HURRICANE KATRINA Thread

Thousands of people wait outside the Louisiana Superdome to be let in for shelter from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans August 28, 2005. Authorities in New Orleans ordered hundreds of thousands of residents to flee on Sunday as Hurricane Katrina strengthened into a rare top-ranked storm and barreled towards the vulnerable U.S. Gulf Coast city.

Source: REUTERS/Rick Wilking

 

Essentially what is coming is a 200 mile wide F4 tornado!

 

Hurricane Could Leave 1 Million Homeless

When Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans on Monday, it could turn one of America's most charming cities into a vast cesspool tainted with toxic chemicals, human waste and even coffins released by floodwaters from the city's legendary cemeteries.

Experts have warned for years that the levees and pumps that usually keep New Orleans dry have no chance against a direct hit by a Category 5 storm.

That's exactly what Katrina was as it churned toward the city. With top winds of 165 mph and the power to lift sea level by as much as 28 feet above normal, the storm threatened an environmental disaster of biblical proportions, one that could leave more than 1 million people homeless.

"All indications are that this is absolutely worst-case scenario," Ivor van Heerden, deputy director of the Louisiana State University Hurricane Center, said Sunday afternoon.

The center's latest computer simulations indicate that by Tuesday, vast swaths of New Orleans could be under water up to 30 feet deep. In the French Quarter, the water could reach 20 feet, easily submerging the district's iconic cast-iron balconies and bars.

Estimates predict that 60 percent to 80 percent of the city's houses will be destroyed by wind. With the flood damage, most of the people who live in and around New Orleans could be homeless.

"We're talking about in essence having _ in the continental United States _ having a refugee camp of a million people," van Heerden said.

Aside from Hurricane Andrew, which struck Miami in 1992, forecasters have no experience with Category 5 hurricanes hitting densely populated areas.

Source: The Associated Press

 

Pleaase remember Tatertot and her family and church specifically also, they expect 140 mph winds. Thank you for the updates.

 

Katrina projected flooding of New Orleans PDF

PDF File<edited to fix link for browsers>

[ August 28, 2005, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: LadyEagle ]

 

Here in NE Louisiana, we just expect a little wind and rain unless Katrina moves west. My little town looks like a Free way tonight as people from New Orleans move north. It is amazing to see a town of 5,000 be flooded with traffic.

I am staying with my parents who are elderly just in case storm does effect us. Our great fear is tornadoes spawn off from it.

 

My brother-in-law and niece left Metairie about noon today coming up to Tennessee to stay with my wife's parents.

He said it took him 3 hours to get across the causeway.

From noon, it took him till 7:30 PM to get to Meridian, MS...that still leaves a long night of driving to get to Tullahoma, TN.

Also, my cousins and uncle live in various places between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. I haven't been able to get in touch with any of them today, but hopefully they are all migrating to Baton Rouge. That is still close enough to probably get hammered, but maybe it will be okay in Baton Rouge. This one is so big, though, I'd have been happier if they all headed up to Nashville.

Spawn-off Tornadoes in Baton Rouge and the area are a really bad threat too.

My in-laws moved up close to us in Tennessee here about 2 years ago. I'm sure they are happy they moved now.

Their old house in New Orleans East, is between Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. The counter-clockwise should storm surge Borgne waters over those houses and into Pontch, then into N.O. proper. I'm pretty sure the water will be over the roof of their old house.

This one really does look like it's of Biblical proportions. I really think this will finally wash N.O. off the map. I can't imagine it being habitable for a couple of months.
It's going to be like the fabled Atlantis. I can't help but think about the Tsunami and Pompeii and Vesuvius.

No matter how good the above-ground crypts, the dead are going to be washed out into the mix. If they aren't washed away completely, it won't be pretty. Should also be just a generally bad warm, swampy, bacterial, viral, mosquito breeding, West-Nile (and worse) festering soup.

I covet your prayers for my family, and for all the folks stuck in N.O. that are in the shelters of last resort.

 

LaymansTermsPlease, Will Add them to our list now.

 

Continuing to pray for all concerned.

 

According to WWLTV.com a New Orleans station webcasting live video feed, things are looking slightly better for New Orleans itself.

Should hit LA/MS border.

Biloxi live video coverage

http://www.wlox.com/

As of 0745 EDT they still have a live webcam on top of their station working.

[ August 29, 2005, 07:48 AM: Message edited by: C4K ]

 

Amazing video at the above link folks.

 

FoxNews reports that roof of Superdome in New Orleans, where thousands evacuated ahead of Hurricane Katrina, is leaking rain.

 

.. A LEVEE BREACH OCCURRED ALONG THE INDUSTRIAL CANAL AT TENNESSE STREET. 3 TO 8 FEET OF WATER IS EXPECTED DUE TO THE BREACH..

...MANY REPORTS ARE COMING IN STATING TOTAL
STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN THE NEW ORLEANS METRO AREA.

 

I just saw a CNN report that says part of the Super Dome roof came off.

 

CNN reports that the worst is over for New Orleans.

 

Though the monster storm was already wreaking havoc on the city, its slight change of course could mean less devastation for New Orleans, which is vulnerable because it's below sea level and directly in the hurricane's path.

But National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield warned that New Orleans would be pounded throughout the day Monday and that Katrina's potential 15-foot storm surge, down from a feared 28 feet, was still substantial enough to cause extensive flooding.

Source: FoxNews