Deluge Predicted (UPDATED)

It appears that Katrina was just toying with Florida. If reports are to be believed, time to build an Ark ‘round Nawlins way.

NEW ORLEANS — Monstrous Hurricane Katrina (search) barreled toward the Big Easy (search) on Sunday with 175-mph wind and a threat of a 28-foot storm surge, forcing a mandatory evacuation, a last-ditch Superdome shelter and prayers for those left to face the doomsday scenario this below-sea-level city has long dreaded.

"Have God on your side, definitely have God on your side," Nancy Noble said as she sat with her puppy and three friends in six lanes of one-way traffic on gridlocked Interstate 10.

Katrina intensified into a Category 5 (search) giant over the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico (search) on a path to come ashore early Monday in the heart of New Orleans. That would make it the city's first direct hit in 40 years and the most powerful storm ever to slam the city.

Experts predict that the levees which keep the water out of the city will be easily overwhelmed by Katrina and could…

…turn New Orleans into a 30-foot-deep toxic lake filled with chemicals and petroleum from refineries, and waste from ruined septic systems.

I saw New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco say, basically, “get out, if you want to live,” but there are always those who’d rather take their chances. According to a TV report, one man, who built his home thirty-five years ago, isn’t budging. Whatever.

Conversely, many very poor people in the city have nowhere to run, nor the means/ability to do so.

"We're not evacuating," said 57-year-old Julie Paul. "None of us have any place to go. We're counting on the Superdome. That's our lifesaver."

The Superdome, the 70,000-seat home of football's Saints and the New Year's Sugar Bowl, opened at daybreak Sunday, giving first priority to frail, elderly people on walkers, some with oxygen tanks. They were told to bring enough food, water and medicine to last up to five days.

The hurricane is set to hit N.O. early Monday morning.

UPDATE: Our Cotillion mistress, Beth of My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, is among those who must flee. Be safe and well, Beth!

UPDATE: Even Katrina is Bush's fault.

I just watched a bit of the press conference being held by the governor or Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans regarding the mandatory evacuation of New Orleans in the face of Katrina, now a Category 5 hurricane.

The levee system is endangered by the flood waters and winds that will accompany this storm when it hits landfall.

Historically, it is the National Guard, along with other emergency personnel, who attempt to provide emergency services to the community in disaster relief situations like Katrina.

And where are these National Guard right now?

Iraq.

If they are alive.

Yeah, sure. Every single member of the Louisiana National Guard is in Iraq right now. :::rolls eyes::: You can tell which writers know anything about the military and which don't. I would suggest that this writer do her homework but I'd wager that she doesn't care to know that when a National Guard deploys, an entire state isn't emptied of every single member.

Additionally, while the various NGs are certainly competent, how would their emergency service skills mitigate the effects of a Cat 5 hurricane?

But we can't let facts and the laws of physics ruin the B(D)S rhetoric.

(Thanks to Wizbang)

UPDATE: A different kind of Weather Underground: telling you which way the wind is blowing, indeed.

I put the odds of New Orleans getting its levees breached and the city submerged at about 70%. This scenario, which has been discussed extensively in literature I have read, could result in a death toll in the thousands, since many people will be unable or unwilling to get out of the city. I recommend that if you are trapped in New Orleans tomorrow, that you wear a life jacket and a helmet if you have them. High rise buildings may offer good refuge, but Katrina has the potential to knock down a high-rise building. A 25 foot storm surge and 30 - 40 foot high battering waves on top of that may be able to bring down a steel-reinforced high rise building.

UPDATE: Because of Katrina's affect on Gulf of Mexico oil production, oil is now $70 a barrel. Just great.

UPDATE: Steve H.--or whoever's posting for him--has even more dire predictions regarding the effects that this hurricane could have on the country's energy supply.

UPDATE: Here's some detailed info on 1969's Hurricane Camille, which was comparable in destructive force to Katrina's potential.

Comments

[w]

Juliette, Fox News also is reporting that a big chunk of our oil refining capability is also going to be wiped out by this, not to mention all of those destroyed platforms in the Gulf. We as a country are in deep, deep trouble. The economic damage from this will dwarf 911.

By the end of next week we may very well be feeling the final wrath of God is falling on this country. We may be about to experience 1929 all over again.

What will happen next?

[Glenmore]

I work in the oil business and live in the New Orleans area. Fled to Baton Rouge at 0200.
Expect major oil, gas & gasoline supply problems - we never got everything fixed from Ivan last year, and this one is a lot bigger and hitting a worse place.
I don't know how long I'll be gone, whether I'll have a house or job there later, but at least I'm out of Katrina's kill zone. I hope.

[Russell Tupper]

Let's just hope the estimates of 40-50,000 dead are just that...estimates.

A major American city destroyed, 50,000 or more dead and 25% of our energy reserves destroyed.

Basically, all the worst parts of the Bible.

[T-Steel]

True enough, Russell. My two aunts are here in Michigan (one staying with me). They live in New Orleans and have basically left everything knowing it would be destroyed. I hope not but it isn't looking good. At least I know they are safe.

[Tully]

AT least one wire story has mentioned that the NG is in charge of the Superdome shelter.

[baldilocks]

Tully: Yep. Saw video of NG personnel searching all possessions of evacuees entering the Superdome.

[Russell Tupper]

The Louisiana Army National Guard has about 11,000 soldiers

Nearly 4,000 Louisiana Army Guardsmen are currenty in Iraq.

That's 36% deployed to Iraq.

Those are the facts.

[baldilocks]

Thanks, Russell. That leaves more than enough for the task at hand plus any federal troops that might be sent. (President Nixon sent 1000 federal troops into Mississippi after the destruction produced by Hurricane Camille in 1969. See latest update for info on Camille, the one to which Katrina is being compared.)

[DEAN BERRY -- REAL WHACKJOB]

I AM AN IDIOT. THAT'S WHY OUR HUMBLE (HAH!) HOSTESS CHANGED MY ALL CAPS CRAZINESS TO WHAT YOU SEE HERE. MY IP ADDRESS IS 170.215.71.178.

I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR HUMBLE (HAH!) HOSTESS FOR NOT BANNING ME, HOWEVER AND I'D LIKE TO WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND MANY MORE.

SINCERELY,

DEAN BERRY -- REAL WHACKJOB

[wayne]

bean berry or dingle berry...we report, you decide!!

[Steve]

Hurricanes have no way of sneaking up on people anymore. Whereas here in the midwest tornados have been known to where those false eye-glasses-nose-mustache toys and hide around the corner of a building and jump people.

[Steve]

"wear those" not "where those".

OK? OK.

[-keith in mtn. view]

I thought the Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for the levees? Civil Engineers know that throughout the country many/most of our old levees are dangerously close to failure from lack of maintenance, including here in the Northern California Delta region. One big storm or earthquake and the Sacramento River is all over the map.

[Russell Tupper]

RE: My Earlier Comment on Troops in Louisiana Army National Guard

I found out today that the almost 4000 troops (from the 256th) in Iraq have something that they may need in NOLA.

All the "high-water" vehicles.

I don't know if we can Blame Bush on this (Believe me I'm trying)...but it IS kinda silly to take all the high-water vehicles from a state National Guard who's largest city is not only below sea-level, but basically a cereal bowl between two levys.

Especially since Flood Time for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is March and April - not August.

Being former US Army, however, this type of planning does not surprise me...at ALL.

[Joe Spenner]

Calmly take a skim through the links of this item from the internet: http://www.tldm.org
Click every link. WHAT'S REAL --- AFTER SEE SOME IT IN ACTION????

[baldilocks]

Joe Spenner: I have zero impetus to look at an unknown link coming from some individual who shouts incoherently.

Thanks all the same.