'The whole damn city is under water'

[steve2470]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1558868,00.html


Thousands of New Orleans families ordered to flee devastating storm struggle back to find 10ft deep deluge

Jamie Wilson in New Orleans
Tuesday August 30, 2005
The Guardian


Families driven from New Orleans by the impending storm struggled to get back to their houses yesterday, only to find their way blocked by floodwaters covering much of the city's surrounding suburbs.

"It looks to me like the whole damn city is under water," one rescue worker told the Guardian, standing by a flooded freeway close to the city limits.

"That should be flowing the other way," said another, pointing to the 17th Street canal. New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin said there had been reports of more than 20 buildings collapsing in the city, while offshore at least two oil rigs were adrift in the Gulf of Mexico. The weather knocked out power to about 1.3 million people in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, and analysts estimated the damage could top $26bn (£14.4bn).

Residents were asked to stay away from New Orleans and the state governor Kathleen Blanco said she had ordered police to block re-entry routes to all but emergency workers

<snip>

[Poiuyt]

1. Are there snakes swimming around the homes now?

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. I'll take the snakes

It's all the bacteria, pollution, mud and crap in the water that's even scarier.