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Katrina Update
By Jeff Fecke | August 29, 2005
There will be but one story today, tomorrow, and possibly over the next year. Dr. Jeff Masters at Weather Underground says that the damage will be catastrophic, stating bluntly, “New Orleans will likely flood, causing immense destruction and heavy loss of life.” He puts the odds of levee failure at 70%Paul at Wizbang notes that those who have evacuated to the Superdome will have problems of their own. Also, he notes that it’s entirely possible that it could take ten months to drain out New Orleans–and that the best case scenario for draining it is ten weeks.
The Phog Blog notes bluntly, “In short, tomorrow could be one of the deadliest days in American History.”
Thankfully, people appear to have heeded the warnings and, for the most part, have gotten out of town. Barring a miraculous last-second turn, though, there will be near-apocolyptic damage throughout the Big Easy. The question is not whether New Orleans can escape devastation. The question is what the extent will be. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama tonight. Stay safe.
UPDATE: Oh, just in case you wanted more to worry about, the Gulf Coast produces 25% of our country’s domestic oil supply. So if you were wondering what $70 a barrel oil would look like, it doesn’t look like you’ll have to wonder for very long….
UPDATE II: CNN is reporting that three nursing home residents in New Orleans died during the evacuation–the first residents of New Orleans to perish, and God willing, the last.
UPDATE III: This is not the forecast you want for Monday:
WIDESPREAD RAIN. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S.
SOUTHWEST WINDS 70 TO 95 MPH DECREASING TO 40 TO 80 MPH IN THE
AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF RAIN 100 PERCENT.
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