Hurricane Katrina

[Dave]

I just wanted to say how shocked I have been to hear and see what's been happening on the US Gulf Coast during and after Hurricane Katrina. I can't drag myself away from watching the continuous coverage on CNN International and Fox News... it's simply awful, almost unbelieveable and I hope that soon, the police, relief workers and military will be able to get to grips with it.

My sympathy and thoughts are with the people of the affected Gulf States and all America... and everyone I know feels the same way.

Dave

[kcuteus1]

Dave yes it is awful. I feel for tham as I Iive somewhere that gets hurcaines. And I feel that the bad part of hurcanines is the flooding. And it does not help if a place is below sea leveal.

And I also hope that the police, relief workers and military are able to get a handle on things and I hope they can get though poor people out of the superdone soon. It has to be hot in there and thing are not the greatest.

my prayers go out the the people of that area.

[Oksana]

My heart and prayers go out to the affected people.

I can't begin to imagine how they feel. Their families, their homes, even the ground on which they once stood is all gone. It hurts me to see them suffering just to survive. Everything that was safe is dangerous now. I am proud of the volunteers who have devoted their efforts and courage to saving these lives. I hope the water will be under control soon and that the spirit of the people in the affected areas will be strong enough to help them rebuild.

Also, it angers me when I go to Google news and see headlines about petty Hollywood scandals and drive-by shootings -- things that can be prevented and resolved -- when there are people fighting and dying from the forces of nature, which can’t be controlled.

[Joe]

Hi all,

It is indeed a modern day tragedy. The hurricane hit at the most flood-vulnerable city in the USA.

When Hurricane Katrina's remnants cut a path through Pennsylvania, it caused severe storms and even some tornadoes.

New Orleans and much of the gulf coast sits below sea level. Picture a food storage bowl. New Orleans sits in the middle of that bowl. Now the water surrounding the city is at the top edge of the bowl; held back by the lip where the bowl's lid would snap onto. That lip is (was) the levees. When the levees gave way, there was no stopping all that water.

There are over 20,000 people in the Superdome that must be evacuated. Thousands of buses are transporting them to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.

Due to the crippling of oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, gas/petrol prices has nearly tripled since last September. Some filling stations in my area set their prices at nearly $4 a gallon. At times they have run out of fuel. The cost of a litre of petrol has also been rising in the UK. Soon it may cost over a pound. I think both governments can lessen the taxes imposed on fuel.

Hopefully Mr Bush and the Congress will approve a much needed relief package straight away. More military is needed to stop the looting and stealing the supplies set aside for needy people .

[Richard]

Hello Hayley fans in the USA.

I would also like to send my sincere sympathy to everybody who has been affected by the hurricane. Nature has done her worst again, and I hope the authorities can get hold of the situation so life can get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Best Wishes from London,

Richard

[roger]

I have also been watching with shock and dismay the terrible images from the Gulf States of America and would like to add my deepest sympathy to all those affected by the forces of nature. Dreadful though those images are, I am sure they cannot adequately convey the carnage and destruction that must currently prevail.

To the good people of America, my thoughts are with you all.

Roger

[HWI]

I have to echo all of the sentiments expressed here. For all man is capable of, and for all the power he is able to unleash, it stands as nothing when the terrible power of nature is unleashed.

All our American friends, known and unknown, are, I am sure, in our hearts and minds.

But, America IS great and will come back from this.

Keith.

[emmettb]

My deepest sympathies go out to all the people who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.

I've been saddened by the images I've seen on tv the last few days, and was amazed by how slow the resue efforts have been. George Bush finally fly down today, so hopefully this might spark some reactions, like getting more aid and troops in.

I hope they evacuate the flooded regions asap and start the task of rebuilding, I have no doubt that they can recover from this disaster.


Emmett

[Natasha]

I can't believe all that's happened with the storm and devastation and everything. I mean, I've heard about things like this happening but they were in far away countries. Its really shocking to see something of these proportions here in the US.

I've been praying that God protects his people this time. This is just so, so horrible. There wasn't anyone from HWI who was affected by this was there? I certainly hope not!!

May God be will everyone and help them to get through this...

Natasha

[roger]

Hi Natasha,

I have been wondering the same thing but I don't think we have anyone in that immediate area so far as I know.

Best wishes to all members wherever you are.

Roger

[1littlegirl]

My prayers go out to all that suffered losses during this time.

I know some people that have relatives in that area, but thankfully they are all safe.

[Natasha]

I'm glad to hear your friends are safe Cathleen!!

Natasha

[fusilier23]

My Italo-Irish temper, already pretty hot, boiled over when I read about the finger-pointing and president-bashing and accusations of racism that have filled the air while the victims are still dropping dead. The worst is this idiot rapper saying the President doesn't care at all about black people. Hmmm, if that's the case I'm sure the President would be glad to pull EVERY SINGLE Federal person and dollar out of this area and let what's left of this city rip itself apart.

It's easy, TOO EASY, to blame the President, and mock his visit to the area Friday, saying it was either not fast enough, or insincere, or any number of other things. If he'd visited sooner there would still be accusations, those who hate the President will always take a disaster and turn it into an opportunity to go after him, but if it were a guy from the other party in power you wouldn't hear boo, I guarantee it.

Suddenly this is all the Federal government's fault, when the mayor of New Orleans has, as opposed to Giuliani in the wake of 9/11, provided a textbook example of how NOT to handle a disaster. In fact the mayor of New Orleans has provided such non-leadership that 60% of the NOPD, already a notoriously corrupt force, simply walked away and did nothing. The New Orleans Fire Department, to their credit, like their brothers in red in New York, even without political leadership or orders from the top, assembled under their field officers and moved out into a chosen sector to do their job as best they could. Honors also to the Coast Guard, who plucked nearly 10,000 (!) people from the fetid water and flooded areas in NO and 1,700 in MS and ferried them to safety. A nod is defintely also due the National Guard and the Louisiana State Police, who stepped up to the plate to clear away the vermin who took this opportunity NOT to help their neighbors but to steal what they could and brutalize any woman they came across. What the DEVIL is wrong with these people? In all fairness, perhaps the army should have been in there sooner, to stop what became the ugly side of humanity real fast. Even so, what the heck are you going to do with a TV you steal in this situation?

I must also ask, what part of "mandatory evacuation" don't some of these people understand? When they say get out, you have to get out. If you fail to heed these orders, then it's on you. That's the problem with the other side politically, fail and then blame someone else.

If we're going to ask questions, why were the levees only designed to deal with a category 3 hurricane, not a category 5? Why, after 2 centuries, was a bowl-shaped city still surrounded by water on 3 sides? Why did the local authorities sign off on building junky housing in areas that they had to know would be hardest hit in this kind of disaster? Don't tell me the local authorities don't bear the brunt of the responisbility for this, and don't tell me the Federals are the criminals in this situation. Let it also be noted that the leadership in New Orleans is black and Democratic. Finger pointing and shrill accusations are just going to make wallets snap shut, no one wants to hear it in the wake of this, and widen the divide between the races in this nation. After we clean up and get everyone to safety we can start recriminating, but I swear, anyone who points fingers and says anyone was too slow, or racist, or any of that other garbage right now should be slugged. KAPOW!

Still, all anger aside, anyone for a relief concert? I'm sure the singer who is the subject of this site wouldn't say no unless she were really overcommitted. And a dose of Hayley singing "Louisiana 1927," and "You'll Never Walk Alone" would at least raise morale.

[HWI]

Unfortunately, there are elements of Steven's post I must agree with. perhaps also looking at slightly different aspects.

Hurricanes hit this seaboard just about every year. What are the levees for? Simple, the area is below sea level. Combine those two factors and there is ultimately going to be a disaster. It's so obvious, only a fool would not see it. There is nothing on this earth would induce me to live in an area with such a high potential for disaster. Even if I had to live in a cave.

One thing I have noticed is that people in the area have, obviously, experienced something that would only be a facet of our worst nightmares - theya re living it. But, they are also mostly sitting there crying about they need help to get them out of there - and blaming everyone else for the mess they are in. Take the tsunami from last December. What did we see then, people in a similar situation but, what did they do? Those who were physically able, as soon as the water receded, got stuck in, clearing debris, building defences, and making efforts to provide for themselves as best they could until help came. Then, they went in search of people to help.

That tsunami hit with no warning. This hurricane hit some considerable time after the evacuation order came out. Those without transport just seemed to be standing around waiting for someone else to solve their problems for them. I would have set out walking directly away from the coast and towards high ground immediately I heard the order. Two days and they would have been 50 miles away.

And, as for the mayor of NO. Why did he not mobilise all the buses, including school buses, the moment that evacuation order came through? We have seen film on our news of compounds full of them, all totally useless. How many people could they have got out on them?

Yes, there are many questions to be asked, and some hard answers to be given. But, now is the time to get those out who need help, and make sure they have all they need. The inquests can take place later.

Keith.

[kcuteus1]

I think if there were busses most of the poor people could of got out and most of the city is below sea leavel .