NOLA recon report - Uptown Audubon area

[photoguy]

I offer my apology to the vast majority on this board for this largely unrelated post but, after seeing numerous anti-media comments here recently I have to add this:

The U.S. media is far from perfect but after traveling to many countries in the world, I have yet to find one that reports the news better than we do - not one. There is a constant overriding effort - often successful, sometimes not - to remain objective and unbiased by every reporter I have ever met. At the same time, there is a human element to our media that is, if not necessary, then helpful to our nation during times of crisis.

But if you are really so put off by the existence of a free press, there are numerous countries that do not allow it - perhaps relocating to one of those places may soothe your angst.

Again, sorry everyone. I'll step back now.

[Lindaloo]

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.

You live in kissimmee, why are you even here? Sightseeing perhaps? Or are you in this area to donate or volunteer? Or do you have family here?

I can't correct you when it comes to Harrison and Hancock counties. But, I can correct you when it comes to Jackson County. Obviously, you have not been to northern Jackson Cty. There are homes that are knocked off their foundations when the winds shifted their homes. You must not have been to the bayou areas of the county that had 15 feet or more of water in their homes, including the ones built on stilts. You must not have been to Gautier. I do know in Waveland, MS (Hancock cty) that 70% of that city is destroyed.

You have obvioulsy not been to the coast of Alabama. Dauphin Island and the Bayou La Batre areas took a major hit.

So, unless you are in an aerial view of this area then you do not know what you are talking about. And it is also obvious to me that you could not get down to the beachfront areas of Jackson Cty and subdivisions well inland of the beach area.

So, I guess that blows your media theory out the window. I had family that was looking for info about Pascagoula and they were not even reporting on the damage in the media. Their only thoughts were that Pascagoula was wiped off the map. Well, guess what, we shall be back.

[AlabamaDave]

Lindaloo's quote is not the first story I have read about someone from NOLA evacuating to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. ?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!? Why on Earth would someone have thought the MS Coast was a good place to go after leaving New Orleans??

[alicia-w]

I dont know that Lindaloo said anything about anyone from New Orleans evacuating to the MS Gulf Coast....

[MGC]

I have travel through much of western Harrison County including Pass Christian, Delise and Diamonhead in eastern Hancock County. Here are my observations. First surge: 90% of Pass Christian suffered surge flooding. Downtown Pass is mostly gone with only a few buildings remaining. The surge completely overwashed the western part of town. The surge in Desile was much higher than Camille. I visited with my spouce's family whose home had 4 feet of water where Camille didn't even come close to flooding the house. In Diamondhead, the entire area south of I-10 is gone. Extensive flooding in west Diamonhead. Wind: quite certain that western Harrison County experienced Cat-3 winds. Noticed many buildings that were destroyed by wind well inland away from the surge. Notice what appeared to be numerous tornadic tracks. Diamondhead was hard hit by wind also.

I also drove to my sisters house near Hammond La yesterday. I noticed the wind damage west of Slidell didn't look that bad from I-10. At most Cat-1. Slidell looked to have had Cat-2 winds at most on the "weak" side of Katrina........MGC