Hundreds cling to roofs as Katrina hits New Orleans

[steve2470]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/30/wkat30.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/08/30/ixportaltop.html

By Francis Harris in Washington and Catherine Elsworth in Houston
(Filed: 30/08/2005)

Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans yesterday with 140mph winds, razing buildings and spewing millions of gallons of floodwater into its streets.

Emergency officials reported that hundreds of people had been forced on to the roofs of houses in the east of the city with emergency services unable to reach them because of the storm conditions.


Officials said the situation was bad, but could have been worse

One trapped resident, Chris Robinson, said over his mobile telephone: "I'm not doing too good right now. The water's rising pretty fast. Tell someone to come get me please. I want to live."

A woman was seen leaning from a third floor window with water lapping below. "We got three kids in here," she said. "Can you help us?"

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[iamjoy]

1. Here Is What I Don't Understand

I heard of people trapped by the floodwaters in bare feet, house coats & flip flops, etc. This wasn't stuff torn off by the floodwater, but according to reports, the waters rose so fast the people couldn't get to their shoes, etc.

Now, I guess I can kind of understand not evacuating a flood prone area when a monster storm is bearing down. No where to go, can't leave, won't leave pets, etc.

But why in the hell would you not be wearing your shoes and sturdy clothing?

[Cocoa]

2. maybe people that were isolated

hard as it might be to believe, I'm sure there were some people that didn't fully know what was coming.

[BikeWriter]

3. Some have no radio, no TV, and few visitors.

It happens to the elderly.