NOLA--This is agonizing. Those poor people

[bamademo]

It's like watching a friend die. I just saw all those poor people trying to get in the Superdome and I just burst into tears. One women was carrying all her belongings in a large laundry basket.

[benburch]

1. There is not enough room for all in the Superdome.

And it may not be a completely safe place.

[Selatius]

2. I wouldn't stay in the Superdome if my life depended on it

I just don't think the roof of that structure is capable of standing up to that kind of fury.

[MnFats]

4. apparently, for thousands, it does....

Gawd bless 'em.

[misanthrope]

10. Why not?...

...It's extraordinarily engineered. It was actually created as one large piece and then lowered onto the walls. That means you don't have tiles or sections to worry about. It's solid and mighty aerodynamic. In fact, the whole structure is supposed to be good with winds of up to 200 mph.

[benburch]

15. Gust winds of 200 mph are just what we have.

Add the additional problem of tornados that will certainly be a part of this storm, and tornado driven debris, and I really, really hope that it will stand.

A tornado-driven telephone pole can punch through a yard of steel-reinforced concrete.

And in general, I would never want to be in a large free-span building being tested near its design limits.

[TahitiNut]

11. It could become the world's largest hot tub.

:shrug:

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Yes, like the countdown

to oblivion. These poor innocent souls abandoned by the powers that be--just pray that the authorities have planned for enough water and food for these refugees.

Edit: and pray, really pray, that the roof holds through the worst of it.

[HereSince1628]

5. The report on anticipated damage had me in tears.

I was reading it outloud got past "All homes with gable ends expected to be destoyed...and the line that said half of all _well_ built homes would be unlivable" and couldn't continue to read about rise apartments and office buildings swaying some to the point of collapse.

[BayouBengal07]

8. Where did you read that?

I need to see that- I hope my house is well built but who knows.

[milkyway]

14. Here's the link from the National Weather Service. Devastating.

http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KLIX/0508281550.wwus74.html

<snip>
MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
...
WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.
<snip>

[DanCa]

6. If they were enbryi;s Bush would be there

I really hate that man.

[splat@14]

7. Tragedy in the making. There are thousands stuck in traffic, thousands

more that have no means with which to leave although I think its too late now anyway. I was watching the same thing on CNN and wondered what they will do when the Dome is at capacity. They say they expect it to flood some 8 to 10 feet at the floor level. I fear for all of them and pray for the best.

[merbex]

9. Is it too late to send an empty train(S) into NO and get some of these

people out tonight?

Just get them away from the worst of Katrina,because it doesn't sound like there will be much to go back to

[julialnyc]

12. I really hope that this is panic and it won't be as bad

I was in Jamaica on my honeymoon this summer and got hit by Dennis and Emily. Up until right before the prognosis was very bad, but it really weakened before it came and it just skimmed us. Emily was supposed to be Category 5 at this time before the predicted hit.Watching cnn was horrible as they braced us for an awful hit.... the local Jamaicans who deal with this all the time told us that you can't know the reality of the hit until right before..... and it usually comes later than anticipated.


I guess I'm just praying for the best for these people...... it must be frightening (this one looks very scary from what I read......I haven't been able to watch the news as my husband has taken over the tv with friends

[Nikia]

13. This has upset me as well

Even though we and most people who we know are safe in the Midwest and we don't know anyone living in NO or surrounding area. I am very concerned and upset about this today.