From "ABC World News Now" re: KATRINA

[Nikki Stone 1]

55 people dead in Biloxi

(Interview with man (Harvey Jackson) who lost hold of his wife's hand in the flood waters and can't find her now.)

Hitting Biloxi was a big surprise
By 7:00 am

Storm surges 28 ft.

Difficult to get access to parts hit because of winds and rain. Roads flooded. Couldn't get out until late in the afternoon.

In B. area, the devastation is enormous. Famous houses on Gulf Coast ripped from their foundationa.

Unofficial reports of 2-3 dead. Officials really worried about Gulfport. City entire inaccessible and under water.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Mobile, AL

Storm surges strong enough to cause oil rig to crash into bridge

Flooded parts of Pensacola and parts of Mobile.

Under a foot of water. Reporter up to his thighs in water.

Downed trees blocking roads.

11--27 foot walls of water hit Alabama coast in surges

Busloads of people from flooded out Orange Grove.

[Walt Starr]

2. But this was no big deal. Nowhere near the disaster we were promised

if you read some posters on DU.

Damn, some are saying this was worse than Camille.

[Nikki Stone 1]

4. If you watch cable, you believe that crap

The more I read on line, the more I am convinced that this is one of the very worst.

[Walt Starr]

5. Yup, and the devestation is nothing compared to what might have been

If Katrina had not lost strength and moved East, loss of life would have been in the thousands and NO would have been a total loss.

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. Absolutely. We can be thankful that it didn't hit as a 5 and in the city

But

[Walt Starr]

10. Oh yeah, I agree

I was just being disgusted at the many posts yesterday decrying "fearmongering" and playing down how devestating this storm was.

[Nikki Stone 1]

13. This was an awful, awful storm, and the damage remains to be seen

The damage from broken levees and floods over weeks (or months) will be worse than the storm itself.

[JHB]

9. Some people just aren't happy unless...

...they get to blame someone for either covering up or over-hyping something, no matter what. There's enough real cover-ups and over-hypes as it is! Why invent them for events that are pretty bluntly the real thing? :evilfrown:

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/photos/gallery.ssf?cgi-bin/view_gallery.cgi/nola/view_gallery.ata?g_id=3667

I blame Irwin Allen. All of those disaster movies of his left too many people secretly wishing for even bigger spectacles in real life :evilgrin:

[Nikki Stone 1]

12. Nature doesn't run on a cable news cycle

Irwin Allen, huh. :)

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. Gas could go up 15 cents a gallon

according to ABC World News NOW

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. Economic toll (from BBC reporter on ABC news)

Effects felt in Britain. Higher oil prices and higher insurance costs.

$12 bil. to $26 billion property damage (not including oil industry)

More expensive than Andrew. Most expensive disaster the world has ever seen.

Oil and gas--90% was shut down over weekend

There are floods in Europe, high death toll. Huge costs.

[Nikki Stone 1]

8. The cleanup

ABC flashes back to Andrew 1992. "like a bomb hit"

The cleanup from Katrina will be comparable.

[Nikki Stone 1]

11. Chicago family with $$$ gets chauffeur driven Suburban out of town

They had brought their son for Freshman orientation at Tulane

Family was stranded until they asked concierge for a chauffer. Gerry Schule chauffeur drove Chicago and South Dakota families homes. $3700 trip!

Why we get this story and not the countless ones about evacuees in shelters and those who COULDN't leave is beyond me.

[JI7]

14. was this the man with the son ?

i saw a clip on CNN which they played of an affiliate station reporter interviewing a man with a son. he was crying while telling the story. it was impossible to listen without tears to him, even the reporter talking to him couldn't hold back.

[Nikki Stone 1]

16. No, It was a family (mom, dad, son) and they looked happy

Probably a different bunch

[JI7]

19. i mean the man who lost his wife's hand in the flood and can't find her

now.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. I can't can't crying after hearing Mr. Jackson's story....

standing their with his little kids...his anguish, the looks on the kids' faces, the utter devastation. o-m-g. It's one of the saddest, most heartbreaking things I've ever seen. Each story told is worse than the one before it. Then I hear Jeanne Meserve's report again..... It's so, so sad and I can't stop weeping for them and the destruction. The tears won't stop.

[Nikki Stone 1]

17. I know. The man seemed completely broken down

Such a horrible thing to happen, She told him to take care of the children before she drifted away.

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. BROKEN LEVEE: Tulane hospital weighing options

They may have to evacuate. The flooding could cause their backup generators to go.

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. The reporter couldn't keep from crying. Imagine, not being buffered

by television and seeing that all firsthand. :(

[Nikki Stone 1]

21. Seeing something first hand is always a different experience

There are going to be a lot of very sad stories. I hope they get told.