and all of the Gulf Coast. Katrina is a menacing storm, and the worst that I have ever faced. I rode out Hurricane Betsy and Camille, but this is the worse for New Orleans. We are heading out to Baton Rouge this morning to ride this out, but please pray for those lower income, sick and elderly who can’t afford and have no means to leave New Orleans.
If the storm stays on its projected path, the storm surge will overcome the levee system around New Orleans. I’m hoping Mayor Nagin opens the superdome for all those who can’t afford to leave. We appreciate your prayers and thoughts.
Certainly the people of New Orleans and the other areas in danger have my prayers this early morning. Especially for those who are too poor to leave. Good luck Duranta, and keep safe.
Safe travels up to Baton Rouge, duranta!
Please keep us updated as you can about how you are!!
I saw on weather cahnnel last night that the local FEMA was trying to accomodate the poor and the elderly who wanted to leave but had no means — I will keep them in my thoughts.
Take good care!
Consider it already done. Stay safe.
I’ll light a candle and hold them in my thoughts. I hope you and yours stay safe and well through this disaster.
Thinking of all of you, duranta. Journey mercies.
Yikes! That’s a scary link!
I am doing just that very thing for you all in that area. ><
Peace and be very careful.
“Call on God, but row away from the rocks.” — Hunter S. Thompson
I’m totally pissed off that NO ONE in the news, not even our local stations here in Jackson, MS are telling everyone how bad this storm will be for all of south and central Mississippi. IT WILL be a hurricane well into and beyond central MS. It will have dissipated to a cat 1 by then, but if you don’t think that’s bad enough, look at the news of Katrina’s first landfall in FL – six dead and trees down, lost power, etc…. Even Memphis will experience Tropical Storm winds. this is a MONSTER, the like of which has never been seen.
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee will suffer massive power outages, trees and limbs down. And then the floods up the Appalachians and up East…
Pray, indeed, but prepare if you are in the predicted damage zones and everyone get ready to donate to the Red Cross….
Where are the National Guard to help out with these emergencies??? Oh yeah…
You are all in my prayers.
Having lived on Guam during Super Typhoon Russ (over 200 MPH winds)… I will continue praying during and AFTER.
Latest satellite imagery of Katrina [NOAA]…look at the size of this storm!
NOAA Current Image
NO Weather Page
Be safe and well.
Peace
My dad had panic attacks all my life whenever there was a windstorm brewing. He’s long gone now, but he’s passed it on. I’ve been chained to the NOAA hurricane center, wanting to fill the bathtubs with water, get the emergency bags out and in the car. . . but I’m in Michigan. (My dad sat through a typhoon in a lifeboat once when his plane when down in WWII. After the war, he became a post-disaster expert who went in after many of the hurricanes from the 50’s through the 80’s. His stories keep me awake during every incoming storm.)
Katrina is a very bad one, like Camille, Andrew, etc. Prayer, if you believe in it, and pragmatism are essential.
The LA gov has finally ordered mandatory evacuation – now that the roads are virtually gridlocked. I-10 has been lane-changed to be all North-Bound (which is good). If anyone has not yet left by car, be sure to stay on major (raised) roads even if traffic is moving very slowly. Many areas of the delta are below sea level and roads can quickly become swamped.
The SuperDome has been opened for persons who cannot leave – of course, there are far too many persons in that situation. The National Guard is there, in very small numbers (given Iraq), and more are promised. the FEMA site sounds blissfully placid. We are ready to help “if needed”. They say about how much they have done for Florida than what to do facing down this storm.
I am most concerned about poor children and families without transportation, who are living in areas and housing that has virtually no chance of surviving the winds and waves coming with this storm.
And there are also the new people in N.O., some of whom see riding out a hurricane as a test of their grit (or excess testosterone, perhaps?). I fear their future is to be Darwin award winners, unless they are very lucky.
Beyond N.O., there are vast rural areas with people scattered through wetlands and swamps. At least they have some idea about what rising water can do (I was born in the Mississippi delta and practicallly have webbed feet, so I’m a bit familiar with this.) but they can be tempted to believe that they can ride out any storm.
I hope they don’t try. If they do, I hope I’m wrong and they are right.
Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. What a wonderful community we have here, especially supportive in times like these. I’m in Baton Rouge after a four hour trip that is usually 1 and one-half hours. I remain concerned for my brothers and sisters in New Orleans who don’t have the means to leave. Some of them I worked with in trying to preserve the Iberville Housing Complex. And…I’m concerned for my stubborn younger sister who hasn’t yet decided to leave.
We’ve had a rough summer here in New ORleans. Lots of very violent shootings and murders, by both citizens and the police. Now seeing everyone come together to help each other for this…well…it is so sad that sometimes, this is what it takes.
Thanks for letting us know!
Please convince your sister to get OUT if she can — tell her to ask to get into a car with an empty seat, anything. ALL cars leaving the area should be full, I only bet that most of them are not.
I have been frustrated all morning — should we be able to get our people out of harm’s way??
Please continue to let us know how you are doing — I’m pretty far away (Austin) but if there is anything I can do to help, please don’t hestitate one second to ask!