Mayor: 200 trapped on Ninth Ward rooftops; bodies floating in Bywater

WWLTV.com ^ | 02:37 PM CDT on Monday, August 29, 2005 | WWLTV

[AntiGuv]

Not to mention the children that weren't evacuated by their parents.

[cyborg]

Right on!

[Muzzle_em]

I wonder how many idiots (many I'm sure) were actually WAITING for the mayor to tell them to leave, then couldn't.

[fortunecookie]

Considering that a lot of 'poor people' live in the 9th I can't wait for the race racketeering demagoguery to get started on this one. The feds haven't been genarous to NOLA in funding raising the height of the levees and in paying for maintenance and reinforcement, ipso facto 'Bush killed those people'.

So true. Never mind that some of them had no where to go and nothing to get there with and the mayor really botched it on the call for evac, waiting way too long, apparently ignoring the plight of those who couldn't easily get out. The superdome was a last ditch thing, what about all that time beforehand? And good thing the storm switched paths. Somehow it will all be Bushs fault, at least that will be the story the leftie media leads with.

[BayouCoyote]

did the Lake break through the levees and flood the city? or is this flooding just from the rain?

It wasn't the lake but a levee. The exact same levee that broke during Betsy..coincidence? Nope, the family members that are here with me from Chalmette have stated that the city more than likely broke the levee in order to save NO. That's the East side of the Industrial canal. It's by the city line which separates New Orleans from NO East. Heaven help those who had to make that decision, b/c there will be some very violent families if that's the case..that I assure you. The west bank seems to have had a pretty hard beating as well. As for the bodies floating, it isn't the 1st time thats occurred. I'm expecting a total loss, along with 7 families that I personally know, 2 of which are here with me now. Either way, we will do our best to recover, and we will move on with our lives. It's just really tough to see people I've known for 25+years break down. I'm thankful for my life as are all those around me now.
Take care,
BC

[cyborg]

fire ants

[PhiKapMom]

There were many people that did not have the ability to evacuate. The mandatory evacuation order was delivered very late by the mayor and no arrangements made to evacuate people who would otherwise have no means of getting out of the sitting.

Some of you carry the Government does not have the responsibility way too far. They have a responsibility to protect their citizens and this mayor failed miserably IMHO.

[Texas_Conservative2]

It's not like this thing sneaked up on them... heck in two days they could have walked out of N.O.

[MizSterious]

And there's another problem. The President had to do some arm-twisting to get the folks in Louisiana to call for an evacuation. A lot of time was wasted trying to get them to see beyond the "tourist dollar."

[G.Mason]

"I don't have any sympathy for these people, they were told to EVACUATE, evacuate means LEAVE, if you chose to stay - you suffer the consequences, it's not like they weren't warned over and over again, it serves them right."

I don't recall anyone asking for your sympathy.

You're right. They were advised to leave, however and for what ever reasons, they chose to remain. It may interest you to know that there are some things many people will stay and protect, with the risk of their lives, if necessary.

Possibly not a noteably Commonwealth of Massachusetts trait?

[Muzzle_em]

I cannot believe FEMA or whatever agency would take care of this issue, didn't go ahead and use some of the emergency funds to evacuate with busses, trains, etc.
What is the price of saving human lives?
Wouldn't it be less expensive to get folks out before the storm, all in one piece rather than come back and rescue injured or pick up dead bodies?

[AntiGuv]

The notion that the government should regulate society during times of calm and peace but abandon it during disaster is the very height of absurdity..

[Chuck54]

I'm sure King George the socialist will arrive on the scene with plenty of our tax dollars ready to be spent on various "aid" programs.

Well why shouldn't he show up, according to the Einsteins over at DU land, he caused it.

Jeez! Hopeless is too kind a word.

[Truth29]

Some of the snakes have two legs. Yes, you are on your own if you stay, but part of the decision to stay may be that you want to protect your property from the looters. The news has already shown looters going about their business unmolested by the police (undoubtedly because their had more pressing problems to deal with).

[exnavychick]

I don't really see where the federal government has any role to play whatsoever, since I can't find the part in our Constitution about charity and disaster relief.

So, since it's not in the Constitution, sink or swim? The government has the infastructure and know-how to help in disasters like this...but because you don't find that specific charged duty in the Constitution, they should all just sit on their hands? Major disasters are going to cause disruption at the local or state level, so what else should be done, then? They need help, at least initially, to get going again.

Nagin said that the 200 stranded people included 20 police officers who were riding out the storm at their homes in preparation to take over shifts from other officers.

I guess those cops were just stupid fools who should have just gotten out while the gettin' was good, since it's not their job to help out?

[metmom]

Yes

[luvbach1]

...old bodies from graveyards?

They could if they were old bodies.

[MizSterious]

Prayers for you and yours. And don't pay attention to the idiots on here who like think these folks deserve what happened. Most of us don't think that way.

[BurbankKarl]

no, that would be dogs swimming by with bones in their mouths.

[najida]

I've been through an evac before and there are LOTS of folks who can't leave.

The 'home health' patients without family, the eldery who can drive OK around town, but never get on the interstate, the chronic shut-ins. The mentally ill or disabled who can barely function outside of their daily routines.

Look, no one hated evacuating more than I. I won't do it again. But, with that being said, there are lots of people in the world who live in the 'just barely here' world where evacuation is almost beyond them.