Vodkapundit - Aftermath

Aftermath

Posted by Will Collier · 30 August 2005

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is illustrating the dangers of opining with too little data. As the storm moved north yesterday, a number of commentators, both online and in the major media, were already starting to yowl that the pre-storm predictions of mass destruction were overblown and unwarranted. After all, they said, the thing went through New Orleans, and look--the city's still there. There's no 'giant bowl of toxic gumbo' (to paraphrase many, many comments). Heck, I can see the Superdome on CNN, and it's beat up, but it's not an island or anything!

With one of the major levees failing this morning, several parishes under water (few of which could be reached by people with cameras yesterday), an entirely unknown death toll, hundreds of people trapped by flooding, and untold devestation on the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coasts, it's starting to look like the instant post-storm criticism was itself premature.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has, for the first time in its history, published an electronic-only edition today--a notably ironic achievement, since almost nobody in the city has electricity, much less internet access. It's in .pdf format, and it's heartbreaking.

Here's similar coverage from the Biloxi Sun Herald.

UPDATE: After riding out the actual storm yesterday, the Times-Picayune staff is now evacuating their building in downtown New Orleans.

Tuesday, 9:40 a.m.
The Times-Picayune is evacuating it's New Orleans building.

Water continues to rise around our building, as it is throughout the region. We want to evaucate our employees and families while we are still able to safely leave our building.

Our plan is to head across the Mississippi River on the Pontchartrain Expressway to the west bank of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. From there, we'll try to head to Houma.

Our plan, obviously, is to resume providing news to our readers ASAP. Please refer back to this site for continuing information as soon as we are able to provide it.

MORE: Just heard from a friend of mine that his sister's family is evacuating Baton Rouge due to a rapid rise in the Mississippi River. The situation in New Orleans is deteriorating; this from WDSU's hurricane blog:

11:04 a.m.: Looting Out Of Control New Orleans police say looting is out of control in many parts of the city. Officials are focusing on the rescue effort, but a crackdown on looting is expected after the martial law declaration. -- WDSU anchor Kriss Fairbairn
10:30 a.m.: Martial Law Declared New Orleans is under martial law, according to state officials. It could be weeks before displaced residents are allowed to return. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

10:27 a.m.: Blanco Expects Death Toll To Be High
Gov. Kathleen Blanco said her office has not confirmed any deaths but expects the loss of life to be high. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

10:25 a.m.: Superdome 'Miserable' The Superdome is filthy. Garbage bins are overflowing with trash and the bathrooms are filthy. In addition, the plumbing does not work. City officials say conditions are "miserable." -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

10:21 a.m.: Water, Travel Conditions Poor Residents are urged to avoid drinking the water in New Orleans. It is not safe. The only way in and out of New Orleans is the Crescent City Connection. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

10:20 a.m.: Twin Span Bridges Destroyed
The twin span bridges into east New Orleans have been destroyed [These are the bridges on Interstate 10 from Slidell/Gulfport; the only highway in or out of New Orleans is now I-10 on the west side. --WC]. It's still not clear whether the entire bridges are destroyed or just sections of them. People are warned not to drive across any high-rise bridges. Their integrity may be compromised by the impact of the storm. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

10:17 a.m.: Hospitals Face Dire Situations
New Orleans' hospitals are facing even an even greater crisis. Tulane Medical Center said the water is rising quickly and could disable its emergency generator. Tulane is trying to evacuate and airlift all patients from its hospital and charity hospital. Ten hospitals in New Orleans are running on emergency generators. -- WDSU chief meteorologist Dan Milham

Comments

Since the experts were reporting, and the press repeating with ghoulish glee, that 25,000 to 100,000 deaths were expected, then yes, I think we dodged the bullet...

Posted by: richard mcenroe at August 30, 2005 08:08 AM

Agreed.

Heard this morning that the looting in New Orleans is Bush's fault because the national guard is in Iraq.

I also heard that gas prices will go up 20 cents by the weekend.

Every Republican in congress should be repeating that it is the Democratic party who is responsible for our current dependence on foreign oil. It should be made clear that liberals have resisted building nuclear plants and drilling for oil in Alaska and everywhere else.

Instead, I fear, Republicans will start moving away from Bush and looking toward the easy, "go along to get along" policies that have gotten them elected year after year.

As for the aftermath of Katrina, other than sorrow for those who died or are hurt, we'll just start rebuilding and get on with our lives.

Posted by: erp at August 30, 2005 08:59 AM

There are reports now of three levee breaches.

And according to Louisiana state officials, they have all the National Guard forces they can deploy at this time, FWIW

Posted by: richard mcenroe at August 30, 2005 09:06 AM

I've just given to the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities. I live in the Florida panhandle and I'm thankful we didn't get a closer hit, but I'm sorry for those who did. We will stick together. We will help those in need. And hopefully we will learn things to improve for next time. If you live in the Gulf Coast, you have to deal with hurricanes.

Posted by: Iris at August 30, 2005 09:11 AM

Looks like it's worse than we thought only hours ago.

Posted by: erp at August 30, 2005 09:17 AM

It's just like last year, when the hurricanes hit Florida. It took almost a week for people to realize just how much damage had been done by Charley. The news swooped in, as usual, but they could only get to the least-damaged areas, so folks were saying "hey, it doesn't look too bad."

Now, when they show those aerial shots of a half-submerged home in New Orleans, people can't wrap their heads around the idea that the same thing happened a hundred thousand times in New Orleans alone...

Posted by: cirby at August 30, 2005 09:51 AM

I'm out of the country with family in McComb, Ms. Haven't gotten through to anybody. This is 100 miles north of new Oleans. Anybody know what the damage was like up there?

thanks.
bb

Posted by: bb at August 30, 2005 10:49 AM

How many people died in New Orleans this morning?

While US Coast Guard helicopters are picking hundreds of people off of rooftops in New Orleans, I fear there are hundreds, perhaps thousands that they are missing. After the levees failed this morning, the water rose rapidly, covering homes in just a few hours throughout the city. Think about how many people cannot swim. Infants. Children. Adults. More adults can't swim than you would imagine. Think about the elderly and sick who do not have the strength to hoist themselves onto their rooftops.

Remember those body bags we've been hearing about? I think they will need all of them.

Posted by: Lou Minatti at August 30, 2005 02:09 PM

Well, I was listening to a CNN cameraman being interviewed last night, somewhere in the wee hours of the morning.

He painted a bleaker picture, somewhat akin to what Lou Minatti just mentioned...

Posted by: CERDIP at August 30, 2005 03:11 PM

I was watching the New Orleans mayor and Louisiana governor on TV before the hurricane hit. I was wondering why one earththey would not order a TOTAL evacuation of the city for a projected Cat V direct hit. Wife reminded me it did not become hurricane until just before landfasll in Fla and went from cat II to CAT IV overnight. I think this storm got inside folk's OODA loop (Orient-Observe-Decide-Act.) Easier to deal with a Cat V when it it a Cat V 1000 miles out, not 400.

Posted by: Mike at August 30, 2005 03:57 PM

bb -- Most of Pike county is without power, lots of downed trees and powerlines.

Go to topix.net for more info.

Posted by: richard mcenroe at August 30, 2005 05:58 PM

hey bb -
I have family down there too; here is a link to Hattiesburg's newspaper with pix..
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=DB&Dato=20050829&Kategori=HURRICANE&Lopenr=829003&Ref=PH

watching MSNBC right now, as a flyover is being done of Gulfport.. there is NOTHING left.. like someone took a vacuum cleaner & just sucked stuff off the beachfront..

Posted by: indy at August 30, 2005 06:10 PM

There are more Bullets to dodge.

Oh, the Mayor did order total evacuation one day in advance of landfall. The poor have no way to leave, the stubborn are not going to leave, the looters don't want to leave.

Papa Ray
West Texas
USA

Posted by: Papa Ray at August 30, 2005 10:22 PM

I think the Red Cross is one of the best orgs. to contribute funds!...

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at August 31, 2005 02:52 PM