For anyone wanted to get a feel for early NO (1840) I recommend the Benjamin January mysteries by Barbara Hambly. When I hear about the possibility of toxic flood waters I remember reading about the yellow jack plagues, with bodies simply thrown over the walls of the cemeteries, stacked six feet high... and the constant floods. And speaking of floods, I remember trick or treating in flood waters in Houston in the fifties... I can't believe our parents let us out.. rats and water snakes come to mind.
anyway, prayers for all these people.