Total devestation is the only way to describe. Biloxi.
Posted on 08/30/2005 10:10:45 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
It is with heavy heart I write this...
I have finally reconnected with my best friend who is a paramedic who was sent from Georgia 2 days ago to Gulf Port, Mississippi before the hurricane hit.
He just reached me within the last 10 mins via emergency cell phone to tell me he was alive.
Thousands of bodies have been discovered throughout Mississippi in Gulf Port, Waveland,Hancock County,Bay of St.Louis.
They are hanging in trees and they are pulling them out 30 at a time. Entire families found drowned in their homes and washing up on shore.
The stories he could tell me were brief. National Guard is on the scene and arresting anyone seen on the streets.
The numbers are staggering and what I have been told tonight will shake people to their foundation as the numbers will be coming out in the next 24-hours of just how many people have actually perished in these and 3 other beach communities.
More to follow....
You sound rational and I have reviewed your posts in the past - they sound rational. My only problem is that part about the government hiding bodies of illegal aliens during Andrew. All we have in this story is your credibility. Can you give us a single plausible scenario where the government would hide (as opposed to temporarily embargo) information about who died in a hurricane?
Total devestation is the only way to describe. Biloxi.
Time will tell as to the specifics.
You yourself estimated 1500 dead. If that is so, then what MFH's friend so could easily line up with that too if they happened to be working in the worst hit area.
I hope you are wrong, that the death toll is lower. I fear your own estimate may be low, so I pray I am wrong too.
These things can be discussed and relted without offense or insult. It's a frustrating and horrific thing that we are all, in some way, witnessing and a part of. The important thing is really not what we think one way or another, or who is right in these grizzly estimates. The important thing is that there are a lot of people suffering right now.
I pray God will rest the souls of the departed and strengthen, buoy up, and comfort those who are mourning or continuing to suffer either physically or emotionally.
...and that each of us, in our own spheres of influence will do all we can to help.
The city is just pretty much gone.
I used to live about 1/4 mile from that bridge. I remember during one hurricane a guy went out to the high point of that bridge and tied himself to the railing 'so that he could watch the hurricane'.
They never did find him...
Hi, GWB. I'm missed seeing your posts. How've you been?
While I hope and pray your estimates are reality, I fear the loss of life from this flooding looks to be much worse than 1,500 casualties.
The despair in Haley Barbour's voice was haunting.
Or a 9.0 mixed with 500 F-5s. And we think only ~200 were victims in this?
Which one CommandoFrank? Maybe you can tell us what some of these pictures are of. They didn't have captions.
Of course there are always confusing stories after a disaster. As far as hurricanes go, this 'silent' period is abnormaly long, especially considering current communication abilities.
Assuming this is like the other events simply because they were factored too high might end up leading many into a false sense of security.
What I suggest you do is call up a map of Bay Saint Louis and look where I 10 sits. The individual who just got off FOX has first hand information of his family who lived NORTH of I 10 just had their house flooded up to the ceiling. Look at St. Louis Bay which is behind the finger of Bay Saint Louis and Pass Christian. ALL OF THIS WAS UNDERWATER, I know the area very well and used to keep knowledgeable of water levels since I lived on a sailboat for 2 1/2 years there. I went through Hurricane Elaine in 1985 anchored in the Jordon River (water level dropped in that one). I was in a local storm of only 20 to 30 mph where the dock was covered with water in something as minor as that.
I hope you are correct in your assessment of the situation and I am wrong, but I think I have lost a lot of people I knew there.
It's going to take a lot more than "Casino Magic" to put back together that town.
But even if you have 90% evac rates across the entire MS coastline - which we did not - there were a lot more than a couple of hundred people in those areas where we are seeing total devastation.
He has contributed zero that is rational or helpful to this thread.
Gracias, Veneuela
Great pictures. I always find it amazing to see what survives and what doesn't. Take the photo in 1655 for instance. The "Casino Magic" (i think that's what it says) held, but the giant building across the street didn't do so well (the one that shifted off it's foundation).
I'm sure I'll get a bunch of posts about engineering principles etc, but it's still an interesting thing to see.
I ran across a really interesting book that speaks very well to this disaster: The North Face of God by Ken Gire. He addresses those times when God seems to have abandoned us. He writes about holding onto hope, despite current difficult circumstances.
Exactly. We have reports that many did not listen to orders as well. Those claiming everyone evacuated are either not listening to the facts coming forth from local officials, or they are ignoring them. Anyone that came in contact with the main body of surge had a very low chance of surviving.
Es decir, Gracias, Venezuela. typos- grrr
I saw a Bay St. Louis survivor's story last night and she stayed because her historic home had made it through Camille. She spent the three hours clinging to a tree with four others and miraculously, they all survived. Her house is gone, though.
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