Posted on 02/02/2006 10:08:40 AM PST by ncountylee
In the chaos that followed the worst natural disaster in American history, a forensic investigation has been taking place to find out what went wrong and why.
The BBC's Horizon programme has spoken to the scientists who are now confronting the real possibility that New Orleans may be the first of many cities worldwide to face extinction.
Modern day New Orleans was a city that defied the odds. Built on a mosquito infested swamp squashed between two vast bodies of water in what is essentially a bowl, its very existence seemed proof of the triumph of engineering over nature.
But on the 29 August 2005 New Orleans took a direct hit from Hurricane Katrina and overnight was turned into a Venice from hell.
The delicate flood system in New Orleans, that so many relied on to protect them was actually, year on year, adding to the risk of a catastrophe in the city.
Coastal Geologist Shea Penland from the University of New Orleans knows every inlet, every cove and every stretch of marsh that surrounds New Orleans.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Mentions BBC TV program:
Horizon: The Lost City of New Orleans
And this is a problem because....
Ummm, it's a city below sea level, that's sinking, in an active hurricane zone. And that's just for starters...
It was a dinosaur anyway. (And run by a brain the size of a walnut.)
another hit today I understand....
tornadoes
NO should be left to rot in peace.
The ignorance of Freepers on Louisiana questions is again on display.
Buggy Whips also risk extinction, as does Atlantis, as does PanAM and TWA Airlines.... and maybe GM.
So what?
An individual person has a "right to life"; but eventually dies anyway.
Why should an object, city or company have a "right" not only to "life" but to "eternal life" ?
"I think every city that is built below sea level should probably become extinct."
Given the nature of water, that's going to happen with our without our help, eventually. But, there are cities that have survived centuries in just such a precarious situation. These cities apparently don't have to contend with hurricanes, though.
Please enlighten us I enjoy learning.
New orleans has been around since 1718 folks most of yalls cities are realtive new borns. By the way Cities dont have a right to eternal life will be a great campaign slogan when we try to reelect Republican David Vitter, or Relect Republican JIndal. Oh and this is going to big hit with Republican voters in Jefferson and St Tammny , and St BErnard Parish come the Presidental election time. Keep the helpful slogans coming
The problem in large part is Coastal erosion which can be fixed. Also there are plans to develop areas that are flood prone in NOla into Green place. As a former resident of there the "its below sealevel argument lets not rebuild" is a little simplistic
Actually New Orleans didn't take a direct hit as the article states.
The BBC should get its history straight. The worst natural disaster in American history was the Class 5 hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas in September 1900. Called 'Isaac's Storm' after Isaac Cline, the national weather service meteorologist on site, the hurricane killed over 6,000 people and leveled the city.
Uh, it wasn't a direct hit. Katrina blew the levees with a backhand blow from her weak side.
"Keep the helpful slogans coming"
Do you really think that LA voters will be influenced by banter on a FR thread?
So then, you're suggesting we spend federal $ mainly to get republicans elected?
Boy, you really are from Louisiana, aren;t you?
Ah. So in order to win over the people in your state, a pubbie has to tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.
Which wouldn't be all that bad except that y'all are also asking for so much of our tax dollars.
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