Last night about 11:30pm Pacific time, I heard the news about a levee break and flooding in downtown New Orleans on CNN. Even the anchor there, Rick Sanchez, didn't seem to grasp the significance of what he was hearing from a Tulane University Hospital VP he was interviewing by phone. But I, the once -- and apparently thanks to FR, future -- reporter knew instantly that it meant total devastation for the city.
So I ran over to my PC, got online and posted a breaking news thread. This morning, the cable news stations still don't seem to have quite gotten it yet, even though they've reported flooding in the city. However, our local KTLA TV Channel 5 happens to have one of their people stranded in the city. Kurt Knudtsen (sp?) was just talking to them by land line. Turns out its still working in the hotel where he's at because its on a slightly higher bit of ground than the surrounding area, and the lines are underground there. No telling how long they'll continue to work, but for now he's able to give updates to the folks back here at KTLA.
What he describes is devastating. Looting. Shooting. There are fires in a couple of buildings in the city due to gas lines that have not been shut off. Eight feet of water surrounds his hotel. The hotel staff have said anyone who leaves doesn't get back in because of the civil unrest outside. They are down to food rationing. A piece of fruit this morning, a muffin for lunch, don't know about dinner. He says it's getting to the point where soon it will be every person for themselves as desperation and hunger set in. I'm going over to the live hurricane thread to post this since I don't know where else to put it.
Never having lived near water, I must admit I didn't understand how serious a levee break was either. But after looking at the pictures you posted ... wow ...