Posted on 09/01/2005 3:52:09 PM PDT by helen crump
I'd like to start a thread where people who live in Mississippi write in to tell the conditions of places where they are and of area towns. As a former resisdent of Mississippi I have been trying to find out information about specific areas and can't find anything anywhere. Many of the local news sites are not up and we can't contact friends and family. Weeding through some of the info has been very hard. So please just start posting where you are in Mississippi and what you are seeing. Thanks so much!
Here's a good website with video of the extensive damage on the MS coast.
http://www.wlbt.com
Town by town reports
Staff and news services
Overall: More than 841,000 still without power; power restored to almost 25,000 customers . . . Highway 90 buried under inches - or feet - of sand . . . communications down, transportation systems demolished . . . medical services crippled. . . High-water marks set by Camille shattered.
Bay St. Louis: A rusty patchwork quilt of foundations, scraped clean of their houses, all that's left of choice homes, prized for their water views . . . Bridge connection to Biloxi demolished.
Biloxi: Water lines ruptured; municipal water may be on soon, but is probably contaminated. . . Pass Road open . . . Legacy Towers condos survive. . . Ryans, Red Lobster, Olive Garden washed away along U.S. 90. . . Lighthouse still standing. Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge gone. Bottom floor of the library and the home of Jefferson Davis home, Beauvoir destroyed. . . . Sharkshead Souvenir City gone. . . Edgewater Village strip shopping center gutted . . . Also gone: the steeple of historic Hansboro Presbyterian Church; Waters Edge II apartments; Diamondhead Yacht Club, the old neon McDonald's sign on Pass Road . . . Massive damage in east end of city. . . almost total devastation primarily south of the railroad tracks near Lee Street, Point Cadet and Casino Row. . . Beau Rivage still stands. . . Hard Rock Casino, scheduled to open in early September, suffered 50 percent damages. The signature guitar, said to be the world's largest, still stands. . . At least five casinos out of commission. . . St. Thomas the Apostlic Catholic Church, which sits on U.S. 90, is gone.
D'Iberville: Tons of shrimp and frozen chicken went into the water, likely causing contamination of water supplies . . . New addition to Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church of D'Iberville destroyed; damage to sanctuary. . . Structural damage to D'Iberville High School.
Gulfport: Milner Football Stadium still standing; light poles sawed in half; pressbox roof blown off . . . Bayou Oaks houses burned down. . . Pass Road open; people can leave and enter Gulfport on U.S. 49 . . . Dolphins, sea lions from Marine Life Park moved to facilities in Florida . . . Bay Ice Company demolished. . . Gulf Coast Medical Center lost power and evacuated patients to Alabama hospitals . . . Miss. State Port lost its lifting facilities and cranes. . . Historical Grass Lawn building destroyed. . . Fun Time USA left with only bumper boats, pool and go-cart track . . . Numerous businesses and homes on Pass Road damaged or destroyed. . . Dozens of homes missing on Beach Boulevard. . . Fire chief estimates 75 percent of buildings have major roof damage, "if they have a roof left at all" . . . the storm surge crossed the CSX railroad tracks. . . Heavy damage to Memorial Hospital . . . First floor of the Armed Forces Retirement Home flooded . . . 3 of 4 walls have collapsed at Harrison Central 9th Grade School in North Gulfport. . . At least three firehouses have taken significant damage . . .
Hancock County: Emergency Operations Center swamped . . . back of the county courthouse gave way . . .
Harrison County: Old courthouse building destroyed. Unconfirmed reports of up to 80 fatalities. . . Damage to virtually all shelters . . . Lyman Elementary lost two buildings. People were moved to another building on campus safely. . . Woolmarket Elementary lost its roof . . . West Wortham Elementary has signficant roof damage.
Hattiesburg: A number of businesses and homes damaged in the area. . . U.S. 49 and Highway 11 shut down. . . Wind speeds of 95 mph.
Jackson County: Open Springs Hospital remained open for emergency treatment . . . Roof peeling off Emergency Operations Center.
Long Beach: Most buildings within 200 yards of U.S. 90 disappeared . . . Stately homes and apartment complexes that lined the shore are gone . . . First Baptist Church is leveled.
Moss Point: Floodwater surrounded two hotels full of guests . . . Much of downtown destroyed . . . Twenty feet of water flooded most of the city.
Pascagoula: Six blocks of Market Street destroyed . . . The Jackson County Emergency Management Agency had to relocate to the courthouse after the roof came off their building downtown. . . The roof also came off the gym at St. Martin High School. . . Reports of flooding in the Chipley area.
Pass Christian: Penthouse Garden apartments on 2nd Street burned . . . Bridge to Bay St. Louis destroyed, along with several other bridges . . . Harbor and beachfront community gone. . . In eastern part of city, water rose to more than 20 feet above ground level . . . Flooding on Beatline Road at the 90-degree turn. . . . House in the middle of the road on Second Street.
Waveland: State officials say it took a harder hit from the wind and water than any other town along the coast. . . . Nearly every home and business within a half mile of the beach dragged away.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/12523270.htm#baystlouis
Check the Mississippi Sun Herald's Website.
Maybe you can search together, and hopefully get good news.
The shocking part is the inadequate response. Many there are stuck without food, shelter, water, transportation or means to get out. The helicopter pickups isn't doing much.
What does it take to drop food, water, inflatable dinghies? why aren't there convoys of coaches from Baton Rouge ferrying those who are desperate to get out? Why aren't there any attempts to ferry in supplies by boats and ferry out people? IOW what has FEMA prepared for? We may have casualties simply due to lack of food, water or shelter! Right within our shores!
Missippy ping!
man...Waveland always gets the worst.
Camille too.
Any news specifically of Gautier?
You might have a point. The biggest problem probably is transportation. I doubt that you can drive in any direction from Baton Rouge except north. Pre-positioned supplies are a gamble too.
I have been asking this question for 3 days.
I just checked to see where it was located on Google Maps. I see it is near Pasgagola. That whole area was hit hard. See the video on the link I posted. They made 3 flights (video on each) and I suspect it was hit hard. Every video I've seen has shown the whole coastline of MS being hit hard. Sorry to bring you bad news.
btt
You know, I am reminded of a cruise a while back and the captain's welcome speech included an assurance that the ship had enough food, power, supplies to meet the needs of the entire city of Ft. Lauderdale for a month! I can see one of those anchored in the calm waters off NO right now!
I actually did hear on the news that some of the cruise ships were considering going to the area. That sounds like a great idea to me.
Does anyone know anything about Pike county, Lincoln county or the Lucedale area?
Malichi, checking in. I'm in Madison. I've got power, cable, couple of gallons of gas, and some freezer space. If I can help anybody, let me know.
TAW
That was very nice of you...
You may want to look for Spiff's thread here about offering help to others.
Lexington Apartments in Biloxi seem ok. Got news this morning that friend is ok, hole in the roof, on her way to Arkansas.
Thanks!
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