Posted on 08/31/2005 4:56:14 PM PDT by DesScorp
"During a strong hurricane, the city could be inundated with water blocking all streets in and out for days, leaving people stranded without electricity and access to clean drinking water. Many also could die because the city has few buildings that could withstand the sustained 96- to 100-mph winds and 6- to 8-ft. storm surges of a Category 2 hurricane. Moving to higher elevations would be just as dangerous as staying on low ground. Had Camille, a Category 5 storm, made landfall at New Orleans, instead of losing her punch before arriving, her winds would have blown twice as hard and her storm surge would have been three times as high."
Unbelievable-----and the publication date stopped me in my tracks.
(steely)
That is an interesting publication date, but really...this isn't particularly unique or prophetic. As I just posted on another thread, ever since I first went to N.O. in 1988, I've been told by everyone I met there that this would happen. 99% of N.O. residents knew it.
Oh my. What a shame it wasn't heeded. And that publication date! Unbelievable.
Well, it's not as if you had to be psychic to predict something like this. Too bad people have a penchant for deferring necessary action until it's too late. Wait until the pigs are out, and then close the barn door.
That prediction isn't all that amazing. Everytime there's a hurricane in the gulf there's worry about New Orleans due to the fact it's been a disaster waiting to happen.
Story certainly surfaced on a memorable & fateful date ... probably why it was ignored.
great post.
The residents of New Orleans appear to have some kindred link to lemmings... The whole area should be used as a landfill, solving any future problems with living beneath sea level right next to the freakin' ocean...too many Darwin Award candidates here to be overly pitied. Harry Truman of Mt St. Helens fame has just been surpassed...MAJORLY!
This is not new. It was known for years that NO was a disaster waiting to happen. I recall in 1985 when the Chicago Bears went to the Super Bowl, WGN personality, Bob Collins broadcasted that most of NO was below sea-level.
Everybody knew it. But nobody did anything about it.
Considering the number of hurricanes that have taken potshots at NO in the last few years, it's really not hard to believe that this will happen again. They've been very fortunate up to this point.
During an F-2 tornado, with winds of 113-157 miles per hour, Topeka, KS could be hit with high winds, dust and debris. Some trees and powerlines could be toppled. Those living in mobile homes may be significantly impacted by such tornadic activity. Tornadoes of F-4 or F-5 magnitude would cause even greater damage to Topeka.
Bonus Prophecy
Crude oil prices may rise in the future causing increased cost at the pump for motorists.
Question: Do you think the people that built the levees ever thought there was some design limit?
I mean, levees have an -open- top you know!!!!!!
Obviously, there's some engineering trade-off, and these aren't intended to stem floodwaters from every possible catastrophe.
I just think its funny that writers in papers or some prophetic magazine are revered for their forebearance, and yet, the actual engineers/designers/accountants that argued the best possible design/price point don't get more credit.
I disagree. The engineers did SOMETHING about it. They did not do ENOUGH for this particular storm. However, no engineering project is ever limited by the scope of the designer.....they are always limited by BUDGET.
The politicians and accountants and PEOPLE that elected them ALSO did SOMETHING. They demanded that there be a limited budget for this project, and thus, it was not designed for every possible disaster. (Nor could any budget allow that.)
I also think that this is how it must be.
Apercu posts "nd New Orleans is paying the motherlode now".
I don't think you can imply that if more had been done less would be lost. If the levees are designed for 8ft, instead of 6ft, then when they breach, there's that much MORE water to cause havoc. Plus, an "invincible" levee would encourage MORE building, MORE underwriters to risk investment, and MORE people...thus even more death and destruction.
I predict that you will be flamed for your succinct sarcasm.
It didn't take much prophecy to see that this city was a disaster waiting to happen. What I don't get is why something wasn't done earlier. Just too costly, I guess.
It would be interesting to compare the costs they're facing now with the costs of averting something like this 10 or 15 years ago.
I agree with everything you say. Few would live there if it weren't for its geographical position at the mouth of the Mississippi and if it weren't for its rich history (more than a little related to its geographical position).
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