That many people did not listen to the calls to get out before. Wow, seems high.
And this is just in New Orleans.
It's not really all that high when you think about it. There's something like 975,000 people that live in NO. So, let's say that 80% of the population heeded the evacuation orders, which is the number I've read here on FR. That leaves 195,000. If that 195k people only had a 1% casualty rate, that's still 1,950 people. I'd expect the casualty rate to be much higher, in the 4-5% range. So, I won't be surprised if there's as many as 5-8 thousand dead.
It's really sad that people did not listen , it sure would have been better to error on the side of safety. They had plenty of time. The City should have had a better plan for the elderly, and the poor that didn't the ability to vacate. State officials knew how serious it was and shouldn't have given people a choice.
It's really sad. People rushed to Sri Lanka but the thought of not rushing a different group to deal with the dead floating, decaying is hard to take, especially in America. Hate to say it but even Castro in Cuba, evacuated it's people. We will pull through and help our own.
People who don't leave generally because they fear that if they do the govt. won't let them back into the area to protect/salvage what little they have left from looters & the elements. Add to the fact that the weather is in the 90's potable water is not available out of the tap and combined with folks trapped in their attics trying to escape the flood waters but with out any tools to cut a hole in the roof to get out of the attic the emergency workers will be finding corpses in attics for weeks to come.
They wanted to hang back for all the good lootin' opportunities.
Some did not get out.
Some did not WANT to get out. Many looters saw their opportunity to break in to jewelry stores and loot diamonds. They were right. It worked. Before we feel too bad for all those "poor people", just remember that some of them stayed to loot and made a fortune looting.
Look for them wearing the shiny new Nikes and diamonds everywehere while they stand in the free food line.
As for the truly downtrodden who could not get out, my condolences and sympathy. But I am astute enough to know there are many who wanted to stay just so they could loot the place.
I'm astonished at what is going on in New Orleans. It is a picture of the worst of humanity in a disaster. I'm sickened by the people affected and I'm praying. However, I've just heard on talk radio that rescuers are being verbally (and sometimes) physically abused by the very people they are risking their lives to rescue. The welfare mentality is showing on TV interviews- though I still feel terrible for all. I'll be interested to see if people are grateful for help- like they were in Florida. This is the time Reverend Jesse Jackson should make an appearance and speak to the people- but I doubt we'll see him.