Live Thread - Hurricane Katrina, Part IV (Update: Now a Category 5 )

NOAA - NHC ^ | 27 August 2005 | NOAA - NHC

[snowsislander]

A graphic that I have been watching:

[LibFreeOrDie]

According to the Mayor and the weatherman on WWL-TV, the levees were only 15 feet high when they were built, and have since settled to about 13 ft high. And they're just earthen levees. Debris - boats, pieces of structures - carried by the storm surge and waves will just punch holes into the levees. The city pumps water out to Lake Pontchartrain, but the hurricane winds will force water from the lake back into the city.

From http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialreports/hurricanes/vulnerablecities/neworleans.html

"The levees that protect the city from flooding are also a flood threat themselves. "The biggest threat that the city has is that of a slow moving Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane, which would create a surge of water that could be up to 30 feet high. Now if this (high) water comes into the city, it will top the levees. It will go over the top of the levees and actually fill up the city," "

[cyborg]

Heh. People shouldn't be surprised why the mayor is hesitant then.

[spectre]

God Bless and save the poor in that area..please Lord.

Speaking of God..Loyola University is right in harms way as well. I'd be in a state of panic if my child was there.

sw

[NautiNurse]

Jim Cantore pointed at a casino on the oceanfront in Biloxi and speculated rather strongly: "Look at it. In all likelihood, in the aftermath of this storm, it will be gone."

The size of this storm will leave a swath of destruction that is difficult to grasp.

[LA Woman3]

Glad to know when we can have public prayer...
Only when a category 5 hurricane is going to hit your city.

[cyborg]

I couldn't leave someone behind like that :(

[advance_copy]

In other words, they have had years to plan for such a disaster but they never put a plan into place.

That's exactly what has happened, they prepared no emergency plan.

Landfall will occur in less than 17 hours, TS force winds and heavy rains will start sooner (9-10 hours). It could be too late for many people to get out, there are over one million people who live there. And a lot of them have not gotten out of bed on a Saturday yet. They should have been ordered to evacuate yesterday at the latest.

Those who cannot get out might get inside a tall solid building (concrete and steel) above the fifth floor inside rooms away from outside windows. Break into a tall office building if you have to.

[Strategerist]

Latest vortex pressure from recon was 908 mb

[SE Mom]

AP has just ordered all their reporters in NO to evacuate...

[TomGuy]

Current local TV graphic representations:

[rdl6989]

Why wait an hour? Say what you have to say now!

agreed.

[NautiNurse]

and Tulane University

[pies]

I couldn't either. I'd cram her in somewhere.

[spycatcher]

Forget the levees, at this rate of intensification the Superdome is in jeopardy. If not from the storm then from the tornados.

I wouldn't want to be stuck in there for weeks even if it holds up structurally

[DietCoke]

do you have an online link for the radio station? thanks.

[sono]

Radio station in NOLA just called for listeners to pray ...

[Kozak]

Hope they have stronger wind anemometers then they did inf Florida.

[TXBSAFH]

I have been in the eye of a cat 3 hurricane. It is like being in the rage of God. And that one was a minimum cat 3 at that.

[TomGuy]

This just cannot be right....But because of a legal technicality, they can't order an evacuation?

Call me a liar!!!

I'll sue!!!!!

[Where's my attorney's phone number?]

lol