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Posted on 09/20/2005 4:12:29 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
GOVERNOR Kathleen Blanco declared a state of emergency in western Louisiana today and urged people to evacuate parts of the state due to the new threat of Hurricane Rita.
"I have put the state on alert. We've declared another emergency ... for southwest Louisiana," Ms Blanco said. "We're urging people to evacuate," she said as Rita barrelled near southernmost Florida, gaining strength and heading west on a track that could take it close to the devastated Louisiana city.
Emergency services have already begun evacuating residents of New Orleans, which is still a disaster area following Hurricane Katrina's August 29 hit, Mayor Ray Nagin said.
"We have had an influx of evacuees that have made their way to the convention centre. We've already evacuated two busloads of individuals," Mr Nagin said.
Officials were quick to emphasise that the convention centre would function only as a staging place for people to board buses, not as a shelter.
Tens of thousands languished without food, water and sanitation for days after fleeing to the facility during Katrina.
The National Hurricane Centre forecast a track that would have Rita making landfall in Texas over the weekend, but a "cone of probability" in the forecast indicates the storm might slam ashore anywhere between northeastern Mexico and the swamplands of southern Louisiana, west of New Orleans.
"We're watching Hurricane Rita very, very closely. If you've had a chance to see what has happened last night it was aiming at Galveston, Texas ... This morning it's a little more westerly. It can move in any direction based on the winds. And so that concerns us," Ms Blanco said.
A decision on mandatory evacuations will be made tomorrow as officials, who came under fire for their slow response to Katrina, monitor the new hurricane.
"If the storm becomes a threat, we will start to strictly enforce the evacuation process tomorrow," Mr Nagin said.
Katrina killed close to 1000 people in four states, including 676 in New Orleans, which was 80 per cent under water after the storm broke levees protecting the low-lying city.
Mr Nagin already suspended on Monday his controversial plan to allow some 180,000 residents to return to the city by the end of the month to check on their properties.
"I know there are lots of people ... anxious about coming home. And I know that some of you were prepared to come back to New Orleans. Just hold on for a little longer," he said.
Did anybody else catch Governor Jeb Bush on live this afternoon, just as the hurricane hit the worst in his state. He was telling people where to go, what to do, he explained all the preparations made and how long people could expect to sit before being rescued.
In other words, he exuded the confidence of someone who was in charge.
That was missing after Katrina in Loiusiana, from the local, state, and unfortunately the FEMA director.
It is more the local mayor and EOC director is competent. The plan works when it is used. We have evacuated before and we get our old people out of harms way on this side of the state.
Cameron Parish was wiped out during Hurricane Audrey back in 57 and one reason so many people died was because the NWS told them to get a good night's sleep and evacuate early in the morning. The thing is Audrey sped up during the night and made landfall 12 hours early trapping most of the population. Ever since that storm, the folks of Cameron and Calcasieu get out.
Yes she could and that is why this resident of Southwest Louisiana is making preparations to get the heck out of dodge. If the storm goes into east Texas we will get the bad side of the storm. I live 15 minutes from the border.
I’ll be damned. I thought all those people calling her a moron were exaggerating.
No doubt another crafty salvo upon our nation's women and minorities courtesy of GWB and his gang of weather-targeting, racist thugs. Oh wait... Hurricanes don't kill people, fatal decisions kill people.
She cannot do it herself, she is "Stuck On Stupid"(tm) Either someone tape a nickel to her head, or a short sideways smack (those are arcane references to how to fix a needle that's stuck in the same groove on an album...ya know, vinyl? :) should jolt her back to whatever is normal for her!
you are overestimating the size of the strong "right front quadrant"...we are talking 25-50 miles or so.....not 300.
based on current official track just southwest of galveston...la will experience nearly nothing.
"Turning tricks in Cleveland?"
Does Texas need rain?
They're saying 'Yup, it's all up to George Bush and FEMA now to stop this hurricane. We done our part. We buggin' out.'
Maybe the valium wore off and she thinks it's still Katrina.
I just talked to my father, who lives in the Northeast. I had heard this afternoon that the predicted landfall was near Corpus Christi.
He said, "Now they're saying that it will land somewhere in between Houston and Lake Charles. That's you, isn't it?" Yes, it is.
When I got up this morning I didn't even know there was a new storm on the horizon -- now I have to start thinking about flight vs. stoicism. I have always heard that if a Category 4 hurricane hit my area, everything south of Interstate 10 would be under water. Well, I live north of I-10, but only by a mile or so...
Looks like even a dumbass like Nagin can figure out how to get a bus loaded now.
"We have had an influx of evacuees that have made their way to the convention centre.
I can't believe anyone would do that, no matter for a ride or not.
Hm, anything left to loot?
What about Houston, oh wait, that's Texas, nevermind...
Whare da hell was deeze peeples edumucated?
Hey, must have been able find 2 drivers as well, ain't dat a miracle in itself?
Roger THAT! The Left-wing damage control forces hane been running at 110% for weeks -- lest the utter failure of socialist policies be laid bare for all the world to witness.
When did they cancel the other state of emergency? Either you is or you isn't in a state of emergency. FEMA is already on the ground there. Grandstanding a little?
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