cloudwalking said:New Orleans, one of America's most charming cities, could be converted into a giant cesspool laced with toxic chemicals and raw sewage. Even coffins from the city's legendary cemeteries could be released by floodwaters.
Macam said:Having been to New Orleans, I can safely say there's nothing charming about it. While I hope everyone gets out of the city all right, calling New Orleans charming is like calling New York City a lush, organic forest filled with elves.
Macam said:Having been to New Orleans, I can safely say there's nothing charming about it. While I hope everyone gets out of the city all right, calling New Orleans charming is like calling New York City a lush, organic forest filled with elves.
MetatronM said:Katrina is now being listed as Category 4.
Wind: 155 mph (Cat 5 starts at 156)
Pressure: 910 mb
border said:Somebody tonight pointed out that if you're a tourist that got stuck in New Orleans, you are basically now occupying the Superdome with every homeless person, pimp, pusher, hooker, street performer, grifter and pickpocket in town. And probably 10-20 thousand smokers who aren't allowed to smoke even if they have cigarettes.
I think I'd rather take my chances with the storm outside :lol
Wow. And to think we might be seeing the nightmare scenario happening right now.Matlock said:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3204/02.html
January NOVA bit about what could happen. Fascinating stuff.
android said:Wow. And to think we might be seeing the nightmare scenario happening right now.
Superdome spokesman said:It appears a facility as large as the Dome could hold up in hurricane conditions but Bill Curl, spokesman for the Superdome, says that is yet to be tested and if there is no other choice then maybe the Dome could serve as a shelter.
Only in dire emergencies. The Superdome is not a shelter, said Curl.
According to Curl, the assumption that the Superdome can withstand hurricane force winds is just that: an assumption. He says more analysis is needed to determine what the Dome can actually withstand because previous wind studies have become somewhat irrelevant since they did not factor in the new high-rise buildings around the Dome.
OpinionatedCyborg said:Superdome leaking - 1/12 section of roof looking to peel off of the Superdome. 10,000 people inside right now.
EDIT: It's important to note that there's approximately 2+ hours remaining before the most powerful portion of the storm hits.
Phoenix said:So exceedingly disappointed with everyone reporting on the hurricane. As I've said before, the people who built, maintain, and update New Orleans for hurricanes aren't retarded. The chances of 30 feet of standing water being in the city (the apocolypse scenario that everyone reports on) is sooooo unlikely you might as well talk about california falling into the sea everytime there is an earthquake. Or a supervolcano throwing up enough ash to block out the sun everything there is a volcanic eruption.
border said:Somebody tonight pointed out that if you're a tourist that got stuck in New Orleans, you are basically now occupying the Superdome with every homeless person, pimp, pusher, hooker, street performer, grifter and pickpocket in town. And probably 10-20 thousand smokers who aren't allowed to smoke even if they have cigarettes.
I think I'd rather take my chances with the storm outside :lol
AB 101 said:^^ Well, its only Fox News that does this ^^
A small piece of roof on the dome has come off.
Yeah, a small piece but what does it do for the integrity of the rest of it?
I hope it will be okay.
8:21 a.m.: Conditions Should Improve In New Orleans
The center of Hurricane Katrina is moving northward, and residents in New Orleans may soon see some improvement. But People in Slidell will soon see conditions turning worse. Deteriorating weather is also expected in Picayune and Springhill. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham
Superdome roof update. The Associated Press has checked in, describing the scene. "Strips of metal were peeled away, creating two holes that were visible from the floor of the huge arena. Water dripped in and people were moved away from about five sections of seats directly below."
The news services estimated the openings to be about 6 feet long. The WDSU blog put the dimensions at 3 feet by 5 feet. Several of the station's staff members were inside the dome. "A heavy mist is reported inside, and some are now wearing raincoats," one told the blog.
''The superdome is not in any dangerous situation,'' Gov. Kathleen Blanco told the AP, but the dome's general manager said he didn't know the extent of the problem. "We have no way of getting anyone up there to look,'' he said. At its highest, the roof rises more than 19 stories above the floor. Posted at 10:01 a.m. ET
9:04 a.m.: Ocshner Hospital Flooding
Heavy rains associated with Hurricane Katrina are sending floodwaters into the first floor of Ocshner Hospital. Patients are being moved to the upper floors of the building. -- WDSU.com Web Staff
DarienA said:''The superdome is not in any dangerous situation,'' Gov. Kathleen Blanco told the AP, but the dome's general manager said he didn't know the extent of the problem. "We have no way of getting anyone up there to look,'' he said. At its highest, the roof rises more than 19 stories above the floor. Posted at 10:01 a.m. ET
Outside the metropolis. While New Orleans turns to the Superdome and battens the hatches, outreach efforts in many smaller commuities are stretched as far as they can go.
In Lafayette, La., a church pastor told his story today to the city's Advertiser newspaper. After local hotels filled yesterday, he opened his doors and took in about 1,800 people. "Thats just kind of the Lafayette culture," Jay Miller said. "We take care of our people. But by early this morning, he said the church was so full that he had to turn people away.
At a local Wal-Mart, the scene was just as desperate. Locals and New Orleans evacuees took refuge in the parking lot Sunday, the Advertiser reported. Early in the morning, one family was seen sleeping under blankets in the rain.
According to its manager, the store itself stayed busy until 4 a.m. Central Time. Supplies of bottled water and canned goods had run low but were eventually replenished.Posted at 10:25 a.m. ET
9:25 a.m.: East Jefferson Hospital Also Flooding
There are also reports of water on the lower floor of East Jefferson Hospital. The flooding may be related to unconfirmed reports of levee breaks along industrial canals in the area. -- WDSU.com Web Staff
9:33 a.m.: Power Lines Fall On Fire Truck
Hurricane Katrina is making for some dangerous conditions for emergency crews. There are reports of downed power lines on a fire truck in Hattiesburg, Miss. Five firefighters are trapped inside the vehicle. -- WDSU.com Web Staff
9:25 a.m.: East Jefferson Hospital Also Flooding
There are also reports of water on the lower floor of East Jefferson Hospital. The flooding may be related to unconfirmed reports of levee breaks along industrial canals in the area. -- WDSU.com Web Staff
9:34 - Reports of widespread flooding now, although not at the doomsday scenario levels. But we've got several hours to go before we've seen the worst past. Scanner traffic is busy with calls of rising water, including 18 inches and rising against the levee in the French Quarter. Dispatchers questioning officers on the scene, trying to determine if there is a break in the river levee, or if water is pouring over the top. Independently, NOLA has received a flooding alert for the French Market area.
Fairly heavy street flooding in front and behind the Times-Picayune . . . water appears about knee deep, whipped by the steady wind into whitecaps and breakers. Water is hubcap deep on the furthest vehicles in the employee parking lot, and rising quickly.
Phoning from the flood. USA TODAY reporter Larry Copeland has called in again from Gulfport, Miss., and the situation is getting worse. He's holed up in a Holiday Inn directly across U.S. 90 from the Gulf of Mexico, and the hotel lobby's furniture has begun to float. Listen to his audio report.
The Holiday Inn site shows Copeland's location.
The Associated Press also reports from the area: "Along U.S. 90 in Mississippi, the major coastal route that is home to the state's casinos, sailboats were washed onto the four-lane highway."
"This is a devastating hit we've got boats that have gone into buildings," Gulfport Fire Chief Pat Sullivan told the wire service. "What you're looking at is Camille II." As Copeland reported in this morning's paper, the city was devastated by Hurricane Camille in 1969.Posted at 10:45 a.m. ET
Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, on east side of city, under 5 to 6 feet of water after pumps fail, mayor says. Details soon.
Water, water everywhere
Floodwaters are starting to become a problem in Orleans Parish, with 6 to 8 feet of water collecting in the Lower 9th Ward, state officials said at a briefing Monday just before 9 a.m.
After a morning conference call with state and parish officials, Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau said emergency personnel stationed at Jackson Barracks have confirmed that the waters are rising, although he could not say whether the cause was a levee breach or overtopping. Extensive flooding has been reported along St. Claude and Claiborne avenues.
Landreneau confirmed reports that a leak has developed at the Superdome, where thousands of people who could not leave the city are waiting out the storm. But he said the building is still structurally sound and that people had been moved from the spot that is leaking.
"They moved people in an orderly fashion to get out of the water coming through," said Gov. Kathleen Blanco at a brief news conference with reporters at the state Office of Emergency Preparedness.
Five floors of windows at Charity Hospital have blown out, with flooding reported on the first floor of the hospital, which has remained open, officials said.
Local officials are also reporting that floodwaters are encroaching on roads in the lower-lying parishes of St. Bernard and Plaquemines. The 911 call centers in
St. Bernard and Orleans parishes have been shut down and evacuated, Landreneau said.
Many reports of damage are remaining unconfirmed because local emergency officials can't get out to check on the situation, Landreneau said. But state
officials were told of roof damage and some structural failures of buildings in St. Bernard Parish, he said.
Blanco asked people who evacauted the metropolitan New Orleans area to remain outside the region until they are told by local officials that it is safe to return. While the hurricane-force winds will sweep through by the early afternoon, there will be tropical storm-like gusts into the evening.
Anybody who tries to return to the area tonight will likely not be able to reach their destinations, Blanco said. "You will hamper search and rescue efforts," the
governor said. "It will be impossible for you to get where you need to go."
evil ways said:Anybody know if Tennessee is scheduled get hammered by Katrina as well? Most specifically near Powell and Knoxville?
evil ways said:Anybody know if Tennessee is scheduled get hammered by Katrina as well? Most specifically near Powell and Knoxville?
Miguel said::lol
I wanted to see the Fox news guy fly away![]()
evil ways said::lol
The Fox News guys stationed on MS just nearly shat himself as he was getting blown away by strong winds and heavy rains then a piece of aluminum roofing fell right in front of him.
dskillzhtown said:This just in....
This is fucked up for NOLA. This is really fucked up for NOLA.
But for some reason, I wonder if the Big Tymerz will do a song about Katrina.
Miguel said:Dude, you're like 2 hours late. Are they showing that footage again?
DJ Sl4m said:What an inane night, that was a hell of a party!!!!!!!!! lol
Thanks DarienA, I took a short 5 hour nap, and now I'm up to date with crazy goings on of Katrina.