I have only visited NO once, but I understand and share you sadness.
I'm far away and perfectly safein VA - but this is very, very scary.
I, too, am very sad about all this. I am worried about quite a few folks in the NO area whom I taught for several weeks this past spring and summer and spent about 7 days with them at UCLA. They teach in the NO area, and I've not been able to get in touch with any of them. I pray they are safe and have gone to safe areas.