To those in Katrina's path...GET OUT! (Cat. 5 HURRICANE!!!!)

[David]

Originally Posted by sara1998

I have no doubt. I hope there's a plan in place to get those people out of the dome. Otherwise, it will become one mass tomb.

How do you know for sure?

How many feet above mean sea level is this stadium? Meteorologists think it's possible the hurricane winds may weaken somewhat before landfall, & every little bit will help in terms of the stadium's structural integrity. I think the main danger is the storm tide -- to the whole area, really. The higher you are, the safer you'll be from being swamped in debris-choked ocean water.

[sara1998]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I posted an article earlier in the thread that talked about the National Guard's high water vehicles being in Iraq. What the hell are they doing there?

First off, here comes my ignorance. Isn't Iraq landlocked?? And second off, hats off to shrub for taking our resources and troops and ****ing sending them off. Not that it would have completely mattered in this situation, but every little bit helps.

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

Yes. Me too. My boyfriend said it was amazing down there. So many great antique shops and amazing historical homes.

Yes, a million times. It's like no other place.

There has been talk for years about building a wall around the city (particularly the French Quarter) to preserve it in case something like this were to happen. That would have been a great idea, I'm thinking! I wish they'd actually done it. Of course, there were issues with that, like, where to draw the line. Would it cover the French Quarter only and not include the "slums" outside the city that are populated mainly by blacks? That is what some people wanted, from what I understand, and that is unavoidably racist, I think. Even if they could go in and out, it would be at the very least a symbolic kind of segregation. But I guess that's all a moot point now. My brother seems convinced that the city can withstand this, that when the water's gone most of what makes it New Orleans will still be intact. I just don't believe him. I don't see how I could.

[sara1998]

Originally Posted by David

How do you know for sure?

How many feet above mean sea level is this stadium? Meteorologists think it's possible the hurricane winds may weaken somewhat before landfall, & every little bit will help in terms of the stadium's structural integrity. I think the main danger is the storm tide -- to the whole area, really. The higher you are, the safer you'll be from being swamped in debris-choked ocean water.

Well, if it's built on the ground, then it's going to flood...... If it floods, you're stuck until the water receeds. If there's not enough food and any clean water, you're going to die.

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by sara1998

First off, here comes my ignorance. Isn't Iraq landlocked?? And second off, hats off to shrub for taking our resources and troops and ****ing sending them off. Not that it would have completely mattered in this situation, but every little bit helps.

You're not ignorant--it is landlocked, and surrounded by five other countries, I believe. So, I don't know why those high water vehicles are there, really.

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by David

How many feet above mean sea level is this stadium?

The stadium itself is below sea level. (Well, I guess that's obvious). I think it's six feet below sea level. But as for the highest levels, I'm not sure. I guess that was your actual question and I wasn't able to answer it.

[sara1998]

Originally Posted by David

How many feet above mean sea level is this stadium?

Originally Posted by sara1998

Well, if it's built on the ground, then it's going to flood...... If it floods, you're stuck until the water receeds. If there's not enough food and any clean water, you're going to die.

Sorry, David, I didn't mean to sound like a sarcastic smartass when I answered that. I don't know how high up it goes, but if the floor of it is flooded, I don't see any way out for those people.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by sara1998

Sorry, David, I didn't mean to sound like a sarcastic smartass when I answered that. I don't know how high up it goes, but if the floor of it is flooded, I don't see any way out for those people.

From what i just heard on the news, they said they do expect that people will end up going up into the bleachers, as the floor will be flooded. and of course there will be no light and no A/C....The plan is for folks to remain in the dome until Tuesday, after which they said 'the federal govt' will remove them. what the heck does that mean? how will they remove 10,000 people? where will they put them? can you imagine people w babies/children in that situation? I really feel for them, what an absolute nightmare.

-Lis

[WelshWitchPMD]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

My parents lived through '38. My mother talked about the strom her whole life as the most terrifying storm she had ever lived through.

Same here! My Mom used to tell me all about it. All of the windows blew out of the house. They had no school for at least a week. Downtown Providence was totally flooded. There are a few buildings downtown that have a plaque to mark how high the water came up during the hurricane.
My Dad just told me basically the same thing. He said that luckily everyone in his family came home right before the storm got really bad. This was back in the day when there was no warning. He said that he remembers getting out of junior high school and the sky was blue but there were some very low and fast moving clouds coming in.
It did change a lot if the landscape in RI. They have since built a hurricane barrier so that the ocean does flood downtown anymore.

I really pray for everyone in the path of storm. I hope that everyone stays safe and that New Orleans gets by with minimal damage.

[WelshWitchPMD]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I only had to live through one hurricane and that was hurricane Belle in 1976, a category 1. We got more wind than anything else. I think the winds reached about 75 mph. It hit us in the middle of the night. I remember I slept in the bed with my mom that night and waking up to the sound of things flying past the window. I don't think she was sleeping at all though.

Yeah, I remember that one. I think that I slept though that storm, too.

[vermicious knid]

Goodbye French Quarter, it was nice knowing you

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by vermicious knid

Goodbye French Quarter, it was nice knowing you

Don't lose hope entirely. I know it doesn't look good but there's always hope that they can pick up the pieces.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by markolas

Isn't there a gasoline refinery in Mississippi that's in danger?

The coastal area off of Louisiana and neighboring states produces a significant percentage of the nation's oil supply. Those offshore platforms are evacuated and may not be able to resume production until a week from now or later depending on the damage - some could be destroyed.

To add to that, the Gulf states, particularly the area around New Orleans, refine something like 30 percent of the nation's oil supply and even more that enters the US through the ports of Orleans and Houston, which also will feel the effect of this storm. So, that is why the price of oil is jumping.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

I think being in that huge steel-reinforced concrete stadium (or whatever it is) is one of the safer places to be in the area, by far. I assume it's at least 25 feet above mean sea level?

The way to stack the odds in your favor in a powerful hurricane is to get as far as you can above sea level & the storm tide, & to get to reinforced shelter, & the stadium seems one of the best places to be if you're stuck in New Orleans.

It is the strongest building in New Orleans and was built with this intent, amongst others. People are being put in the bleachers as it is expected the field level will flood. With a little luck and God's grace, these people should be okay.

As for the food and water, there is little else the city and other authorities can do. But, in these situations, people share and bring more than required. Also, the city is working on providing some type of relief, though those efforts are a little difficult as the other citizens have most def. depleted most of the city's supplies of non-perishable items.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

There are also alot of homeless people there. They will never be able to get out in time and have no where to go.

The city has shelters - I hope the homeless find them. The police, however, usually see the homeless when they are conducting the street sweeps and guide them to a shelter. Many of them, however, are too crazy/insane to remain there and will leave on their own.