NOLA recon report - Uptown Audubon area

[Recurve]

A friend went back NOLA today, he lives near the Mississippi river levee at the upstream end of Magazine. Here's his nearly verbatim report:

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Back deck fence down on Camp Street side;
Oak branch fell in front yard and pulled electric and phone wires from house; Clear glazing on skylights that I didn't even know was there peeled off; Fridge a little stinky.

That's it.  No big problems.

The water on Broadway got to knee deep around Claiborne, inches deep around Freret (mid-campus), dry River side of Freret.  No water lines or signs of even thunderstorm-style high water in the UA area.

Category 1-2 tree damage, with miraculously little damage to houses.  Mat and Nadie's restaurant in Riverbend was flattened by an uprooted oak. 

National Guard scared crap out of me when I went to check my pet sitter's apartment.  Evidently there is still some gunplay at night.  There is enough military at Ft. Audubon Park to take over a medium-sized country.

Surreal is the word.  Helicopter gunshiops flying low.  Humvees and those wheeled amphibious assault vehicles rolling by every two minutes.  The soldiers had their bulletproof vests and helmets on and their guns at the ready.  Even the big .50 caliber machine guns were manned.

I didn't do much sightseeing.  ...The Nat'l guard said not to go north of Claiborne because of the stench and possibility of seeing mutilated and scavenged bodies.  ...the soldiers said to get my stuff and get out.

On the way out I got a good view of Airline and Causeway, which was a rescue boat launch, and also of the debris at the former evacuee camp at I-10 east of Causeway.

If the toxic sludge hasn't made the city uninhabitable, Uptown should be going again around Halloween... I hung my Tucks banner before I left.

[Anonymous]

This illustrates and cooborates what I saw in Mississippi and what I have been saying all along- the press has been exaggerating the damage all along in order to make $$$.

The damage is horrific and the deaths tragic, but I think this has been a bonanza for the press.

[alicia-w]

After looking at some pictures and videos from Keesler,I couldnt disagree with you more. There is a LOT of destruction. I dont think the media is doing a bad job at all.

[Anonymous]

I was in the area of Keesler. The EOC for the county is right down the street. There is a lot of damage, but it is not as bad as the press would have you believe. Once you get past the railroadtracks, the damage drops off considerably. Once you get a mile from the beach in Gulfport, the damage is Cat 1-2 level, similar to what Orlando had last year.

Remember, shots of undamaged buildings don't boost ratings.

[Recurve]

Shots of undamaged buildings aren't really news, either.

Certainly some areas escaped more than Cat 1-2 damage, but oh my word the damage in many areas is catastrophic, especially all the areas battered by surge. A member here, Frank in Biloxi, had a very sturdy, very well-shuttered home; nothing left but the slab.

We all I hope have the deductive powers to know that media reports are not a complete picture, that some areas are undamaged, that it's not as widespread or complete destruction as it maybe appeared to be at first. It's still bad, very very bad.

[stormie_skies]

I think everyone understands that the whole world has not been obliterated, that there are parts of Louisiana and Mississippi that are still functioning, and that damage will vary from area to area like it always does. But lets face it - the damage to much of that part of the Gulf Coast WAS catostrophic, and the damage to most of New Orleans is stunning and heartbreaking.

This "pile on the media" thing strikes me as really strange. The media did us a service here - they knew about things that were going on (in the city especially) before FEMA did! They have worked tirelessly to keep everyone up to date on what has been going on (I am sure NOLA.com and the Times Picayune have been a lifeline for thousands of displaced New Orleanians) and have also done thier part in the effort to reunite families.

The media isn't perfect - nothing is - but if you want to point fingers over all this, the media is the last place you should be pointing them IMHO....

[Anonymous]

Let me tell you what I saw.

Jackson County:

The destruction within say, 100 meters of the beach is total, clearly due to surge. From 100-250 meters, it is hit and miss. One house gone, another next to it almost untouched. From 250-500 meters, moderate damage to some houses, others just roof damage.

Beyond 500 meters or so, the damage drops off to nothing but minor wind and roof damage.

Harrison County:

Much the same as Jackson, except that the surge appears to have mostly stopped at the RR tracks. Weak structures like the overhangs of fuel pumps appear to have borne the brunt of the wind damage.

Hancock County:

The furthest I made it into Hancock was into the WalMart at US90 and 43. There was extensive surge damage there, and they were almost 2000 meters from the beach. To be fair, though, that area is a peninsula with the Gulf to the south, the St Louis Bay to the east, the Jourdan river to the north and has bayous to the west. The elevation there, I cannot guess at. I feel like that area was the hardest hit of all the ones I saw.

I still didn't see the extent of devastation the press is trying to claim.

[GalvestonDuck]

This illustrates and cooborates what I saw in Mississippi and what I have been saying all along- the press has been exaggerating the damage all along in order to make $$$.

The damage is horrific and the deaths tragic, but I think this has been a bonanza for the press.

The article is talking about NOLA...you're talking about Mississippi.

However, I was told by someone who lived through it...who I trust...that we have no idea how bad it really is. The press is only giving us a small bit of the destruction (not their fault -- just that's it's really hard to understand the scope of the devastation unless you're in the midst of it).

And how does this help the press make money? *scratching head*

[x-y-no]

This illustrates and cooborates what I saw in Mississippi and what I have been saying all along- the press has been exaggerating the damage all along in order to make $$$.

The damage is horrific and the deaths tragic, but I think this has been a bonanza for the press.

Just how has the media conspired to manufacture all those hours of video footage filmed from helicopters by multiple independent stations? As far as I can tell, the video I've seen corresponds very well with the reporting I've heard and read. Frankly, I think it would be superfluous to exaggerate it.

[stormie_skies]

It strikes me as very disrespectful both to the many, many people who have lost homes, businesses and loved ones to this "exaggerated" damage, and to the members of the press who have put themselves in very uncomfortable - and sometimes very dangerous - positions to make sure the rest of us know what is happening.

[artist]

just thought I might add that there has actually been a hurricane rumor control hotline established because so many stories out there are simply not true!

[JTD]

The confirmed death toll is now 506. That tells you all you need to know about how bad this storm is. That's 10 times the death toll that Category 5 Hurricane Andrew had.

That figure will of course rise.

[LSU2001]

I too personally saw pascagoula Miss. I couldn't disagree more with MR. Sharpenu's account. While the destruction does drop off considerably once you get beyond the surge line, it is in no way cat 1-2 damage. While there is little severe structrual damage there is considerable damage. Many homes have lost roofs, trees are in homes, and the wind damage is very widespread. The surge damage is much more than 100 meters Pascagoula is destroyed from the beach to about 6 blocks in. If you are familiar with pascagoula the destruction is almost total until ingalls ave. By the way, I have 8 family members in the the pascagoula/moss point area who had their homes completly destroyed, these are for the most part homes that survived Camile. If that isn't as bad as the media portrays then I guess nothing ever will be. Anyone who tries to minimize the damage of this storm is either inexperienced in storm damage or simply trying to promote his or her own agenda. I have never witnessed damage on this scale before and I am saying this as a survivor of Camile on the Miss. Gulf coast.
TIm

[Derek Ortt]

actually, the type of wind damage described WAS cat 1 to 2 damage. Cat 1 to 2 wind do take roofs off. Remember, Georges deroofed many shelters in Mississippi, and it was only a cat 2 hurricane.

The cat 3 winds appear to have been concentrated from Bay St Louis to Pass Christian, and that was the region that was totally leveled well inland. The rest of the areas experienced a terrible tidal surge and prolonged cat 1 to 2 winds, much like Pensacola saw with Ivan

[Derek Ortt]

to be more complete

there was extensive wind damage in the eye wall all the way to Laurel. Saw some photos from Hattiesburg, and they experienced wind damage, likely from gusts over 115 m.p.h. (based upon the 110 m.p.h. received by Laurel). However, the damage was not total and the twon, was not leveled, just damaged, some structures obviously far worse than others.

One thing MS should consider is stronger building codes, and should have put them in place, in retrospect, after Georges

[wxmann_91]

For those who say that the damage was worse/not as bad as the media says it was, look at this page:

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/KATRINA0000.HTM

The satellite images from NOAA don't lie.

See for yourself. I won't comment on them.

[JTD]

actually, the type of wind damage described WAS cat 1 to 2 damage. Cat 1 to 2 wind do take roofs off. Remember, Georges deroofed many shelters in Mississippi, and it was only a cat 2 hurricane.

The cat 3 winds appear to have been concentrated from Bay St Louis to Pass Christian, and that was the region that was totally leveled well inland. The rest of the areas experienced a terrible tidal surge and prolonged cat 1 to 2 winds, much like Pensacola saw with Ivan

Derek,

I'm confused. Is new data showing that Katrina only had cat 3 winds?

Edit: I think I see what you mean. It was a cat 3 at it's landfall in MS but it was a cat 4 at first landfall in LA right? (based on data compiled since the storm)?

[Derek Ortt]

yes

some want Katrina as a cat 3 in Louisiana; however, the majority of the evidence suggest that it was a 4 in Louisiana and a borderline 3/4, probably upper 3 at 115KT in Mississippi

Now, these major hurricane force winds affected a VERY small area, probably about a 2-3 mile wide strip, as is usual for a major hurricane. Most of the area received category 1/2 winds

[alicia-w]

This illustrates and cooborates what I saw in Mississippi and what I have been saying all along- the press has been exaggerating the damage all along in order to make $$$.

The damage is horrific and the deaths tragic, but I think this has been a bonanza for the press.

Read this from Lindaloo's post and then tell me that this has been exaggerated by the press. Better yet, tell HER that!!! (Better start running now...)

I did evacuate, but did not go too far. My parents lost everything. Several members of my immediate family completely lost their homes. My home is damaged and my pool is about 6 inches out of the ground. I also lost three horses.

The devastation here is horrific. What you see on TV does not even compare to what it is really like down here. Our churches, schools, post offices, gone or flooded. Childhood memories, gone.

I will never ever forget what the chief of police told me. He told me that when water started coming into the police department and it kept rising that he "knew my city was in trouble" When I was heading south on foot(only way in) waste deep water trying to get to my parents home and I looked up and saw the National Guard heading to the beach, I KNEW we were in trouble.

We had NO communications for at least two days. The linksystems were down for law enforcement, emergency services, which means they could not communicate with each other. There was NO 911 system, no land lines, no cell phones.

One by one my family members checked in. The point of check in was my parents home. As each came the news was grim. I had an Aunt and a cousin with her three children riding out the storm in Delmas Estates. The water started coming into the home and they went to the second floor. When the water was on the fifth step from the top they all gathered and started saying the rosary. My cousin who escaped New Orleans was staying with her stepmother on 14th street. When the water started rising they all held hands and prayed. One of our local bar owners, "Thunder" who owns Thunders Tavern is about 5 blocks from the beach. They have always used the bar as a shelter. He told me he was standing outside and saw this huge wall of water coming straight for them down Market Street. He said he had just enough time to run into the building and tell everyone to head for the attic door. His Mother and a few children went first. And then there is my friend Doc Overstreet. He is my dentist and a very good friend. He lives directly on the beach. When I heard that the beach front was devastated, I headed down there. I went to his home and I could not even find the front steps. I KNOW what he told me and that was he was not leaving the house. My heart sank!! I called everywhere looking for him. A week went by and still nothing from doc. I was just about to give up hope when he drove up in my driveway. Words cannot describe how I felt. He had in fact stayed in his home. He said about 5 Monday morning, something did not look right about the waves coming over the seawall. So, he got into his little Volkswagen Rabbit truck and headed for his office which is right across from Thunders Tavern.

[photoguy]

This illustrates and cooborates what I saw in Mississippi and what I have been saying all along- the press has been exaggerating the damage all along in order to make $$$.

The damage is horrific and the deaths tragic, but I think this has been a bonanza for the press.

I can't believe this.

Oh yeah, companies are just lining up to advertise their products amongst images of horrific destruction, death and dying.

And even though I am seriously tired of the incessant media bashing, I think I am fair in asking: What does this have to do with the original post?