Katrina Live Thread, Part X

Various ^ | 30 August 2005

[NautiNurse]

Catastrophic damage occurred to Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Major bridges are destroyed. Mobile AL suffered its worst flooding in 90 years. In New Orleans, a large section of concrete levee broke last night. Water continues to rise, threatening, among many things, Tulane Hospital with 1000 patients. New Orleans officials: Do not attempt to return to the city at this time if you evacuated. It is too dangerous.

Sun-Herald Gulfport MS

WLOX TV Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagula

Gulfport News via Topix.net WAFB Baton Rouge

Slidell, Mandeville, and Covington Updates Warning: website is overloaded due to heavy traffic

Mobile Register via al.com

Mississippi updates via Jackson Ledger

Lafayette LA Daily Advertiser

Pensacola News Journal

[the Deejay]

What about the guns & ammo they stole from a sporting goods store? Cleaned them out I tell you.

"Thou shalt not steal" (NO EXCEPTTIONS placed before or after that rule.)

[Howlin]

I'd bet natural gas leaks and gasoline on the water?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Honestly, if I were stuck down there in NOLA, I'd be looting for water, food, and antiseptics. Would I do that if I were in Gulfport or Biloxi? No, but NOLA is such a completely different situation, it really is about survival, and some areas just aren't going to get evacuated or food and water brought in for days.

But I understand and agree with most of what you posted. These threads have indeed been quite revealing, unfortunately.

[BurbankKarl]

I guess they could barter....

I saw looters after the Northridge Earthquake...in expensive areas...they were stealing everything from donuts to office furniture.

[lmavk]

Shep must be getting ripe, he has broken out the baseball cap.

[ican'tbelieveit]

No problems on that mistake, hope no one took it that way. And completely understandable to question why they are making a big deal out of such a small amount of water when whole houses are under water in other areas. Fox wasn't putting that alert in perspective.

[epluribus_2]

already did, see earlier post ;)

[RDTF]

Just can't bring myself to even think of saying something like that about these people right now. Looters or not. This is a human tragedy, regardless of that.

[NCC-1701]

I agree. They're not doing this out of the goodness and kindness of their hearts. Waiting for the other shoe to fall.

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Overview: Looting is theft that occurs during an apparent, usually temporary, absence of authority and order, resulting in loss of property due to this theft, and usually destruction of other property in order to steal. This lapse of can be caused by either lack of resources(e.g., terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001), lack of organization(e.g., 1992 Los Angeles riots), or absence of a command structure(e.g., 2003 invasion of Iraq and Hurricane Katrina). Causes of these events range from a disaster, a war, an evacuation or a blackout. The instability caused by these events to a society, and the possible damage to infrastructure creates an environment where government resources are somehow restricted, due to their own evacuation, or due to their already being committed to the destabilizing event, and also due to the failure of deterrents such as phones to report incidents, lighting to discourage them, and security systems to detect them. [edit] Reasons behind looting.. Looting is often opportunistic. The apparent lapse in authority enables people to believe that they won't be discovered or charged. Looting also cascades through a group of people as one person believes that his contribution to the crime is lessened because someone else is looting, too. People may also believe that if the goods are not stolen, then they will simply be wasted, and see their act as a lesser of two evils. Finally, a looter may believe that if he doesn't steal the property, it will simply be stolen by someone else and he will gain nothing from his obedience. Looters are usually locals of the site of the disaster, and as such, may have lost alot of their own property. This further encourages them to steal as it is reducing the negative impact of the disaster. In many countries, even in Western democracies that otherwise ban the death penalty, extraordinary measures may be taken against looters, during times of crisis. Looters may be summarily shot by the police, army, or property owners. Extraordinary measures, combined with an impressive show of force, help to discourage looting and to disperse crowds that would now find a normal show of force non-threatening. This is also common police practice in discouraging potential riots, which are often associated with looting, from escalating." -- Wikipedia

[swarthyguy]

Water seeps into the earthen barrier comprising the levees.

The soil becomes water soaked, weakens and eventually gives way. Or if it comes over the levy, the flow erodes the levy from the top, weakening it.

Similar to what happened in 93 along the Miss.

[jeffers]

"To: BurbankKarl

I don't understand why some folks here do not realize that this is not a functioning city any longer. There is no power, water, food, clothing, medical services or protection. The people cannot go any where
and no one can get to them to provide aid.

What would you do if you were in this situation?"

In order, ensure that my body core temp wasn't dropping, meaning dry clothes or a waterproof shelter, pitch a tent on the third or fourth floor of a sturdy building, start rounding up all the potable water I could find, then matches, then food, then wait for whenever the helos have time to take me anyplace besides the Dome.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Shep says they don't know where the water is coming from.. they know of some of the breeches from Ponchartrain, but are not certain about the river --yet.

[dirtboy]

Thing to keep in Mind is that the NHC track with landfall at New Orleans, 11PM Friday night, had a Cat 4 landfall for intensity.

And the other thing to keep in mind is not whether New Orleans should order an evacuation whenever a hurricane is in the Gulf - but instead, why was there NO PLAN to get the people without cars and the marooned tourists OUT? You can't activate what isn't there.

[OXENinFLA]

Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina flow over a levee along Inner Harbor Navigaional Canal near downtown New Orleans Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage when it made landfall on Monday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

[bwteim]

Here are looting / martial law threads:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1473400/posts

and

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1473518/posts

Thanks

[buickmackane]

Updates from Alexandria:

Local government officials are evaluating sites which can shelter the growing number of people streaming into the area for up to a *month* and are particularly considering the Rapides Parish Coliseum.

The Rapides Parish School Board has asked KALB to post special hotline numbers in order to reach parents, so that evacuee children living in motels and shelters can temporarily be enrolled in local schools.

LifeShare Blood Centers has put out a call for blood donors in Central Louisiana.

[Centaur]

I am astounded by the thought of the number of people who no longer have homes. It is incomprehensible. I have been lucky in my life and the kids are grown, if any Freepers know of someone who needs shelter or knows where I can offer a home to those in need, please let me know. I'd be willing to pay their way. This is so heartrending.

[Siobhan]

No, the surprises aren't over yet.

[Lady Heron]

Looters got into a sporting goods store and STOLE GUNS & BULLETS! Now, THOSE A TRUE NECESSITIES! (/sarcasm)

As things continue to deteriorate in New Orleans, yes, they are going to be a necessity, especially if you have a family to protect until you can get out.