Katrina's wrath continues: New Orleans under water

By David Cogswell

Aug 30, 2005

Katrina, by the nasty numbers (and more)

" According to an American Red Cross estimate, Hurricane Katrina has killed at least 55 people. So far, the confirmed dead include 11 in Florida from the first landfall Aug. 25; two storm-related traffic fatalities in Alabama; and three in Mississippi. As for Louisiana, Governor Kathleen Blanco said, We have no counts whatsoever, but we know many lives have been lost.

There are unconfirmed reports of up to 80 deaths in Harrison County -- which includes the devastated cities of Biloxi and Gulfport -- in Mississippi alone. According to a spokesman for the county, he expects the death toll there to be higher than anything weve ever seen before.

" Approximately 2.2 million people in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee remain without power and most likely will be without power for quite some time in most cases.

" U.S. Coast Guardcrews assisted in the rescue of about 1,200 people stranded in New Orleans Aug. 29 and thousands more were rescued Aug. 30, said a spokesperson from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Helicopters from air stations along the Gulf of Mexico; Cape Cod, Mass.; and Elizabeth City, N.C., also flew missions into areas in southern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Meanwhile, fixed-wing aircraft crews from stations in the Gulf of Mexico and Elizabeth City flew damage-assessment missions throughout the hurricane-ravaged area.

" This hurricane has caused catastrophic devastation across areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, said Michael Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Meanwhile, Bill Lokey, an official with FEMA, called Katrina the most significant natural disaster to hit the U.S.

" Insurers are estimating Katrina could become the most expensive storm in U.S. history, costing insurers up to $25 billion, surpassing Hurricane Andrew, which cost insurers $15.5 billion.

" The Federal Aviation Administration (www.faa.gov) said the airports in Gulfport-Biloxi and Bay St. Louis, Miss. and New Orleans (Louis Armstrong and Lakefront) are closed.

" Meanwhile, Katrina, now downgraded to a tropical depression, slogged on up through the Ohio Valley, where flood warnings, flash flood watches and tornado watches were in effect for portions of many states in her wake. The flood watches extended as far north as New England where heavy rainfall was predicted through Sept. 1.

NEW ORLEANS -- Hurricane Katrina swept the city of New Orleans back to the dark ages in one day in what is being called the worst natural disaster in the history of the U.S.

The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau reported on Aug. 30 that the city had no electrical power, few working telephones lines and no cell phone service because towers were either down or not functioning. Internet service that relied on local hosts also was down as a result of the local power failure.

Citizens of New Orleans had no access to the city. Officials estimated that power may be restored to some areas in as soon as one week, but other areas may be out of power for as much as three months.

Large parts of the city were reported to be completely underwater, including nearly all of Jefferson Parish between the Louis Armstrong Airport and the entrances to the city by the Interstate or Airline Highway. Water was reported to be unsafe to drink in much of the city without boiling.

Water was reported to be rising in the Uptown area and the French Quarter because of the damage to the levee, with danger of a great deal more water yet to come. Mayor Ray Nagin estimated that 80% of the city was underwater.

Though damaged by wind and lacking electrical power, the Louisiana Superdome -- home of the National Football Leagues New Orleans Saints -- was serving as a refuge for about 15,000 people.

A mandatory curfew in the evening hours has cleared the streets of people. Ferry service has been discontinued and bridges are closed.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco issued an order barring evacuated citizens from returning to the city and other parts of southeast Louisiana, including Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes.

Access to the restricted areas will probably be blocked for at least another week, officials said.

To contact reporter David Cogswell, send e-mail to [email protected].