Hurriance Gustav (here we go again...)

[veeten]

Looks like Hurricane Gustav has reached near Level 4 status... Great. :(

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26451955

at least they did a better job of evacuation than in '05. Hopefully, this will not be as bad as it was after Katrina.

[gloomyDAY]

I thought there was going to be a revolt in this country after Katrina.

At least there's an attempt to oust people out of New Orleans.
Does Bush still hate black people?

[Dave B]

Good to read that the Mayor of New Orleans has said (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7590426.stm) words to the effect that if you are too stubborn to evacuate then you'd better have an axe because you're on your own. It would be depressing to see rescuers putting their own lives at risk becuase of peoples' refusal to leave.

Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. :)

[schmenke]

Just curious, what exactly is the evacuation plan? All I see in the evening news is lines of cars clogging the interstates. Is everyone expected to jump in their car and go? What about those who don't own a car?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Just curious, what exactly is the evacuation plan? All I see in the evening news is lines of cars clogging the interstates. Is everyone expected to jump in their car and go? What about those who don't own a car?

James May left a Cadillac in New Orleans when Top Gear went there, they could use that.

[Drew]

I watched his speech. He had loads of people around him on the podium when he was talking, what were they doing there?! One lady was signing, but there were like 10 others just hanging around.

[Hondo]

The hurricane blew my bicycle over. I had to go out and put it back on it's sidestand.

[Hazell B]

The hurricane blew my bicycle over. I had to go out and put it back on it's sidestand.

Bless your attitude :up:

Glad it became far less serious, but I did very much enjoy the mayor's wording before the storm hit. I wish UK politicians would simply talk like humans and say things in the same style at times.

[veeten]

Things were handled a lot better this time than they did before Katrina made landfall.

Orderly evacuation of both New Orleans and the outlying areas with buses, provided by the state and local authorities, for those without personal transportation. Also made known that anyone staying would be responsible for any consequences that would befall them during the hurricane. There would be no 'safe havens' in the form of the Louisiana Superdome to overcrowd, as the Katrina incident showed to great extent.

Even now, with delaying residents return in order to do well-coordinated asessment and cleanup, is further proof that the lessons learned are taken to heart.

[Daniel]

Bless your attitude :up:

Glad it became far less serious, but I did very much enjoy the mayor's wording before the storm hit. I wish UK politicians would simply talk like humans and say things in the same style at times.

People need the **** kicked out of them before they'll listen. Those people only listened because many of them probably came close to dying when Katrina hit. I guarantee if the same thing happened here people would stay put because that's the sheer pig headedness that British people posess.

[rah]

It constantly amazes me when I see people staying put during a natural disaster. I was evacuated twice from my previous home because of bush fire. If a fire comes around this year near the new house (A definite possibility) I will down tools and go, as simple as that. It's all insured so why not.

That being said I am not sure there were many plans to get people out before Katrina hit.

[Hondo]

People need the **** kicked out of them before they'll listen. Those people only listened because many of them probably came close to dying when Katrina hit. I guarantee if the same thing happened here people would stay put because that's the sheer pig headedness that British people posess.

You don't have a clue to the reality of life on the gulf coast or the fact that long term mismanagement of federal funds by state and local officials responsible for the care and upkeep of the levee system led to the levee failures from Katrina. Nor do most people outside of Louisiana want to hear or believe that the Governor's office was the biggest hinderance to federal relief efforts afterwards. The mayor did his fair share of dropping the ball too.

The fact that you want to survive by mooching off the government in a city below sea level on a hurricane prone coastline really isn't rhe government's problem. They can go survive and mooch off the government at higher locations if they wish.

They didn't listen, it was a forced evacuation, Their choices were limited.