Sometimes I hate being right

The inundation of New Orleans didn't go precisely as predicted; for a day or so I thought that she had been spared, and I was relieved. The Crescent City weathered the hurricane strike rather well, sustaining wind damage and minimal flooding. But by Tuesday it was discovered that two vital levees had buckled and given way to the swollen waters of Lake Ponchartrain to the north. My heart sank as NOLA quickly filled up with water. Here we are, two days later, and the water levels have equalized between the lake and the city, and the flooding has abated for now. But New Orleans is now submerged, over 80% of it, many parts under 15-20' of water. As I described in my last post, there are industrial chemicals, petrochemicals, debris, spoiled food, sewage, and hundreds or more bodies floating around in this pool, referred to as "toxic gumbo" by officials.

Widespread looting, arson, and gangs have become a serious threat as officials race to evacuate the rest of the city, including hospitals and the superdome. An Army transport helicopter was fired upon early this morning, suspending evacuation operations. Civil order is evaporating, and there may not currently be enough police or military troops in town to restore it yet. With fresh water and food supplies depleting, little access to medical care, and practically the entire city flooded to the gutters, health officials fear widespread cholera and dysentery.

The entire city of New Orleans is devastated, and the only option left has become to evacuate every last person in order to drain the city and begin repairs to the ravaged infrastructure. It's heart-breaking to see, just as it is to see the destruction in Mississippi and Alabama. It is, as has been said in the last couple days, the worst natural disaster to strike the US in recent history... if not ever.