God I hope this story is overblown right now!!!

[LAL]

[Christiern]

Katrina scatters a grim diaspora

By Will Walden

BBC News, in Baton Rouge, La & Memphis, Tn

Many families who made it out have no place to stay

Returning south is no longer an option

The only certainty here now is uncertainty.
Across the south hundreds of thousands of Americans have been unceremoniously dumped: displaced by Katrina in rest stops and hotel lobbies; among strangers in shelters and in hospitals.

And for most there is no going back, for weeks, and more probably, months. They sleep where they can. The lucky ones, and they are indeed the lucky ones, have hotel rooms. Entire families crowd into one room with little information, power that comes and goes, and no air conditioning.

For some, who thought initially Katrina wasn't as bad as the authorities had predicted, fate has dealt them a cruel hand. Having checked out for the long journey home, they now find themselves back in hotel lobbies across the state pleading to have their rooms back. The rooms of course have been filled with others seeking refuge.

Doubles
In one hotel, the only TV that works is in the bar, so the barman is doing a roaring trade in doubles, and strong doubles at that. Little money appears to be changing hands.

People can't watch the big American TV networks as there is no cable, and no one to repair it.
So instead, they watch the local news stations - stations offering just a snapshot of the worsening picture in Biloxi, Gulfport and in particular New Orleans. And that's where the doubles come in.

Most people in Baton Rouge are from the suburbs around the Big Easy, and every now and again they'll let out an audible sigh as they recognize their own community and presumably their own house, submerged at best, but in many cases, simply not there anymore.

At this point most reach for the cellphone in the hope that those who stayed are safe. But there is no dialing tone, just a recorded message that says "Sorry - all circuits are busy - please try again later". It is the new norm. These people have nowhere to go.

Airport focus
At Baton Rouge airport they have been sleeping on the floor. Tourists, victims, people who are simply stuck. They are smiling, but the smiles are tired, worn and very, very battered.
In the case of those who have lost homes, and there are many, it is a case of waiting for flights that will take them to relatives across the United States. All this takes place within earshot of the constant clatter of rotor blades. The men and women of the Louisiana Air National Guard are busy loading food, water and medical supplies onto Blackhawk helicopters.

There are many helicopters, landing and leaving like a bizarre scene from Vietnam portrayed by the Hollywood studios. Only this scene is real. At the airport there is cable TV. So no-one talks, they just sit and watch. Not since the aftermath of 9/11 does it seem America's airports have been so quiet or so focused on one thing.

No road south
And in Memphis, Tennessee, they are 400 miles north but they have much in common with that other famous American city of music, New Orleans. This is not least because Memphis, functioning normally with power food and running water, is now home to many from New Orleans.

Today, less than 36 hours after initial relief turned to horror, they are packing their cars again and heading off. Normally they would be heading south - back home to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. On Wednesday I watched one young couple packing their smart VW Golf. They had two suitcases and a couple of backpacks and could have been starting a road trip or a holiday.

They are not, of course. They are headed to Florida and the safety of mum and dad. What they have with them is all they have left.

Typically they are smiling, but the smiles are tired, worn and very, very battered.

[scottb]

I'm supposed to fly out of New Orleans on vacation in October. That's probably not going to happen. I think the airport would be OK by then but I doubt commercial airlines will move back in if there is not a city to serve.

[Brad]

After seeing what has happened to people there, I realize that for all the complaining about this or that minor inconvenience that I am a tremendously lucky person. What we take for granted can be easily taken away in two seconds.

[scottb]

Yeah, I was thining about cancelling the trip in light of the events even though certainly we could find an alternative route. It just doesn't seem right to take a vacation when so many people are in dire need.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Wynton? Hasn't there been enough suffering?

Mike

[Free For All]

Wynton? Hasn't there been enough suffering?

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I KNEW this was coming when I read that post.

What took you so long, Mike?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Had to walk because driving is prohibitively expensive.

[BERIGAN]

Perhaps if we were going to buy a few cds in the next week or so, that money should be given to the Red Cross instead.

[minew]

The only deepwater port in the United States served by six class one railroads. This gives port users direct and economical rail service to or from anywhere in the country. Also, is one of America’s leading general cargo ports, including the USA’s top market share for import steel, natural rubber, plywood and coffee.

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This is a reason to potentially reconstruct the commercial areas of New Orleans, but not to put 500,000 residents there.

Guy

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Not sure how to respond to that. Couldn't you make the same case about parts of (your beloved) California? Or, it's a good thing you weren't running things in San Fransisco in 1906. Are you proposing a city of longshoremen only?

Honestly, I can't say for sure whether I'll go back and rebuild my home. I still haven't assimilated everything that's happened. I would like the option though. Subsidized or not, that's what my insurance contract affords. Unfortunately, I don't think the contents coverage will be enough to replace the CDs.

[Soulstation1]

i just don't see how they will be able to remove all that water

[ejp626]

New Orleans was one of the few US cities I hadn't visited (of the ones I want to see). Despite the fact the French Quarter wasn't damaged that much, the city may never recover. I guess there are risks in building anywhere, but it really is an open question whether one should rebuild on heavily contaminated land in an area below sea level in a location that is probably going to be hit more frequently by tropical storms (as a consequence of global warming). I really feel for them, and as bad as it is, the loss of life could have been much higher if more people hadn't evacuated.

In any case, I want to second Berigan (a first for everything, eh?) that this is a good time to make a donation to the Red Cross, but that you should check and see if you work for an employer who will match funds first. I was able to do that for tsunami relief.

[Randy Twizzle]

"None of this has been planned," he said. "Not a single elected official has come down here in days to talk to us and tell us anything, not the mayor, not the police chief, nobody. On Sunday the colonel said his main objective was to protect and serve, and that has been a mockery. No one has materialized to do anything. I'm a social worker, and I can tell you, no one thinks about the human aspects."

"This is mass chaos," said Sgt. Jason Defess, 27, a National Guard military policeman who had been stationed on a ramp outside the Superdome since Monday. "To tell you the truth, I'd rather be in Iraq," where he was deployed for 14 months, until January. "You got your constant danger, but I had something to protect myself. [And] three meals a day. Communications. A plan. Here, they had no plan."

For a harrowing look inside the Superdome check out

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5083102801.html

[ghost of miles]

Perhaps if we were going to buy a few cds in the next week or so, that money should be given to the Red Cross instead.

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My thoughts exactly as I read the news this morning. I'm very grateful for what I have, which came out of circumstances (good parents & living in a generally well-off country) and my own work... I can put off buying that nth Mosaic box and help out folks in need first.

Some more ways to help. This came via People for the American Way & John Kerry's mailing list, but I do not believe the message contains any partisan or political references:

We ask that you join us in contributing to the American Red Cross's efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by visiting http://www.redcross.org/ or calling (800) HELP-NOW.

Dear David,

This is a time for all Americans to pull together and do everything we can to assist people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

If you haven't acted already, I urge you to join in delivering immediate help to the people who need it most. One way to do that is to support the relief and recovery efforts of the Red Cross with a personal donation.

Donate to the Red Cross

As we hold those who are going through so much pain and suffering in our prayers, I know you'll do everything you can to reach out and help.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. There are a host of other volunteer relief agencies doing essential life-saving work in this emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is coordinating the federal government's response efforts, has posted a list of recommended groups on its website.

[Joe G]

I made a donation to the Red Cross last night. I'll make another in the near future. Things are going to get worse (indeed they already are) before they get better.

[scottb]

I've been trying to get in touch with a friend who lived in Slidell and surely has lost everything. I would probably give him the money directly if not I think the Red Cross is the way to go. Unfortunately there will be scam relief efforts.

[ghost of miles]

More on how to help.

[Soulstation1]

looters stealing plasma tvs is freakin' crazy

[Soul Stream]

I wish we could get over the "looting" issue. Who gives a damn. Let people take what they want. People need help...food, water, shelter, medical attention. And here we are diverting manpower to f-ing looting. I saw Scott McClellon speaking for the White House and I've never seen such a clueless response. The only thing he spoke with any authority was "We have zero tolerance for looting. Even for food and water for survival, it won't be tolerated. There's places to go to get food and water."

[7/4]

I saw Scott McClellon speaking for the White House and I've never seen such a clueless response.

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He's topped himself?

[JSngry]

Yeah, going for the TVs and shit is totally fucked, but I'm not so sure that if I was in a similar situation and needed some clothes and food and other survival shit for my family and saw no ready relief in sight that I'd not pursue the self-help route myself.

[Free For All]

IMHO there's a big difference between taking things you and your family need to survive and what seems to be just plain avarice.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

And hopefully for every example of that avarice, there is an opposite - like the clips I saw on TV last night of a family of about 6 or so stranded in a car on empty, with a flat tire, being given food, gas, etc. with no payment accepted.

Mike

[Christiern]

There are also numerous New Orleans artists who are unaccounted for, including Irma Thomas and Fats Domino. Allen Toussaint ("Lady Marmalade,: etc.) is reported as being in the Super Dome crowd, the Neville's are safe in Memphis, but their houses are gone.

Anyone know of other victims whose names we are familiar with?

I just noticed that this has been mentioned on another thread--sorry for the redundancy, but it won't hurt to keep it here, I guess.

Edited September 1, 2005 by Christiern

[JSngry]

IMHO there's a big difference between taking things you and your family need to survive and what seems to be just plain avarice.

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Well, yeah. Exactly.

I've always been struck by the irony (and not just in this case) of preaching "self-rrelaince", "self-sufficiency", and such to people, and then when their backs are hard against the wall and the actually do exactly that, there's frequently no consideration given to things such as "mitigating circumstances". That ain't right either.