Large break in levee now flooding the city of New Orleans...

[trickblue]

A Break in 17th Street Canal Levee is now 200 feet wide and slowly flooding the City of New Orleans. Huge sand bags are being airlifted to try to stem the rush of water in that area. The expectations are that the water will not stop until it reaches lake level.

 

[Duane]

A Break in 17th Street Canal Levee is now 200 feet wide and slowly flooding the City of New Orleans. Huge sand bags are being airlifted to try to stem the rush of water in that area. The expectations are that the water will not stop until it reaches lake level.

I heard that at work. Sounds like things are going to get worse today.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Said right after the storm passed there was no flooding there but then section or sections of the levee gave way.

Also said the pumps they were going to use to get some of that water out were not working.

Just sending in large sandbags via helicopter to try and stop the water coming in at the breach spot.

Some of the videos of stuff is just amazing.

There is a good video section at foxnews....one of the guy standing there with whipping winds where he can barely stand and it is hard to see him but then he decides to get out real fast when he says a piece of debris (part of a roof maybe) lands 3 feet from him.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Parts of I-10 bridge over Lake Pontchartrain gone

By DALE LEZON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Rescuers in and around New Orleans got their first clear view today of the damage left in Hurricane Katrina's wake.


"The devastation is worse than our fears," Gov. Kathleen Blanco said in a news conference this morning.

Portions of the Interstate 10 high-rise bridge over the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain, east of New Orleans and south of Slidell, have collapsed. Some sections of the I-10 twin span — a lifeline between the south and north shores of Lake Pontchartrain — are missing; others have shifted position but are still standing.

"We know that the I-10 twin span has blown over, is no longer with us," said Mark Smith, spokesman for the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

"This will be the story for some time to come,"said Lt. Lawrence J. McLeary, spokesman for the Louisiana State Police.

Smith said the causeway bridge, another major roadway running across the middle of the lake, has structural damage.

Engineers are inspecting U.S. 11, which also crosses the lake, to determine if it is structurally sound. If so, I-10 traffic will be routed there, said McLeary

Many roads and highways south and north of New Orleans are either flooded and impassable or have been closed by state police to keep people from entering damaged areas until emergency workers can rescue stranded residents and other crews can make damage assessments.

Blanco said 700 people had been rescued so far, but she said it was still too early to count the casualties.

"We have no counts whatsoever," she said, "but we know many lives have been lost."

State Sen. Ann Duplessis, who owns a home in eastern New Orleans, said she had reports from neighbors in the gated Eastover subdivision of bodies floating in the floodwaters.

Blanco urged the tens of thousands of residents who fled the storm to not attempt return.

Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said those evacuees will likely need shelter for some time.

"There will be neighborhoods where people just can't get back into their homes for weeks, if not months," Brown said.

 

[WoodysGirl]

AP Photo Gallery

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/galleries/305-1.html?SITE=TXHOU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina cover a portion of New Orleans, Louisiana Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, a day after Katrina passed through the city. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Looters are out in full force.

 

[WoodysGirl]

"We probably have 80 percent of our city under water; with some sections of our city the water is as deep as 20 feet. Both airports are underwater,'' Mayor Ray Nagin told a radio interviewer.

New Orleans, a city that usually throbs with the life of its carnivals and the sound of jazz and blues, was in a "state of devastation,'' Nagin said.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3331422#

 

[Crown Royal]

I may be leaving in the next week, heading south east to work for FEMA.

 

[trickblue]

I may be leaving in the next week, heading south east to work for FEMA.

One of the guys I work with left Sunday with a group of Baptist men from the area to help...

They need a lot of assistance at this point...

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

Sounds like it's a race against time right now. They have to get those big sandbags down before the city goes under even more.

I was listening to one of the conservative radio hacks this morning and he was saying that all those folks looting the grocery stores were scum and should be shot on site. What an idiot. He really has no idea what it's like to be a disaster zone like that. It's not like they can go to the corner store or a McDonalds anytime soon. Most of the people who stayed behind were either poor or tourists with no way out, so those aren't exactly the type of folks who could stock up on necessities. I read that even the police were looting some of the local pharmacies and telling residents to do what they had to do to survive.

If that storm had stayed category 5 and stayed a little more to the west, I think they would have seriously considered abandoning the city for good.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I may be leaving in the next week, heading south east to work for FEMA.

Good luck and a noble effort.

Make sure you get you shots up to date as I am sure tetnus may be an issue an even more vector born contagents (aka misquitos in this case) mayl be a problem due to all of that water.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Sounds like it's a race against time right now. They have to get those big sandbags down before the city goes under even more.

I was listening to one of the conservative radio hacks this morning and he was saying that all those folks looting the grocery stores were scum and should be shot on site. What an idiot. He really has no idea what it's like to be a disaster zone like that. It's not like they can go to the corner store or a McDonalds anytime soon. Most of the people who stayed behind were either poor or tourists with no way out, so those aren't exactly the type of folks who could stock up on necessities. I read that even the police were looting some of the local pharmacies and telling residents to do what they had to do to survive.

If that storm had stayed category 5 and stayed a little more to the west, I think they would have seriously considered abandoning the city for good.

I have only heard of looters in some small markets and such and mostly just bread, cola, water and essentials.

Now I am sure there are other areas they are hitting and that needs to stop.

But people with no food or potable liquids I just don't see that big a deal with it because some of that food will go bad and the stores will have insurance covering.

Now wrong is wrong I realize that but still with no food or liquids to drink those people are just trying to survive.

Then again I guess it could be argued they should have left when they were told.

 

[dougonthebench]

are there any money/food/water drives in other areas?C.C. Texas is having one all day long tomorrow 8/31.

 

[Dallas]

Sounds like it's a race against time right now. They have to get those big sandbags down before the city goes under even more.

I was listening to one of the conservative radio hacks this morning and he was saying that all those folks looting the grocery stores were scum and should be shot on site. What an idiot. He really has no idea what it's like to be a disaster zone like that. It's not like they can go to the corner store or a McDonalds anytime soon. Most of the people who stayed behind were either poor or tourists with no way out, so those aren't exactly the type of folks who could stock up on necessities. I read that even the police were looting some of the local pharmacies and telling residents to do what they had to do to survive.

If that storm had stayed category 5 and stayed a little more to the west, I think they would have seriously considered abandoning the city for good.

Im conservative. That make me a hack? He is talking about the looters in sporting good stores/electronic stores and Wal-Marts. You know the ones ignoring the bread and milk and eggs and going straight for the dvd players and xbox's.

 

[Crown Royal]

Good luck and a noble effort.

Make sure you get you shots up to date as I am sure tetnus may be an issue an even more vector born contagents (aka misquitos in this case) mayl be a problem due to all of that water.

I didn't even consider that. I'll make an appointment with my doc. Thanks!

 

[trickblue]

Sounds like it's a race against time right now. They have to get those big sandbags down before the city goes under even more.

I was listening to one of the conservative radio hacks this morning and he was saying that all those folks looting the grocery stores were scum and should be shot on site. What an idiot. He really has no idea what it's like to be a disaster zone like that. It's not like they can go to the corner store or a McDonalds anytime soon. Most of the people who stayed behind were either poor or tourists with no way out, so those aren't exactly the type of folks who could stock up on necessities. I read that even the police were looting some of the local pharmacies and telling residents to do what they had to do to survive.

If that storm had stayed category 5 and stayed a little more to the west, I think they would have seriously considered abandoning the city for good.

I can understand those that are hungry and have families to feed...

The report I heard said much of the looting is electronics stores, pharmacies (for drugs) and ATM machines...

I have no problem with those needing food/water, but the others are scum of the earth...

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

Im conservative. That make me a hack? He is talking about the looters in sporting good stores/electronic stores and Wal-Marts. You know the ones ignoring the bread and milk and eggs and going straight for the dvd players and xbox's.

Well.....

1) I totally understand the beef with folks walking out with jewelry or electronics. (if they still work) But this man specifically mentioned the pictures of people running out of grocery stores. That's why it shocked me that he brought it up. He just isn't in touch with the reality of the situation.

2) I bring up the 'conservative' tag because those are the only shock jocks who love to incite emotions (especially anger) about how all (insert broad group x) should be taken care of. Just like Rush Limbaugh used to cry about the drug users in this country and how they should all be rounded up and locked away for life, only to find out that he was one of the biggset users in his region. I don't remember this guy's name but he didn't have the popularity of a Sean Hannity or Rush but was using the same methods that brought all those others fellas from a local radio hack to million dollar book deals. Show me the last liberal on Clear Channel who did this and I'll remove the 'conservative' tag.

 

[Canada180]

terrible just terrible

And how ironic that I just told a friend a few weeks ago to check ot a tune called New Orleans is sinking"

I pray for them now

 

[AtlCB]

2) I bring up the 'conservative' tag because those are the only shock jocks who love to incite emotions (especially anger) about how all (insert broad group x) should be taken care of. Just like Rush Limbaugh used to cry about the drug users in this country and how they should all be rounded up and locked away for life, only to find out that he was one of the biggset users in his region. I don't remember this guy's name but he didn't have the popularity of a Sean Hannity or Rush but was using the same methods that brought all those others fellas from a local radio hack to million dollar book deals. Show me the last liberal on Clear Channel who did this and I'll remove the 'conservative' tag.

He's not on Clear Channel, but doesn't Michael Moore do the same thing???

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

www.politicalzone.org

If you want to talk politics please do so at that site and not on this one.

Thanks

 

[joseephuss]

www.politicalzone.org

If you want to talk politics please do so at that site and not on this one.

Thanks

I would, but no one will respond to my plea of not being able to activate my account. Just keep getting a message that my username doesn't exist. Of course it doesn't because I am trying to set up the account. I need a username to set up the account, but it won't recognize said username. Somebody let me off of this ride.