It Looks Like I was Right (Hurricane Katrina Merged)

[exhawg]

Anxious to see the hike in insurance rates for people who attempt to rebuild in that area.

They need to strengthen the levees and build them up to at least 25 feet. It just seems stupid to have a city that is under see level and have people know it is doomed if a storm hits it.

 

[jwinslow]

They need to strengthen the levees and build them up to at least 25 feet. It just seems stupid to have a city that is under see level and have people know it is doomed if a storm hits it.

I was really surprised this sort of thing hasn't happened more frequently. It would seem like an average storm would wreak havoc on such a vulnerable town like NO (being below sea level and all).

 

[methomps]

They showed some black guy hauling about 20 fishing poles out of a Walmart last night.

But of course he's just trying to "feed his family."

Maybe he'll be fishing for water mocassins and alligators that are now floating throughout the city.

"Finding" versus "Looting"

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[OSUsushichic]

It's a shame the press is giving the looters so much attention. There are much more important matters to focus on. People might not be as willing to send $$ or donate blood if they think that those people are just raping and pillaging.

 

[Dryden]

They need to strengthen the levees and build them up to at least 25 feet.

But that only postpones the inevitable. The levee system was conceived back in the 1900s after the Mississippi River flooded. Even with the levees, Lake Pontchartrain overflowed following a Cat 4 hurricane in 1915 killing 200+ people. Katrina, aside from only being a Cat 4 at landfall plus the fact it veered right and missed NO directly, still inundated 80% of the city. The existing 17 foot walls and intricate pumping system still failed to protect NO, and this system was engineered to work against a hurricane an order of magnitude worse than this.

Imagine just two other possible scenarios for a second:

1) What if another hurricane develops this month?
2) What if this had not been a dry summer, but rather a wet one and the Mississippi river was already running high?

If New Orleans is rebuilt, it will just be hit again: 10 years ... 20 years ... 100 years from now. The city sits below sea level and is surrounded on three sides by water. A bigger wall would only protect it until a bigger hurricane with a bigger storm surge comes along.

The problem with NO's pumping system is that it doesn't matter what volume of water you can pump out of the city, you have to have someplace to put it.

 

[gregorylee]

But that only postpones the inevitable. The levee system was conceived back in the 1900s after the Mississippi River flooded. Even with the levees, Lake Pontchartrain overflowed following a Cat 4 hurricane in 1915 killing 200+ people. Katrina, aside from only being a Cat 4 at landfall plus the fact it veered right and missed NO directly, still inundated 80% of the city. The existing 17 foot walls and intricate pumping system still failed to protect NO, and this system was engineered to work against a hurricane an order of magnitude worse than this.

Imagine just two other possible scenarios for a second:

1) What if another hurricane develops this month?
2) What if this had not been a dry summer, but rather a wet one and the Mississippi river was already running high?

If New Orleans is rebuilt, it will just be hit again: 10 years ... 20 years ... 100 years from now. The city sits below sea level and is surrounded on three sides by water. A bigger wall would only protect it until a bigger hurricane with a bigger storm surge comes along.

The problem with NO's pumping system is that it doesn't matter what volume of water you can pump out of the city, you have to have someplace to put it.

I was discussing this with some people at work yesterday, they need to think about moving it (the city). It's not like they would be sacrificing very much right now :(


On the looters, personally I do not have a problem with people going in and getting food, it's not like they could "purchase" it right now, but the bastards stealing jewelry and items like that deserve to be shot.

 

[Thump]

I just read where all of the Superdome refugees are being bussed to the Astrodome in Houston.

The Astrodome has cleared it's calendar until December expecting many of the people having to stay there until then.

The Mayor said many people probably won't be able to come back to the city for 12-16 weeks.

 

[buckeyefool]

I just read where all of the Superdome refugees are being bussed to the Astrodome in Houston.

The Astrodome has cleared it's calendar until December expecting many of the people having to stay there until then.

The Mayor said many people probably won't be able to come back to the city for 12-16 weeks.

I heard a thing this morning that now the cost of being away from home for many of these people is starting to build up and many don't know how they will pay for things.

looking at the destruction you just have to stop and think....where do you start.

 

[OSUsushichic]

Cash donations sought for hurricane victims
WASHINGTON (AP) — While a variety of government and private agencies are en route to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, federal officials said Monday people wanting to help should not head to the affected area unless directed by an agency.

Instead, Michael Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, urged people to make cash contributions to organizations.

Cash donations "allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require."

FEMA listed the following agencies as needing cash to assist hurricane victims:

• American Red Cross, 800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English, 800-257-7575 Spanish.

• Operation Blessing, 800-436-6348.

• America's Second Harvest, 800-344-8070.

• Adventist Community Services, 800-381-7171.

• Catholic Charities, USA, 703-549-1390.

• Christian Disaster Response, 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554.

• Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, 800-848-5818.

• Church World Service, 800-297-1516.

• Convoy of Hope, 417-823-8998.

• Lutheran Disaster Response, 800-638-3522.

• Mennonite Disaster Service, 717-859-2210.

• Nazarene Disaster Response, 888-256-5886.

• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, 800-872-3283.

• Salvation Army, 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769).

• Southern Baptist Convention — Disaster Relief, 800-462-8657, ext. 6440.

• United Methodist Committee on Relief. 800-554-8583.

Donations can be made online to most of these organizations through Network for Good.

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[Bob Buck]

Oh... their vast oil reserves? What did they do? Invade the Philipinnes again and stock up?

As to the looters... those assholes need to evacuate.... I don't care a whole lot about people stealing snickers bars from the speedway... but if they are at that point, they need to get the hell out of there.... for those going on Shopping sprees... Pop, Pop, pop.

Thank you!!!
Just shoot the assholes going on shopping sprees!!!
I hope the people stealing dvd players and plasma screen tv's in the midst of this tragedy enjoy it now, cause when they're in hell it won't be all that much fun.

 

[scooter1369]

I hate to say it, but it might be time to abandon NOLA and deem it uninhabitable.

You can't live in a bowl like that. Its suicide.

 

[LoKyBuckeye]

They had a guy on CNN from the Army Corps of Engineers and he said it could take 3-6 months to get all the water out of there. All the pump are useless while they are under water.

They Gov also said that there may be 100's or 1000's dead.

 

[FKAGobucks877]

I have no idea where he is getting his info, but I talked to my New Orleans atty earlier today...he had made it out of the city, and was in GA on his way to NY. Anyways, he told me that if they can't get the lake levee repaired today, there is a very good chance that the city will be irretrievable...in other words, Atlantis. Not salvageable. Again, I don't know where he got this info, but that's what he said. He also advised that while people are saying 3-4 months before anyone can go back, that is only to get rid of the water and start to rebuild. It's gonna be over a year before any of the downtown area is usable again (if ever). This guy's office is 200 yards from the breech in the levee between New Orleans and the lake. He has no idea how is house is, as he couldn't get there to check on it.

 

[Thump]

All the pump are useless while they are under water.

I have a question, is it mandatory to have these pumps at ground level?

Why couldn't you build up a mound in the middle of the city and put the pumps up there so they aren't submerged?

Or maybe put them on an upper floor of a building if they aren't too heavy?

 

[Oh8ch]

I heard a thing this morning that now the cost of being away from home for many of these people is starting to build up and many don't know how they will pay for things.

Saw some footage of the devastation in Miss. this morning that I had not seen before. Entire blocks simply wiped away by the storm surge. It went on and on.

My house is insured for replacement value, but as with most (all?) policies that is just the structure - not the lot. The underlying assumption (I presume) is that you will always be rebuilding your home on the existing improved lot.

That may not be the case for these neighborhoods where everything is gone, and it certainly wont be the case for large areas of NO. For anyone with a sizable mortgage - and that is another rising trend of late - they may simply be signing the insurance check over to the mortgage company and declaring bankruptcy. No job, no possessions, nothing - just their lives.

And after watching those clips I will be surprised if the final death toll is not in the thousands. Any of those folks who stayed behind never had a chance to crawl out on their roof. They are buried in the rubble a mile inland.