Can't folks retreat to the Mississippi River levees (the highest thing around), and be picked up by boat?
The water coming up in the city is full of oil, chemicals, sewage, snakes, rats and fire ants. It'll take boats working the flooded streets to get folks to the levees.
You would think so. You would think everyone with a boat would be going down to pick them up.
that's really the only sensible option.
even so, getting to the river levee on their own might be damn near impossible for many refugees.