When your city is flooded and has NO BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, and looting is going on you IMMEDIATELY:
DECLARE MARTIAL LAW
SEND IN THE NATIONAL GUARD WITH AUTHORIZATION TO MAINTAIN ORDER, INCLUDING SHOOT TO KILL.
ASK FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE.
BEGIN EVACUATIONS IMMEDIATELY.
NO WAITED TO DO ANY OF THESE THINGS FOR NEARLY 48 HOURS, and STILL HAS NOT DONE OTHERS!
THE GOVERNOR AND MAYOR OF LA/NO are completely INCOMPETENT.
New Orleans was placed under martial law after widespread flooding rendered civil authority ineffective. The state of Louisiana does not have an actual legal construct called "martial law," but instead something quite like it: a state of public health emergency.
The state of emergency allowed the governor can suspend laws, order evacuations, and limit the sales of items such as alcohol and firearms. The governor's order limited the state of emergency, to end on 9/25/2005, "unless terminated sooner."