I’ve started looking for weblog posts by various New Orleans and Louisiana residents to get more of a firsthand perspective on the approaching hurricane. Here’s what I’ve been able to come up with so far.
"Electric Mist":http://www.electricmist.net/archives/001626.html who is located in Baton Rouge comments:
bq. The traffic coming out of New Orleans is insane. No one can find a hotel between here and Houston, and I've been told that it's also pretty booked as far away as Dallas. There's a lot of advice being bandied about on TV about it being better to head north or east, but the path of the hurricane is going to be north-east when it hits land. At the best, if you can get far enough away, you're only going to have heavy rains, but if you're east, you'll have that a lot longer than those in the west. Hence, most people head west.
The pictures I saw on "cnn":cnn.com showed a virtual traffic jam on the interstate heading out of New Orleans. I read an estimate somewhere that a complete evacuation of New Orleans would require 72 hours so a lot of people are still going to have to ride this one out.
"Yaddoshi":http://www.livejournal.com/users/yaddoshi/18693.html seems to think that everyone is taking things too far:
bq. My stance is the same as usual - everyone is overreacting as usual, thanks to the news and the human sheep mentality I watch and am forced to interact with on a daily basis... People are putting plywood on the outside of their windows as usual (morons) and a number of businesses are already shut down.
It will be interesting to see if he has the same attitude a few days from now. It seems to me that it's better to be over prepared than under prepared.
"Richard at New Orleans Metroblogs":http://neworleans.metblogs.com/archives/2005/08/katrina_and_her.phtml echoes this sentiment:
bq. Dear Evacuation Monkeys: This one is different. You officially have my permission to freak out.
Brendan83 (who might actually be a classmate of my friend Steve's since he's also going to medical school in New Orleans) "writes":http://www.livejournal.com/users/brendon83/2567.html:
bq. Katrina will probably be a category 3 or 4 when it hits, but we will be long gone before then. I have spent most of today picking up anything that could potentially blow or float away in the yard, helping my dad load his work machinery onto his trailer, and packing up everything that is valuable to me into a small duffel bag and a box. Everything else, its fate lies with the hurricane.
"Michael Homan":http://michaelhoman.blogspot.com/2005/08/hurricane-katrina.html is going to be sticking it out:
bq. Hurricane Katrina has her eyes set, seemingly, on my fair city of New Orleans. Therese and the kids are either heading to Jacksonville or Purvis Mississippi at 4 AM Sunday morning. Me, the dogs, and various other critters are battin' down the hatches.
Hopefully he and everyone else staying put will pull through.
*Update 8/30/05:* Rob Kline has asked that I point people towards "katrinahelp.info":http://katrinahelp.info a collaborative Wiki that has been setup to get people information and assistance in dealing with Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.
Have you heard anything about Waveland or Gulfport MS. I have family there and I have not heard a word about the area.
The media is doing a wonderful job so far in showing the devastation, but it does not, by any means, give you the sinking feeling of actualling being there to live it. Our area was hit several times a fews years ago here in Eastern North Carolina, we lived it. My heart goes out to those who have to live it and continue to live it for months and years to come.
Gulfport doesn’t sound like it did very well. Here’s “what I found”:http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/12513444.htm at the SunHerald:
I live in Ohio, far from the madding crowd, and at a much higher altitude. But it’s very flat hereabouts, and the soil is industrial grade (almost) clay – very slow absorption. It’s beginning to rain, the remnants of Katrina. We are expecting a lot of rain, in fact. WE, thousands of miles from New Orleans, could get flooded out!
Jason,
Rob, I will be happy to mention katrina.info from here and in a few other more prominent places on my site.
Hello there,
Art, I hope the flooding doesn’t get too bad up your way. The scary part about these Katrina remnant is that they could end up being a double whammy. Not only will they have the potential to flood states further north like Ohio in your case, but a lot of that water is going to end up in the Mississippi again and headed for the already inundated New Orleans again.
Wanting to hear from a sister Linda Gros who was a maid at the Holiday near Marrera, La. Would appreciate any info. Thanks Bill Howard/ ST. Peters, Mo
I’d really like to hear Yaddoshi’s stance on this storm now and if he still feels that the media overreacted. I don’t think he will hae the ability to blog about anythng for quite some time from his hoime of New Orleans. Seeing as ALL of New Orleans is 20 feet underwater as we speak. If Katrina hadn’t taken a jog to the east before landfall there would be very few lives left in New Orleans.
Dawn, thanks for the comments. As windy as your first picture looked I’m glad that fence just blew over rather than apart. We had a wind/thunderstorm pass through where we live in Spokane earlier this summer and I found the 75+ mph gusts we experienced plenty scary with all the tall pine trees we have in our neighborhood. We even had one break in half in our front yard. Thankfully it just missed our neighbor’s truck and fell parallel to the road rather than across it. Needless to say that was nothing compared to what you experienced with Katrina and Ivan, but it definitely gave me a reference point for all stories I’m hearing.
Not that I’m glad that you have experienced the wind from such a storm but it’s good to talk to someone so far away who has a healthy appreciation for what these storms are like. MANY people have no idea of the devastation left in their wake.
I’m hoping to hear anything about Diamondhead, Mississippi. Does anyone know anything at all. I have friends and family in the community and cannot reach anyone.
Any info on Empire or Buras La.? It took a direct hit first but the news channels have not mentioned it since.
My family lives on 33rd Avenue in Gulfport, MS. All phones are out even cell towers. I’m trying to get information on the conditions of the corner ot 28th street and 33rd avenue. Any constructive ideas? Please.
I have been able to get word out of Gulfport that my Stepbrother that lived 2 blocks from the beach at HWY 90 has lost everything. He rode the storm out in his office building in downtown Gulport but said he’d never do that again. He doesn’t have sufficient clothing, food, water, etc. Can’t leave the building or the area. His car is underwater.
I live on the coast south of tallahassee, florida but am from the poplarville area and have family in waveland, my family in poplarville are ok but MAJOR damage beyond what Camile did in ’69 but my aunt Beaty and cousin Mary and Joey Farve are here with us too! they live at 1410 Longo St. in Waveland and we have not been able to locate my cousin that stayed behind, his name is Greg Necaise and he coaches at Bay High (football) if ANYBODY knows if he is ok please let me know!!! Thanks and God Bless you ALL!! Ray
Anyone heard of any other countries coming to our aid? We have always been there for them. Where are they for us?
I have friends that Live on corner of Jim Money road and drift wood in Biloxi, anyone know how it is there?
My husband’s family and some family owned property are in Pass Christian, MS. I haven’t heard anything about this area eventhough it’s right downwind from Gulfport and Biloxi. House is on East Railroad. Anyone hear anything please post a reply.
God bless those affected, you are in my prayers.
My daughter and grandchildren were supposed to be in Lacombe, N shore of the lake. No news coverage from that area. Anyone know any news? Very worried in Washington State.
Jim, Venezuela has made offers of food and fuel to the United States.
I have a nephew, Tommy Parker, who lives in Diamondhead, MS and we haven’t heard anything from him since yesterday morning. Has anybody heard how Diamondhead made out? Do you know of any way to get information from the region?
I would be more than happy to house any homeless person from Katrina. We have a spare bedroom and bath in my Wilmington, NC home. We have had our share of hurricanes and I know the devastation. I wish to help.
ebony, contact cnn, one of their reporters, a female, made it to the town just below Pass Christian. She spoke with an alderman from Pass Christian. Sorry, thats all I know.
We feel so bad for all of you in New Orleans Ms. and ALa. if we can help out familys here from Tampa Florida let us know. God Bless you all. Help is on the way!
What is going to happen to the flooding when all of the rain in the Ohio Valley reaches the New Orleans area? It can’t be good!
To the maynards. Isaiah 13: 5-11 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his wrath to destroy all the land. Howl for the day of YHWH is at hand. It shall come as destruction from the almighty…Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it…And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible
Jessica Parsons, we are worried about you and hope you and your loved ones are safe. Please call us collect.
I am really disgusted with the lack of support/help the U.S. is getting from the rest of the world. In a perfect world other countries would rush to our aid.
Hello All, We cant locate my Aunt Katie she lived in Slidell, does anyone have info on that area? Thanks Candace God Bless You ALL
Candace, I just read the following comment regarding Slidell by Peter Evans over at “brendanloy.com”:http://brendanloy.com
This is a link to the salvation Army’s “Satern” (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio) http://qso.com/satern/emailfrm.htm
Agree 200% with Marky. I live in Chas. SC. Not a wealthy person, but I have one crib and one couch if there is a mom with a child who needs comfort and care.
Anyone know anything about the Hurley, Lucedal, Wade area in George County Mississippi? My mother lives about 10 miles north of I-10 in that area.
Hi, For any contractors or small home owners in the new orleans area, I have got wood that I am willing to part with dirt cheap to help out the home owners that do not have the money to pay full price to rebuild, ex: 2 x 4 stud .90 thats less than 1/2 price, josh@mcgowancg.com if anyone is interested.
Thank You Jason, I just found out that when she couldnt evacuate (roads jambed) she returned home, only to then leave with neighbors and head towards Biloxi. Im so worried. Thanks again for the info
Also does anyone know if anyone has created a “survivor list” of people that might be in the shelters but unable to call family?? Candace
The U.S. does not need help from other countries. It has more than enough resources to help these people. The U.S. is the richest country which is why it is expected to help other countries when they’re in crisis situations. Do you expect Indonesia to help the U.S. just because the U.S. helped them during Tsunami? If the U.S. was poor you’d see a lot of help especially from the UN.
The president needs to send every resource available including the Army, Navy, Air Force helicopters and extra Coast Guard while people are still able to be rescued. I hope that the surrounding states will send Game and Fish officers equiped with boats rescue teams. The looting an violence in the New Orleans area is going to soon turn into a very sad situation as criminals use this situation to pray on people and property. When people start turning against each other and law enforcement officers because of the lack of security. Along with rescue, heavy National Guard units need to be set up to prevent violence.
Well, Al, I never said anywhere in my post that the U.S. needed help. I simply wondered if anyone offered help. Please don’t try to read words in to my post that aren’t there.
I am looking to find status on all from RPM Pizza office in Gulfport. (my prayers go out to all of our stores that have been affected) I hope everyone is safe. We evacuated to Augusta, GA on Saturday, and are awaiting any news that we can/should return to Gulfport, or elsewhere if the office is going to be temporarily relocated. Most (228) cell phones cannot receive called, but many can be text messaged. If you have tried to call loved ones but cannot get a ring, try to send a text message.
I was in 2 seperate typhoons in Okinawa as a Marine and took part in search and rescue operations afterwards. That was over 20 years ago. This may not be a good time to critisize others, but it really frustrates me to see hundreds of perfectly healthy people being rescued from their rooftops. Why did they not go to the Superdome for selter? They were warned that this one was going to be really bad.
I’m sorry if this offends anyone here, but I don’t think our federal tax dollars should be used to rebuild or even clean up New Orleans, and instead a new New Orleans should be built above sea level next to Baton Rouge. New Orleans, once drained, should be cleared of debris and glass, structures should be taken down and moved to the new site, and then New Orleans should be cordoned off as a national park, with the highest areas used for park structures and monuments. Otherwise, after billions are spent to rebuild, there will probably be irrepairable damage to the infrastructure, and problems that arise for years on out — things that were missed in the initial assessment, whenever that happens. This is without mentioning carcinogens, mosquitos, and biohazards floating around and perhaps remaining stuck to structures after the water is pumped out. Things like unknown water damage to foundations of buildings, etc. Plus, time constraints will make the rebuilding very expensive, as opposed to building a new planned city from scratch, where residents can re-locate, near the already-existing infrastructure of Baton Rouge. The truth is that it’s just a matter of time until New Orleans sinks permanently, and businesses are already moving to Baton Rouge so anyone remaining in the area will be unemployed for months. Besides, it’ll just flood again when the next hurricane, and in the meantime New Orleans will continue sinking further below sea level.
message to marky:
Hey Candace, Fox news is live from Slidell this morning, Lots of info on all TV News outlets. FOX,MSNBC and CNN doing a great job. God bless and God Speed to all the rescuers and victims.
Here’s a “missing persons board”:http://www.nowpublic.com/node/17228 for people trying to locate friends and family.