Views of Katrina devastation.

I'm real impressed you know the death totals from this disaster.

You do realize the flooding in New Orleans happened in the middle of the night while people were sleeping. There have already been over a thousand people rescued from their roof tops. If there have been that many rescues there are probably still thousands of people still trapped inside their homes.

Just because this disaster didn't kill hundreds of thousands of people doesn't mean it's any less of a disaster. There are places they haven't even reached yet. The death total for *1* county in Mississippi is estimated to be 100. That's *1* county. There aren't any estimates from Louisiana yet, they've been too busy rescuing the living. It'll probably be weeks before the true scope of this disaster is even known.

I'm pretty sure that they must be without power; and that that is why we haven't heard yet. They may have no phone lines either (are they sometimes still above ground over there? - ours are around here). Our TV said it could be weeks before the power is back in some areas. We'll all be so relieved to hear from Polly and Kate. The last I heard Polly was not expecting to have to evacuate; but she is not all that far from Biloxi. I think she said 50 miles in one post? We'll just have to keep hanging on with positive thought beams and prayers! . In message , Sharon Harper writes

When Isabell hit VA (I only refer to VA, since that's all I really know about, other places were hit too), the power (+phones and everything else) was out. The cell phone _stations/masts_ were out too (lack of power). However, they got the cell phone stations working pretty quickly (mostly within 2 days), this was the first communication lines for general use at least to be back up and running.

Some areas did not have regular landline phones for 2 weeks.

And comparing Isabell in Yorktown, VA to the damage of Katrina seems just about ridiculous at this point...

Hanne in London

Patti wrote:

Well-said, Niasha.

Tragedy is Tragedy -- no matter where it stirkes.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

Have some compassion. Tell Harvey Jackson, whose wife still hasn't been found after being torn from his grasp by the storm, that his loss isn't that bad. The only reason the death toll isn't as high as the Boxing Day Tsunami is that we had some warning. When the levees broke in New Orleans and flooded 80% of the city, just think about the loss of life if the city hadn't been evacuated.

The scope of the property damage *is* comparable. Whole cities -- major cities -- were flattened. New Orleans is under water. Nobody knows if all the flooded neighborhoods can be reclaimed.

No, you can't compare disasters. But you're taking offense at the stunned comment of a grief-stricken mayor. Have a heart.

AMEN!

rusty in north georgia

It was the mayor of Biloxi who made the statement, "It's our own personal tsunami."

The news coming out from the south this morning is absolutely heart breaking.

I hope, Julia, that you will retract what you said, if not to the ng at least in your heart. It will be many years, if ever, before a lot of the affected areas recover from this tragedy.

Donna in Idaho

I thought it probably was. We know the owner of one of the casinos in Biloxi. He lives in Missouri where his major business is. I emailed him asking if he knew a reliable group to distribute quilts and how best we could get them there. If I hear back, I will post here.

Which statement in particular do you think needs retraction? (I'd like to take this to private email. My address is unmunged. Put "Katrina" in the subject line. But if you're more comfortable here, I'm glad to discuss here too.) I've read over my original statements and can see where I put the estimated number of deaths too low. I'll gladly retract my original estimate from 100 and up it to under a 1000. Other than that, I stand by what I said: that comparing the devastation from Katrina to that of the tsunami is insensitive. Perhaps others are reading something into what I wrote that I'm not seeing.

--Lia

Keep in mind that that is just Mississippi. Louisiana has not even begun to count its dead. Floating bodies are being pushed aside by rescue workers giving priority to trying to save the living while the waters still rise due to breached levees.

Lots of updates here:

They have not even begun to count the dead in New Orleans. I'm so glad

*you* are able to make a casualty estimate where state and city governments haven't. I don't know how you can look at an *entire* city of over a million people inundated with water and claim deaths are going to be less than a thousand.

Mary, we did the same. We were on an Elderhostel and stayed at a Methodist church campground right across the highway from the beach.

I remember when we toured the Davis house they talked about how it had endured hurricanes. Guess this was one hurricane too many.

Nann

Not to mention, those who haven't "died" yet but are dying as the days go by due to lack of proper or adequate medical care - days gone by without proper medication or electricity to run life giving machines and equipment - those who are stranded and starving to death or dying of dehydration - those who will die from fevers, chemical contact, toxins, poisonous snakes....

no, nobody's counting the dead yet - because they are still dying.

Tina, in Houston, future home of 20,000 Louisianans just a few blocks away

I went on Google News and read some of the foreign press coverage. It is interesting to see how they view it.

Here's a link to one of them:

I have been trying to reach a friend in Mobile, AL and haven't been able to get through. I know it's probably not as bad as Mississippi or New Orleans, but does anyone know how that city faired?

Linda PATCHogue, Ny

One of my favorite trips was driving from Montgomery, Alabama down to Mobile and following the coastline to New Orleans. We stayed overnight in Biloxi and then went to visit a friends family in Slidell and New Orleans. It was a wonderfully beautiful trip.

Mobile is very bad Linda - my husband has family there also. You probably can not reach them because they have no power there and no phone service. Mobile, Al and Biloxi, MS were some of the worst hit areas.

I hope you get good news soon Linda, Hugs, Tina

Niasha, I am so glad to see that you have come through the darkness to the other side. :-)

I'm very concerned about the long-term effects on those living in the flood area, especially those who were already living on the edge of poverty. Many of these people have had their homes and their livelihoods (often in the service industries) wiped away. It will be a very, very long time before stores reopen, and the tourist industry thrives again. As you pointed out, so often, people are uninsured or underinsured. Jobs are gone, schools are gone, homes are gone, families are gone. I can't imagine being in that situation and wondering where I will be a month down the road.

Sheila

Just spoke to a friend whose in-laws barely escaped being flooded indoors of their newly built home in Louisiana. They were diligent in getting flood insurance. They now learn that there may be a battle between their home and their flood insurers over who pays what. If the water is not at least a foot and covers 2(?) acres (your property or your property and your neighbors) it is not covered by flood insurance. Additionally, if the hurricane blew off your roof and water enter through that opening, you might not be covered by flood insurance. Even though your home appears to be totaled, the insurance companies will hesitate paying until they are assured flood insurance will not pay.

-- Niasha "What doesn't kill you, defines you."

As I went room to room cleaning today, I would turn on the TV to Fox News. I couldn't believe the scenes of total destruction. And those poor people sitting on the Interstate interchange with no shade, food, water, etc and had no idea where to go or how to get help.