Katrina Update #5

August 28, 2005; 7:49 PM

I just went through my address book and added a few more people to my Hurricane report list. So those of you who are just getting their first report, that's why it says #5. For those of you who have received the others, please bear with me while I bring everyone up to date.

- Cary and I are in Wisconsin. When we left, Katrina was a Cat 1 and actually forecast to miss New Orleans - in fact all the "experts" said it would either go up the western coast of Florida, or go straight west to Texas. So we drove up to Racine, WI to visit our friend Kenzi, who had a kidney transplant last Saturday. (He is doing great, btw, and even came over last night for a cookout to the mutual friend's house at which we are staying.)

- Janis and Jarret headed west to her cousin Connie's house in central Texas, along with Cary's girlfriend and her brother. They left at 5AM this morning, and last I heard they were just west of Baton Rouge - 12 hours to go a distance that normally takes only 90 minutes or less!

- Adam headed east with his girlfriend and her mother. They are headed for her Aunt's house in Winter Haven, Florida (near Orlando).

- Our friends Steve and Marta and their kids made it out and are actually faring quite well. They headed for her mother's house in Chicago and should be there about 9PM tonight. They left New Orleans at about 4:45 AM.

- Our other friends Keith & Diane Davis were going to ride it out, but wisely decided to leave. They are taking their camper and will camp on a friend's property near Vicksburg, MS, which should be well west of the storm's path.

- We don't know about Coop. As of last night he said he was staying, but the bar is closed. I have not been able to reach him, but I *think* he probably left town.

- We have some very dear friends that we know did not make it out. They decided to rough it out. I just talked to them and they were having a hurricane party. They are holed up in the 2nd story of a building near the Garden District, not too far from our house. I am very, very worried about them. Here's why:

The current prediction is for New Orleans to be "destroyed beyond recognition." Experts have predicted this for years. This is the doomsday scenario. Here is an interesting article about how Katrina could turn New Orleans into Atlantis.
It is predicted this storm will cause a MINIMUM of 60-80 percent DESTRUCTION of all wooden structures. Storm surge is predicted to be 28 feet, which means 30 to 40 feet of water in some places. (Lake Pontchartrain has an average depth of about 18 feet!).

Bottom line is, the Rogers family is all safe, although not together. If the storm does not reduce in intensity or track further east, we will probably be homeless and without many possessions other than what we were able to take with us.

In other news, Janis' uncle, Joe had a heart attack today. He is in intensive care. That's all I know at this point, but the ironic thing is that he is the father of Janis' cousin Connie, to whose home Janis is headed.

I'll send another update when I hear again from Janis and Adam as to their locations. I am very nervous and feel very helpless. I am also very worried about the friends we left behind.

PREVIOUS | NEXT