The Latest

LSU cancels classes until Sept. 6, emergency medical operations set up on campus.

As the above article explains, no more school for me or my fellow LSU students through next Tuesday. The reason is that the university is being used as a MAJOR relief center in the region. Basicallly, there are so many homeless people in New Orleans with nowhere to go, they're having to go as far away as Baton Rouge to have a place to stay. As well, apparently, Baton Rouge hospitals are unable to function with the number of patients coming in, so LSU facilities are being used as makeshift medical centers. The Pete Maravich Center is being used as a hospital and even a temporary morgue. They are accepting student volunteer help, so I might volunteer for a mid-night shift this week. Anyway, this explains why I've seen FEMA people around campus. We're housing FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) reps around campus.

I was able to obtain more information about particular aspects of the devastation in New Orleans, as well as Slidell, my hometown. At 11 p.m. last night, Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans listed the following items, per a meeting he had with FEMA, who made a preliminary inspection of the city and surrrouding areas:

• 80% of New Orleans underwater (with accompanying video footage that frightfully attests to this statistic)
• 20 feet of water in some places
• Both airports "underwater"
• The twinspans "GONE" (twin bridges across Lake Pontchartrain)
• There is an oil tanker leaking
• 17th Street Canal levee break
• Houses picked up off foundations and moved
• A barge hit the High Rise bridge, making the structure "unsound"
• "All of Slidell underwater, as well as Metairie" (a bit of exaggeration, but about half of Slidell is indeed submerged)
• Uptown/CBD/Fr. Quarter pretty dry
• Residents, do not come back!
• Contaminated city water
• No electricity "for a 4-6 week minimum"
• Time to start the process of rebuilding the city
• Bodies floating in the water
• "Significant loss of life in the city"
• 40,000 homes flooded in St. Bernard Parish alone
• Everything north of I-10 underwater
• 20,000 people in the Superdome, all restless. Allowed only once to get out for some "fresh air"
• Not sure about the Causeway
• "The whole length of the Twinspans GONE"
• FEMA guy said this is the worst he has ever seen
• A lot of looting. No one to stop them because the law officials are busy rescuing people
• Boats being commandeered to rescue people on rooftops, etc.

A Monday 9:45 p.m. news article related the following:

• Chief Mike Ross says information from the Northshore has been sparse because there is no communication available from that side of the lake
• No residents being allowed back into St. Tammany till further notice
• "St. Tammany parish officials asked those reading about the situation on the Internet to warn relatives not to return at this time" ...no certain time has been set for them to return.
• Massive storm surge in Slidell
• Lake Pontchartrain overflowed its banks and has chest deep water from Lake to Old Spanish Trail exit

The following is more "unconfirmed" and "hearsay" that I got from NOLA forums regarding Slidell:

• Eden Isles at least 10 feet underwater
• Northshore Square Mall under 8 feet of water
• New Chinese restaurant completely covered
• Many homes without roofs
• Bowling USA wall collapsed
• Mall "like a lake"
• Many trees covering I-12
• Not much of Gause Blvd. covered
• Race Trac destroyed
• Trees smashed in cars

WBRZ News video I watched stated this about Slidell:

• Military Road "underwater"
• Wall of water, the storm surge, eyewitnesses said 6 feet of water came in like a wave. No water to 6 feet of water in under 2 minutes.
• People who stayed in Slidell are trying to get out the city

If I get any other breaking information, I will post it. The point is that in some ways it's looking like the damage is a bit more extensive that I thought, especially with the bridges being washed out.

I want to thank everyone for the concerned comments on my blog, as well as phone calls and text messages of support. You are much appreciated, as are your prayers.