Katrina's Wake

As the storm approached land, mass evacuations had been enacted to protect as many as possible. On the Sunday morning before Katrina hit land, I had received a call from a close friend who lives about 100 miles north of where the eye of the storm hit in Mississippi. He was in the process of evacuating his family to Florida as he reported bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at an average of five miles per hour on one of the main interstates leading out of the state. As was he, many had watched this hurricane explode to a category 5 almost overnight and were trying to get out of its wake. The infrastructure is simply not able to adequately handle this kind of scenario.

I was up all night watching events unfold as I switched between news channels reporting the event take place. I watched reports from New Orleans, Biloxi and other site I can’t recall. They all showed the same views; massive amounts of rain, wind in excess of 100 miles per hour, people laying into the wind as if about to take flight, debris and various parts of structures being blown about. It was normal viewing for a hurricane, as points of reference to hurricane Camille were made Katrina was believed to be a weaker storm. Other than seeing reporters displaying these sites, not much else was learned. At 5 a.m. I went to bed believing, as many did, that this storm was very survivable.

Around ten that same morning I rose and tuned in to see more of the same along with some reports of coastal damage, but no real big deal. I went about my business and was most surprised when I tuned in to the news later that evening. The coast had been flattened by the wind and the storm surge. The pictures of so many flattened homes and people trying to dig out, or “dig in” looking for survivors.

Meanwhile, New Orleans, while having survived the storm in good shape, was being flooded due to levees having given way to the storm surge and massive amounts of rain. The mayor had called for an evacuation prior to landfall the day before, believing his city to be in the direct path of the storm, yet it seemed many had not, or could not take heed.

Katrina left the regions she hit in a crippled state, as communications were cut off, transportation was extremely limited, and injury and death rates still climbing. Many people fortunate enough to survive were found waiting on their roofs as rescuers searched in boat and helicopter. Those not flooded were left in the elements without adequate food and water supplies needed for survival. They couldn’t get out and it appeared people getting in to help were hampered severely in their efforts.

Those in New Orleans were gathering at the Super Dome for shelter and soon found themselves trapped in extremely hostile and unclean environment, as did those taking refuge on the interstate leading out of the flooded city. Once again, no food or water, no communications in or out (save television reports), and summer heat quickly placed many in a dire state of being.

New Orleans quickly became the focus of efforts and attention as the mayor plead for help and the governor appeared emotionally unsettled in press releases, offering little in the way of a solution or even a plan. The president declared the stricken states as disaster areas, even though the governor of Louisiana did not, and promised to tour the areas within a few days, as has been protocol for some time.

With hours turning into days, reports from Mississippi were limited with damage to structures and a lack of food and water occasionally being reported. New Orleans had taken the focus as we watched hungry, injured, and angry Americans crying out for help from anybody. The coast guard was plucking people from rooftops, with a few being shot at from the ground on a few occasions. Locals were seen walking through what had become sewage-contaminated floodwaters seeking higher ground. Looting was becoming rampant as we watched scenes of people getting away with expensive electronics and such. In other areas, the local police were trying to keep an order to the looting of grocery stores in an understanding of how grave the situation was. With a thankful attitude, reports were also coming in showing how well the French quarter had made out. Vacant streets were viewed with various sites being the focus while people across town were dying.

Masses of people had made their way to the Superdome for refuge and were now being held in place as a rescue point. We watched as small boats were taking people out. On the interstate overhead, we watched the sick and injured survivors in their extreme state with some losing their lives. Reports of hostility, rape, and murder were being reported. No electricity, clean water or food, and a lack of sanitation were taking its toll. All the while, we watched Geraldo and the good mayor of New orleans plea for help as they cursed the helpers throughout the revelation of the event.