Katrina Update #8

August 29, 2005; 6:02 PM

Here's some advice: no matter how long it might take - go away from the hurricane, not into its path, or on the east side of it.

Janis et al made it to her cousin's in Copperas Cove, TX about 3:30 this afternoon - 34 1/2 hours after leaving New Orleans. (They did stop last night in Jasper, TX). They were moving away from the path of the storm, along with hundreds of thousands of other people. They will also be able to return to New Orleans by the end of the week (probably).

Adam et al made it to Winter Haven, FL but the extreme damage that happens on the East side of the storm means it could be a week or more before the roads between there and New Orleans are passable.

Some friends of ours went straight north and against advice, stopped at Jackson, MS. They are now getting pummeled by what is still a strong Cat 1 hurricane.

Our friend Keith may not have gone far enough west by only going to Vicksburg.

We are playing it by ear, but our current thinking is to head back to New Orleans on Thursday or Friday, and have Janis wait until Cary and I can get there and see what awaits us before they come back in.

While we are still cautiously optimistic about our house still being there, others are not so lucky. Here is a news story from the first news conference by New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin since the storm:

Mayor: 200 trapped on Ninth Ward rooftops; bodies floating in Bywater, Eastover
02:39 PM CDT on Monday, August 29, 2005
WWLTV.com

Mayor Ray Nagin said that 200 people were stranded on rooftops in the Lower Ninth Ward and several “bodies are floating in the water” in the Bywater neighborhood and in Eastover.

Nagin made the announcement in his first press briefing after Hurricane Katrina slammed just east of the city, but did plenty of devastation to New Orleans.

Nagin said that the 200 stranded people included 20 police officers who were riding out the storm at their homes in preparation to take over shifts from other officers. He said that boats would be dispatched on rescue missions later in the afternoon.

Mayor Nagin issued a "boil water" recommendation for water in the city - except for Algiers and the CBD due to a water main line break that may have compromised the water.

Nagin said at least 20 buildings in the city had collapsed and that it might be 48 hours before residents would be allowed back to their homes to assess the damage.

While there is no way to be certain at this time, the bodies could be those that were dislodged from their above ground resting places in some of the cities many cemeteries.

There is also a video available on line of a (stupid) person who tried to drive on I-10 being helped from his car. The location was about a mile from Cary's apartment (I-10 and Metairie Rd.). He lives on the ground floor. We are worried that all of his stuff may be ruined.

I have published some of the pictures I have found on the net on my .Mac homepage.

More information as I have it.

PREVIOUS | NEXT