Hurricane Katrina devastates Gulf Coast

Eighty-percent of New Orleans is underwater today as the death toll soars along the Gulf Coast.

For some reason I have mulled over this most recent entry for many days and I am finally writing it. I have written it and rewritten it in my head several times. It is no great mystery to anyone who knew anything about hurricanes that New Orleans was vunerable. I guess what is troubling me is the massive death toll we are expecting. Over the years many storms had produced large death tolls, but I thought the days of Camille (69) Betsy(65) and other storms were behind us. Forecasting ability has become so much better, so has the ability to evacuate large areas of coastline. And yet we somehow failed with Katrina. FEMA and the US Government somehow forgot about those without cars or the means to leave. Unfortunately it is these people who have been left behind, and in many case will make up the large death toll. The images speak for themselves. It is beyond imagination the level of misery that we see on the evening news. The word from those on the ground is it is even worse when you add the smells, sounds and inject 100 degree heat.

Flood ravaged downtown New Orleans, with Lake Poncthartrain in the background.

The task at hand is huge and being dealt with on a daily basis. The levees are being repaired the evacuees being dealt with finally and the bodies being collected. Canada is sending aid in the form of several ships, helicopters and Red Cross personnel. If you can help, please do so at http://www.redcross.ca/. Click on the Katrina link.

Of Note: In our area Katrina (tropical depression) moved through very quickly last Wednesday, August 31, with the worst weather along the Seaway. Cornwall had the peak wind gust at 79km/h. Rainfall was as follows, St Anicet, Quebec (on the St. Lawrence) 110mm, Montreal 75mm, Watertown, NY 100mm, Massena/Cornwall 80mm, Kemptville 40mm, Ottawa 35mm. Winds were gusty, over 50km/h along the St Lawrence River from Kingston to Quebec City.