,” Thomas said. “We have to devise a better system.”

 

Thomas said one report he received had a deputy being held hostage with his four children. Thomas said he was trying to verify the situation Tuesday evening.

 

He said looting has also escalated and an atmosphere of lawlessness has developed as police resources have been almost entirely devoted to search-and-rescue operations for people trapped by floodwaters on roofs and in attics. “Widespread looting is taking place in all parts of the city” - from uptown and Canal Street to areas around the housing projects, Thomas said.

 

“People are going in and out of businesses at Louisiana and Claiborne (avenues), taking clothes, tennis shoes and goods,” Thomas said. “It is inconceivable to me how people can do this.”

 

“People are leaving the Superdome to go to Canal Street to loot,” Thomas said. “Some people broke into drug stores and stole the drugs off the shelves. It is looting times five. I'm telling you, it's like Sodom and Gomorrah.”

 

Water rising at 17th St. canal

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

 

Mayor Ray Nagin has announced that the attempt to plug a breach in the

17th Street canal at the Hammond Highway bridge has failed and the

rising water is about to overwhelm the pumps on that canal.

The result is that water will begin rising rapidly again, and could

reach as high as 3 feet above sea level. In New Orleans and Jefferson

Parish, that means floodwaters could rise as high as 15 feet in the next

few hours.

Nagin urged residents to try to find higher ground as soon as possible.

Whoa. . .

 

It will be a long time before New Orleans is anywhere near what it was prior to Katrina.

Water rising at 17th St. canal

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

 

Mayor Ray Nagin has announced that the attempt to plug a breach in the

17th Street canal at the Hammond Highway bridge has failed and the

rising water is about to overwhelm the pumps on that canal.

The result is that water will begin rising rapidly again, and could

reach as high as 3 feet above sea level. In New Orleans and Jefferson

Parish, that means floodwaters could rise as high as 15 feet in the next

few hours.

Nagin urged residents to try to find higher ground as soon as possible.

 

f***, that's bad news. I thought the suggestion that they'd have the breaches under control in a few hours was unrealistic. The main levee system is 40 years old, and so even if they could plug the existing breaches with sandbags I think that's just going to cause the dammed up water to find and breach the next weakest spott along the levee.

 

Seriously sucks, and above an beyond loss of life and personal property, there is some real history and heritage being destroyed. They've been dodging this bullet for 150 years or so and it was always a question of when and not if they'd ever get hit by the big one.

Edited August 31, 200520 yr by FlaSoxxJim

Whoa. . .

 

It will be a long time before New Orleans is anywhere near what it was prior to Katrina.

It never will be again. Anything they throw up to replace the living history of the old parts of the city will be essentially a pale, 'Disney-fied' imitation of what's been lost. I'm trying to be optimistic about the outcome, but I've seen too much of the city's buildings and infrastructure up close to have much faith in its coming through total submergence in anything resembling an intact or salvagable form.

Thirty of the victims in the county were from a beachfront apartment building that collapsed under a 25-foot wall of water as Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with 145-mph winds. And Louisiana officials said many were feared dead there, too, making Katrina one of the most punishing storms to hit the United States in decades.

 

and

 

Venezuela offers fuel, food to hurricane-hit US

 

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to send food and fuel to the United States after the powerful Hurricane Katrina pummeled the US south, ravaging US crude production.

 

The leftist leader, a frequent critic of the United States and a target himself of US disapproval, said Venezuela could send aid workers with drinking water, food and fuel to US communities hit by the hurricane.

 

"We place at the disposition of the people of the United States in the event of shortages -- we have drinking water, food, we can provide fuel," Chavez told reporters.

 

Chavez said fuel could be sent to the United States via a Citgo refinery that has not been affected by the hurricane. Citgo is owned by Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).

 

In the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for a quarter of total US oil output, 92 percent of crude and 83 percent of natural gas production were shut down due to Hurricane Katrina, which slammed Louisiana and Mississippi, according to US government data.

 

Venezuela is the fourth-largest provider of oil to the United States, supplying some 1.5 million barrels a day.

 

Last week, Chavez offered discount gasoline to poor Americans suffering from high oil prices and on Sunday offered free eye surgery for Americans without access to health care.

I cannot even imagine how life ruining that would be. Even if you escaped physically, just everything destroyed. Cannot even fathom it.

Price of gas went up this evening by me to $3.03 for 87 octane and I think $3.23 for 93 octane.

Price of gas went up this evening by me to $3.03 for 87 octane and I think $3.23 for 93 octane.

 

Wow. I'm glad I filled my tank today.

I screwed myself by filling up in the evening, eh, so be it.