Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Levee Breach!

Break in 17th Street Canal Levee is now 200 feet wide and slowly flooding the City of New Orleans. Huge sand bags are being airlifted to try to stem the rush of water in that area. The expectations are that the water will not stop until it reaches lake level.

Best local coverage from New Orleans with live feed ----> WWL-TV

11:53 A.M. - Two dead in Slidell in rising waters after attempting to get back to their homes. The victims had initially evacuated. (15' of water in downtown Slidell)

Please stay put. Jefferson Parish is locked down. No one admitted until Monday and only with proper ID. There is no electricity, water or working facilities. Officials will and are turning away anyone trying to return.


11:58 A.M. - Homeland security chief optimistic that 3,000 pound sandbags can plug 200 foot levee break at 17th Street Canal.

4 comments:

Trée said...

From live text updates on WWL:

Updates as they come in on Katrina

11:35 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Tom Planchet

11:35 A.M. - (AP) Downtown streets that were relatively clear in the hours after the storm were filled with 1 to 1 1/2 feet of water Tuesday morning. Water was knee-deep around the Superdome. Canal Street was literally a canal. Water lapped at the edge of the French Quarter. Clumps of red ants floated in the gasoline-fouled waters downtown.

11:28 A.M. - JP Councilman Chris Roberts: Three rescued from Grand Isle, according to Grand Isle Mayor.

11:26 A.M. - New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper evacuating offices.

11:21 A.M. (AP) - The White House says President Bush is cutting short his vacation to return to Washington to monitor the hurricane recovery efforts.

11:16 A.M. - Gretna Police Chief...some people south of Gretna Blvd. trapped in water in homes, waiting to be rescued, but believed safe. Several looters arrested, chief says about 50. Lots of debris, at least some structural damage in 95 to 98 percent of buildings. Water is off in Gretna due to barge that was hit and dumped diesel into water supply. Plenty of homes with structural damage...a few that have collapsed. As far as police chief knows, No deaths in Gretna, two minor injuries. Chief says looting has been mainly for groceries. Law enforcement given "whatever authority they need" to prevent looting of homes.

11:15 A.M. - Hospitals with no power and rising waters are bringing patients to the Superdome.

11:13 A.M. - Plaquemines Parish...if you are found on the street...will be arrested. Marshall law in effect. 60 percent of homes flooded. 50 people rescued.

11:12 A.M. Governor Blanco, U.S. Senator Vitter - "Do Not come back Now" if you've evacuated.

11:06 A.M. Governor Blanco reports 700 people have been rescued since Monday afternoon, but that many more remain trapped.

11:01 A.M. - Break in 17th Street Canal Levee is now 200 feet wide and slowly flooding the City of New Orleans. Huge sand bags are being airlifted to try to stem the rush of water in that area.

10:53 A.M. - Latest on Northshore from St. Tammany Parish. Click here.

10:42 A.M. - Rising waters continue in N.O. due to failed pumps and breached levees at the 17th Street Canal and the Ninth Ward. Rising waters caused one hospital to evacuate patients to the Louisiana Superdome.

10:39 A.M. - Gretna officials say standing water is preventing them from getting to some people trapped in their homes. - Bill Capo.

10:37 A.M. GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) -- Rescuers in boats and helicopters searched for survivors of Hurricane Katrina and brought victims, wet and bedraggled, to shelters Tuesday as the extent of the damage across the Gulf Coast became ever clearer. The governor said the death toll in one Mississippi county alone could be as high as 80.

10:35 A.M. Governor Blanco - "Worse than our worst fears."

10:33 A.M. People trapped near Jefferson Parish and Orleans are being asked to get a boat and get to the Sam's Club parking lot on Earhart and Airline to meet the National Guard who will take you to the Superdome.

10:15 A.M. A spokeswoman describes Jefferson Parish as a "very dangerous" place. Jackie Bauer says there's gas leaks everywhere, water needs to be boiled, there's no commercial power, no pumping stations and the water's toxic.

And there's still some deep water in some neighborhoods. Bauer says there are other dangers -- snakes in the water, other vermin, loose dogs and cats everywhere. She says -- quoting now -- "We kind of have to fight for survival with them." - Associated Press

10 A.M. WWL-TV crew bugged out from French Quarter studios to transmitter site in Gretna. Trees down and sides of buildings collapsed. Roof shingles on the street are dangerous with nails and one WWL-TV car got a flat tire on the way over. - Dennis Woltering.

9:35 A.M. Marshal Law in effect in Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish. 60 percent of homes in Plaquemines Parish under water.

9:33 A.M. Uptown fared much better than the rest of the city. - Andy Jacobs, Uptown caller.

8:39 A.M. WWL-TV studios are being evacuated as rising water is coming into the station. The French Quarter is taking on water and water is expected to rise in the city for the next few days.

Anonymous said...

I feel for them ... lets hope ... the crisis will be over soon....

Anonymous said...

Second Avik!

Trée said...

Updates as they come in on Katrina

04:22 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Tom Planchet

4:21 P.M. - WWL-TV Reporter quotes officials as saying there may now be 60,000 people in the Superdome and that more people are still being urged to go there.

3:59 P.M. - WWL-TV reporter Jonathan Betz reports widespread looting and WWL-TV cameras showed people walking out of Canal Street stores with racks of clothes and electronics. Some looters concentrated on basics and supplies, while others made no secret of their desire to get what they could.

3:53 P.M. - N.O. Mayor Nagin: Priorities - 1. Rescuing people. 2. Fixing levee breaks. 3. Taking care of refugees in Superdome and hospitals.

3:43 P.M. - Senator Vitter: New Orleans will "absolutely" be rebuilt.

3:25 P.M. - With conditions in the hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans rapidly deteriorating, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Tuesday that people now huddled in the Superdome and other rescue centers need to be evacuated.

"The situation is untenable," Blanco said during a news conference. "It's just heartbreaking."

3:15 P.M. - Charity Hospital is out of commission and they are trying to evacuate patients, but it is hard to get there because rising water is surrounding the hospital. They will try to evacuate the patients to other cities.

3:13 P.M. - Governor Blanco: A lot of people have lost their lives, but we have no numbers because the priority is saving those who are alive so we don't have more casualties.

3:12 P.M. - Senator Vitter: Mayor Nagin's calm and control and command of the facts showed me that we have one of the best leaders in the country right here.

3:12 P.M. - Senator Landrieu - Scenes are similar to what she saw after the Tsunami.

3:11 P.M. - Senator Landrieu: Those who evacuated should be patient and thank God that they are okay because so many still need to get out.

3:09 P.M. - Senator Landrieu: Plenty of people still on rooftops in N.O. East waiting to be rescued. Every boat available is being used to try to save people.

3:07 P.M. - Governor Blanco: We are looking for ways to get people out of the Superdome and out of New Orleans said Governor Blanco as she tried to keep from crying.