Predictions: What's gonna happen when Rita hits

[QuettaKid]

all of those hiway/parking lots!?!?? They talk about avoiding mistakes made with Katrina, but it sure looks like it's one giant clusterf*ck down there about now. Check out the Rita blog. They have opened some of the lanes going the other way, but, as predicted even those are clogging.

http://blogs.chron.com/rita/

[kentuck]

1. The unpredictable.

:shrug:

[ewagner]

2. Not much

I don't think Rita is going to be as destructive as Katrina....will be big cat 2 or small cat 3.....imho

[mshasta]

4. is going to be hitting Louisiana...

and it looks like is reducing in power...it will be catastrophe because of the traffic getting out and the gas...

[wildhorses]

3. sorta like

sh*t hitting the proverbial fan :shrug:

[redacted]

5. It'll be a mess for the locals and our gas prices will go up.

If there is alot of damage construction materials will skyrocket even higher.

Bush will give sime lucrative contracts to Halliburton.

Regardless, everyone will be relieved when it's over.

[benburch]

6. Well... here is what is most likely to happen.

Rita, now a Cat-4, will intensify to a strong Cat-4 but as soon as the outer bands make landfall will drop to a strong Cat-3. Simulations say that the storm surge will still be nearly Cat-5 strength, which effect will be amplified in bays and estuaries. I expect some destruction of port facilities and oil and chemical plants that are located near port facilities. I expect destruction up river channels and the possible loss of key bridges. If it strikes a major metro area, such as the Houston/Galveston area, many homes will be destroyed as they are not built to a code that allows for hurricanes. Much of the electrical infrastructure is above-ground, and much of it will be compromized. High-rise buildings will lose most glazing. Downpours will cause flash-floods in areas where flooding is rare. Given that the evacuation is being taken more seriously this time, I expect around 1000 dead only, IF it hits the Houston-Galveston area.

[Frances]

7. And the Repubs want to get rid of Amtrak

We need more mass transportation for emergencies, not less.

Mass transportation is much more efficient and not nearly as polluting as all those cars whose emissions are going to make us have more hurricanes, not fewer.

[theHandpuppet]

9. Amen to that!!!

All of us have paid dearly for the deliberate dismantling of the nation's rail infrastructure. The automakers and oil companies wanted to make Americans completely dependent on the automobile and our whole society has been reshaped to suit their greed.

We need a complete revitalization of the nation's rail system and I dearly hope our party will include this as part of their platform. Such a goal would create millions of new, well-paying jobs for people across this nation, benefit the environment and free America from being held hostage by Big Oil.

[Igel]

8. Yes. People are running scared.

My apartment building of 8 families has 2 in it. We're far from a 500-year flood area. We're nowhere near a bayou, or the coast. We're not exposed on a hilltop. We're nowhere near an area that's likely to be flooded. It's a new building, up to code, all with safe rooms.

And yet, they left. 6 vehicles with no need to be on the road, other than unreasoned fear, unless we count "we don't want to miss a shower, hot meal, or our favorite tv show" as a 'need'. This creates unnecessary drama when, to be honest, there's already quite enough.

Meanwhile, the people with needs, i.e. those in flood-prone areas and coastal regions likely to be hit by the storm surge, are stuck in traffic with those merely with wants.