Hurricane Katrina

[HOBBIT]

They should just get everyone out and then abandon it. Clearly it is a poor place for a city.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I was also under the impression it was known the levies in New Orleans lacked some maintenance so that it was not impossible for them to break under the strain. Could have heard wrong though.

I haven't heard anything about the maintenance of the levies, but when the storm struck, the levies were designed to hold back something like 2 inches of rain per hour, and they were apparently getting much more than they could handle.

I can also see why the evacuation was tough. (So many people!) But when I mentioned preparations I was kind of thinking about filling sandbags, preparing rations for affected areas, assembling emergency shelters, putting police, fire-brigade and the army on stand-by. That sort of thing,... it's basically what happens when we're hit by a flood so that is what I tend to think of as preparations.

Well, I think all that was probably done, but they were not expecting so much rain so quickly and the levy breaks were not predictable. When water started flooding the city, and electricity was lost, those that remained and did not evacuate were pretty trapped and isolated. Useing boats was useless to reach them, because they would hit cement as they went along. Seems the only way to reach them was by helecopter, and that was just the ones they could see on rooftops.

It's just an absolute disaster. Dead animals and people floating in the water and lying along roadsides. They are saying the conditions inside the Super Dome are unbearable. Reports of no food, water, or showers available. Gunfire going off inside. Women being raped, and fights breaking out. My god, what's wrong with some people?

[Rían]

*has no words left*

[Khamûl]

Originally Posted by Sister Golden Hair

Tree Dweller, to answer your question: the only member of Entmoot that I know of in or near the effected area is Khamul.

Yeah, I don't know anyone else around this area. All we got here in my part of south Alabama was scattered rain and 20-30 mph winds. Hurricane Dennis was worse for us than Katrina. Of course, I'm speaking for lower central Alabama here.

[Lotesse]

I just woke up from a nap wherein I was dreaming about being there in New Orleans during the hurricane, hunkering down in this gigantic old plantation-style Louisiana home, with a little girl, wondering where her family was. That hurricane, and the resultant flooding, has been absolutely apocryphal over there for those people; my heart and thoughts go out to all those who've been so hurt and so bereaved.

[littleadanel]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

*has no words left*

Exactly how I feel. I can only thank God that where I live, nothing such happens. Regular floods from rivers are terrible enough, but, again thank God, that's the worst we can expect. And how hard to cope even with that. And what's going on after Katrina... total destruction and people acting mad because they can't see any hope...
How lucky I am to have my shelter and food and family...

[The Gaffer]

There have been some incredibly critical reports of the government response.

Experienced journalists, who have covered natural disasters the world over, seem to have been shocked by the absence of contingency planning and the slow pace of the relief effort. This morning I see that they have finally started dropping food and water by air.

A report I saw last night stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported to Bush in 2001 that a hurricane hitting New Orleans was one of the three most high-risk catastrophes the US could face (along with New York terrorist attack and earthquake in California).

According to the New Orleans Times "No one can say they didn't see it coming ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of preparation."

Seemingly federal funding to restore levees was cut in 2003.

Apparently the destruction was worse because large areas of wetlands, which would partly absorb the surges, have been turned over to developers. Bush had promised to continue a "no net loss" policy, following on from Bush snr and Clinton's programmes, but this was ditched in 2003.

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

...What's with the snipers? What possible reason is there for that?

I've gathered that it's anger, fear and desperation. Someone with a gun sees a possible means of escape (ie, helicopter) and thinks, 'Hey - come over here and rescue MY family!' - then fires a shot in the general direction, which only assures that their family will NOT get rescued at that time.

[Butterbeer]

blimey, it sounds a bit like that film, 'escape from new York' but deadly serious....

[Spock]

THIS FROM OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ALL GOVN'T EMPLOYEES AND APPLIES TO US HERE ON THE MOOT AS INDIVIDUALS.

Subject: *** Information Technology Announcement - Scam Alert - Please read ***


VITA's Security Services has received multiple reports of individuals using fake Hurricane Katrina donation and relief web sites. These sites are being used to create false donation foundations to gain money, capture usernames and passwords, and lead you to install spyware or trojan software on your machine. Several websites/domains in question include: katrinahelp.com , katrinarelief.com, and katrinacleanup.com.

If you desire to donate to the Hurricane Katrina victims, please start your process at http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473 which provides a list of reputable agencies, or donate to organizations you have experience with and trust. If you believe that you have been the victim of a fake charity, disaster scam, or other consumer fraud, you can file a report with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Consumer Affairs at the following addresses and telephone numbers:

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Antitrust and Consumer Litigation Section
900 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 786-2116 or (800) 451-1525

[Spock]

It's music to fans' ears: Fats Domino is found
September 02, 2005 7:45 AM EDT
An upbeat chord sounded Thursday in the deadly aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Fats Domino, whose manager had said he was missing, was found to have been safely evacuated from his low-lying home.

Several other famous New Orleans musicians, including the Neville Brothers, also escaped Katrina's wrath. But at least one, singer, Irma Thomas, still remained unaccounted for Thursday evening.

Lifelong city resident Domino is one of the most beloved founding fathers of rock `n' roll, known for dozens of 1950s and 1960s hits like "Blueberry Hill," "I'm Walking" and "Ain't That a Shame."

His agent early Thursday told the media he hadn't heard from Domino since Monday morning. Soon after, the New Orleans Times-Picayune distributed a picture that showed him being helped to safety by cops Monday night.

Domino's three-story house is in the low-lying Ninth Ward, parts of which were swallowed by up to 20 feet of water.

He was believed to have been taken to the Superdome and, like most other evacuees, had no means of immediately contacting anyone to report his whereabouts.

But there was still no word on Thomas, who sang the version of "Time is on My Side" that The Rolling Stones borrowed for one of their first hits. Her New Orleans club, The Lions Den, was under water.

---

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

Experienced journalists, who have covered natural disasters the world over, seem to have been shocked by the absence of contingency planning and the slow pace of the relief effort. This morning I see that they have finally started dropping food and water by air.

13,000 people have been taken out, but according to director Michael Brown, the federal emergency agency was trying to work "under conditions of urban warfare."

The disaster area is also 90,000 square miles- a monumental task that will take time to deal with. I hate saying that, but I think it's true.

Shortly before the hurricane, people of the city were asked whether they would leave in the event of one coming. 1/3 of the people said they would not leave. That doesn't even take into account the fact that New Orleans was a pretty poor city, money-wise, before all this. Many people couldn't afford to get out.

A package of ten billion dollars will pass through the House of Representatives today, to deal with the crisis. It's already passed the Senate.

I really, truly hope we can get a swift working process together on this soon.

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

A report I saw last night stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported to Bush in 2001 that a hurricane hitting New Orleans was one of the three most high-risk catastrophes the US could face (along with New York terrorist attack and earthquake in California).

On my National Geographic movie about hurricanes, they had a special section at the end that described the potential disaster a hurricane could cause at New Orleans. As I hear about this tragedy, what I learned there just keeps leaping to mind.

[Spock]

Yesterday on H channel they had "1900 the worst disaster of the century" a hurricane hit Galveston. I think this will go down as the worst natural disaster in the 21st Century.

[Jonathan]

I've been following the aftermath of Katrina and the situation in New Orleans on CNN for days - I've basically been glued to the tv. I'm still speechless.

Had Cajun food yesterday, meanwhile they're starving over there.

[The Gaffer]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

13,000 people have been taken out, but according to director Michael Brown, the federal emergency agency was trying to work "under conditions of urban warfare."

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

The disaster area is also 90,000 square miles- a monumental task that will take time to deal with. I hate saying that, but I think it's true.

Yes, it's about the same size as the whole of the UK.

[Spock]

Not to be gross but just having plumbing is a blessing. Those poor people literally have "no place to go".

[Lotesse]

This horrific tragedy is no joke. It got me crying.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...home-headlines

[Spock]

Sorry.
It was meant to make you feel I understood. I was trying to make your emotional turmoil subside. Yikes, you should know me a bit better by now.

[Lief Erikson]

Get well, Spock. The ability to feel things strongly is a gift

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by Spock

Sorry.
It was meant to make you feel I understood. I was trying to make your emotional turmoil subside.

I guess it could have been better done .