The official Hurricane Rita thread

[U2democrat]

I figured we needed one as the storm progressed...we can discuss breaking news and such here.


Speaking of which:

Breaking news: Water is spilling over the levee and into the 9th ward in New Orleans...

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/23/D8CQ4NO06.html


Rita Weakens to a Category 3 Hurricane



By MICHAEL GRACZYK
Associated Press Writer

HOUSTON

A slowly weakening Hurricane Rita steamed toward the Texas and Louisiana coast with 125 mph winds Friday, taking direct aim at the nation's oil-refining industry. "We're going to get through this," Texas Gov. Rick Perry said. "Say a prayer for Texas."

Rita weakened during the day to a Category 3 hurricane, down from a fearsome Category 5 with 175 mph winds on Wednesday. It was expected to come ashore early Saturday along the upper Texas-Louisiana coast on a course that could spare Houston and nearby Galveston a direct hit.

But it could plow instead into the oil and chemical centers of Beaumont and Port Arthur, about 75 miles east of Houston.

Texas' emergency management coordinator, Jack Colley, predicted Rita would destroy nearly 5,700 homes in the state and cause $8.2 billion in damage.

 

[Irvine511]

New Orleans Relives Flooding Nightmare
By MICHELLE ROBERTS and BRETT MARTEL, AP



NEW ORLEANS (Sept. 23) - Hurricane Rita's steady rains sent water pouring through breaches in a patched levee Friday, cascading into one of the city's lowest-lying neighborhoods in a devastating repeat of New Orleans' flooding nightmare.

"Our worst fears came true," said Maj. Barry Guidry of the Georgia National Guard.

"We have three significant breaches in the levee and the water is rising rapidly," he said. "At daybreak I found substantial breaks and they've grown larger."

Dozens of blocks in the Ninth Ward were under water as a waterfall at least 30 feet wide poured over and through a dike that had been used to patch breaks in the Industrial Canal levee. On the street that runs parallel to the canal, the water ran waist-deep and was rising fast. Guidry said water was rising about three inches a minute.

The impoverished neighborhood was one of the areas of the city hit hardest by Katrina's floodwaters and finally had been pumped dry before Hurricane Rita struck.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050824033709990005&ncid=NWS00010000000001

 

[pax]

I'm praying especially hard for Katrina evacuees in Texas...hoping they don't have to stare down a hurricane twice.

 

[yolland]

Breaking news: Water is spilling over the levee and into the 9th ward in New Orleans...

When I left for work this morning, the mother and two small kids from the evacuee family staying with us were already glued to the TV set. I had to bite my lip very hard to keep from saying, Please promise me you won't torture yourselves by watching this all day.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I'm just hoping like crazy that things will FINALLY calm down for these people after Rita comes through. They need a freakin' break already. And, of course, I'm hoping that people will be all right, too.

Such awful news regarding the latest flooding in New Orleans, too . What exactly will be left of that city when everything finally calms down? It's going to be scary to discover.

Angela

 

[Irvine511]

Re: Re: The official Hurricane Rita thread

When I left for work this morning, the mother and two small kids from the evacuee family staying with us were already glued to the TV set. I had to bite my lip very hard to keep from saying, Please promise me you won't torture yourselves by watching this all day.

i'd love to know more about your experiences with this family.

if you're comfortable, please share -- it would be a great experience for all of us to read.

you're a hero to us all.

 

[Carek1230]

I've been praying like mad since yesterday and last night watching the news. My goes out to the Katrina refugees who now are having to re-evacuate (is there such an action?!) and for the poor city of New Orleans! I cannot believe the re-shorign that has been done on the levee is breaking and water is already pouring through!

 

[dazzledbylight]

*coverinng eyes*

i don't turn on tv in the morn except on very rare ocasion...for the incredibly good or bad.
Often don't get up with enough time to do so in any case......

Even just listening off & on through out today so far with a walkman I metaphorically just want to cover my eyes!!!!!!

from the evacuees/refugees of K to all people/animals trees & structures in curent harm's way

prayers for strength, help & miracles.......


and an extra for yolland

 

[trash con]

Dallas, Texas here, where the panic is on and people are gassing up their cars and buying out all the bottled water available.

(ummm.. yes, I joined in the panic and gassed up my car and filled up my water cooler thingy at home. Five gallons of Irving's finest tap water - run through a filter, of course - at the ready)

What made my heart sink this morning was the news of the evacuation bus that exploded on I-45. Apparently loaded with elderly and their oxygen tanks, something went terribly wrong and the thing blew up.
... Then what made me angry immediately afterward was to see that they shut down ALL lanes of 45 for "the investigation". My God! There's thousands of cars that need to get through, and those geniuses decide to close all the lanes!?

Anyway, there's a definate air of panic and stress in this area.

One of my coworkers walked around with a raod map yesterday as he got continious cell phone calls from a caravan of relatives that were trying to make their way up from Galveston.
He talked them through alternate roads and back roads to avoid the parking lot that is I-45.
They eventually all made it up here at the end of the day, as opposed to all those still stuck in traffic.
He and they are all pretty upset, in that their homes may be wiped away.

Lord have mercy.

 

[BVS]

My folks in San Antonio are now housing 12 members of my family.

 

[verte76]

It looks like this thing's going to be serious. Trust me, people in this hurricane's path are in my prayers.

 

[nbcrusader]

There is one in every story

Surfer Arrested Off Shore Of Galveston As Rita Approaches

A surfer off the shore of Galveston, Texas, was arrested Friday for not adhering to evacuation orders and surfing the large waves created by an approaching Hurricane Rita, according to a Local 6 News report.

The man, who was not identified, was taken into custody by police after coming out of the surf.

Police said he was apparently not taking Rita seriously, attempting to surf off the shore of Galveston.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

(ummm.. yes, I joined in the panic and gassed up my car and filled up my water cooler thingy at home. Five gallons of Irving's finest tap water - run through a filter, of course - at the ready)

I wouldn't consider that panic-you did the right thing. You're preparing . Good for you.

Originally posted by trash con
What made my heart sink this morning was the news of the evacuation bus that exploded on I-45. Apparently loaded with elderly and their oxygen tanks, something went terribly wrong and the thing blew up.
... Then what made me angry immediately afterward was to see that they shut down ALL lanes of 45 for "the investigation". My God! There's thousands of cars that need to get through, and those geniuses decide to close all the lanes!?

Yeah, that is rather dumb. I can understand closing off a small area around the bus, but they've gotta leave some roads open, like you said.

That was such a sad and bizarre story to hear about that busload of people . As if things weren't stressful and depressing enough already.

Originally posted by trash con
Anyway, there's a definate air of panic and stress in this area.

I don't blame them. I'd be the same way if I lived there. Hopefully people don't panic too much, though, 'cause I've done that when we've gotten severe thunderstorms, and my dad's always reminding me that that won't solve anything, it can just make the situation worse. So while I fully understand them being frightened, I hope everyone can manage some sembelance of calm.

Originally posted by trash con
One of my coworkers walked around with a raod map yesterday as he got continious cell phone calls from a caravan of relatives that were trying to make their way up from Galveston.
He talked them through alternate roads and back roads to avoid the parking lot that is I-45.
They eventually all made it up here at the end of the day, as opposed to all those still stuck in traffic.
He and they are all pretty upset, in that their homes may be wiped away.

Good to hear they've made it to a safer area...hope that their homes will survive the storm so they can have something to come back to. And hope all goes well with your relatives, too, BVS.

Originally posted by trash con
Lord have mercy.

No kidding .

Angela

 

[verte76]

They shouldn't have shut down the interstate, for God's sakes. That's ridiculous. I hope everyone makes it out OK.

 

[tiny dancer]

This just like a bad dream that keeps that keeps coming back. My heart goes out to all those people affected.

 

[Zootomic]

Re: There is one in every story

Surfer Arrested Off Shore Of Galveston As Rita Approaches
Quote:
A surfer off the shore of Galveston, Texas, was arrested Friday for not adhering to evacuation orders and surfing the large waves created by an approaching Hurricane Rita, according to a Local 6 News report.

The man, who was not identified, was taken into custody by police after coming out of the surf.

Police said he was apparently not taking Rita seriously, attempting to surf off the shore of Galveston.

I'm glad they actually arrested the guy. I get tired of seeing these idiots on TV playing in the water with complete disregard for the possibility that they may end up needing to be rescued putting the lives of the rescuers in danger.

 

[U2Bama]

Why don't the Texas and Louisiana/Mississippi governments coordinate one-way, northbound evacuation routes on Interstate 45, and Interstates 55 and 59? We've been doing this in Alabama on Interstate 65 for Alabama Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle evacuations for several years, and it makes evacuations run much more quickly and smoothly. All usually southbound lanes are converted to northbound during hurricane evacuations from the Gulf Coast (downtown Mobile) up to Montgomery (160 miles north). Having seen all of the gridlock traffic out of Houston the past two days makes it obvious to me this would have helped.

(This is not meant to be a partisan debate. Although Alabama's governor is a Republican, the governors of Mississippi and Texas are also members of the Sith; I am merely wondering why they, along with Governor Blanco [D-LA] didn't coordinate such a plan).

~U2Alabama

 

[Axver]

But it could plow instead into the oil and chemical centers of Beaumont and Port Arthur, about 75 miles east of Houston.

Shit. One of my friends lives in Beaumont. He's evacuated and I've heard from him, but still ... shit.

I haven't exactly been planning on seeing his neighbourhood in the Australian news and I hope I don't see it now.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Sorry Axver, I saw on CNN this morning that Beaumont was getting hit hard I'm sorry about your friend.

 

[Dreadsox]

I too have many friends in Beaumont. Spent a good deal of time there during Desert Storm before and after going to Mobile.

My prayers are with them.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Sorry to hear that, Axver-glad that your friend at least managed to get out and you've heard from him. But a shame about Beaumont .

Hope the people you know there are okay, Dread.

.

Angela

 

[U2democrat]

It's been downgraded to a tropical storm with 65 mph winds. That's still incredibly strong considering how long its been on land.

 

[yolland]

i'd love to know more about your experiences with this family.

if you're comfortable, please share -- it would be a great experience for all of us to read.

I have thought more than once about posting a little about their experiences and opinions, but ultimately, that is just straying too close for comfort to exploitation territory. If I were in their situation, I don't know how I'd feel about the prospect of my hosts discussing my situation in online forums I knew nothing about.

I will say that having this personal connection to Katrina has made seeing all the partisan grenade-lobbing in here over the past few weeks all the more disheartening. Some of this was inevitable, and a certain amount can even be productive, but what's really depressing is how many members--including some who I would've expected lots better from--apparently think the most important thing about this crisis is whether their political party gets blamed for it or not. I could give fuck less who gets blamed for it, and neither do the evacuees staying with us.

Honestly, situations like this make me wonder if living under a monarchy or "benevolent dictatorship" might not be preferable, because at least then accountability would be unambiguous; no-one would have vested interests in who gets blamed; and the work of figuring out what went wrong and how to fix it could begin immediately, without fears that it will once again become hostage to politics before it even gets off the ground.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Shit. One of my friends lives in Beaumont. He's evacuated and I've heard from him, but still ... shit.

I haven't exactly been planning on seeing his neighbourhood in the Australian news and I hope I don't see it now.

I've got 3 very good Aussie friends living in Houston, and Dave works in the oil industry. No news yet, hope that means it's good....

 

[Axver]

I've heard again from my friend - someone he knows who stayed in the area went past his place and said it has no apparent major damage, just a missing fence. I was very relieved to hear that.

I hope the people the rest of you know are safe and haven't suffered property damage either.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Glad to hear that about your friend, Axver.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050928...flwJeFH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-


Nederland City Manager Andre Wimer said "it's been a terribly frustrating four days" because of problems getting help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"I can appreciate the difficulty in responding to a disaster that was this widespread but at the same time we certainly feel we've not received a level of service that was satisfactory," he said.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050929...kA1LqlH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-


"Five days after Hurricane Rita came ashore, conditions remained primitive in parts of Texas, where some residents were taking baths and brushing their teeth using water from the Neches River and others were sleeping in tents.

The plywood sign outside the home in East Texas where eight Beaumont families had sought refuge from Hurricane Rita carried a simple message: "Help Needed. Ice and Water. 43 People."

The evacuees had no electricity and little water or food after the storm. As temperatures neared triple-digits, adults used paper towels dampened with bottled water to keep children from overheating. A campfire was built to keep mosquitoes away.

"The only thing we could think of to survive was to put out that sign," said Tiffany Moten, 24, who was staying at the home near Livingston. "Luckily, we were blessed, and we have a lot of friendly people who came up and brought us water and ice and things like that. We are trying to make it."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered ice, water and packaged meals Wednesday to residents who rode out the storm, but some officials in hard-hit areas criticized the agency's response, with one calling for a commission to examine the emergency response."

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Man, those poor people.... Hope they get the help and good shelter they need very soon.

Axver, that's wonderful news regarding your friend .

Angela