Evacuation A Success, New Orleans Levees Hold

New Orleans, is saved from disaster as the levees hold. After historic and unprecedented evacuation of nearly 2 million people.

National Guardsmen, and members of the Coast Guard adverted a possible disaster by keeping a propane tank and ships from battering up against the levees and possibly breaching them.

They risked their own lives to save the City of New Orleans by going out into the Hurricane and in one case diving into the canal to tie a line onto the propane tank.

In all there have been six reported deaths attributed to the storm in the United States. With damage estimates at $6-10 billion last I saw.

Though largely a success, the low impact may have future repercussions since not so many may heed the evacuation warnings next time around, but that remains to be seen.

Also, though the levees held, some were over topped by the surge which is not a breech, but they may not stand up well to a Category 4 or higher storm, but the Army Corps of Engineers say more work remains to be done on the levee system.

Good job to all those involved.

New Orleans Mayor Calls Gustav "Storm of the Century"

Mandatory evacuations begin as Gustav closes in on the New Orleans area. But as should be expected not everyone is leaving.

As ABC News reported, Larry Denny isn't worried enough about Hurricane Gustav to leave. Denny says that there is "no way" he and his wife Charlotte will evacuate New Orleans.

"Why do we stay?" asked Denny, who was raised in Louisiana and returned to New Orleans 15 years ago to settle in Orleans Parish, just north of the French Quarter. "Because we know the government won't protect our house, so we have to."

"I won't be coming back to a shell," said Denny, who added that just like he rode out Katrina he'll do it again for Gustav.

The Mayor of New Orleans is issuing stern warning to residents to leave. "This is going to be the storm of the century," said Nagin, admitting that while he's usually "very calm," this time is different. "You need to be scared," said Nagin. "This is the mother of all storms, and I'm not sure we've seen anything like this."

With all the warnings from officials to leave and changes in rules in which people are being allowed to take their pets, it seems more people are leaving the area this time around, but as mentioned earlier some are still choosing to stay.

The Mayor is telling these people they will be on their own, and depending on how many people do stay, we still might see a bit of a mess. Especially if it takes some time to reach these people after the storm.

With the storm surge predicted to be twice as high as the levees even if they hold the water will just go right over the top causing massive flooding once again for the second time in three years.

For Current Status of Gustave with historical track of Katrina.

Earlier posts on Gustave in order:

New Orleans Considers Evacuations

Gustave becomes Cat 1, Killer Storm

Gustave Becomes Cat 3, Evacuations Begin

Gustav Increases To Category 4, Evacuations Begin

Source 1 ABC NEWS - Great Video news cast on this page
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Gustav Increases To Category 4, Evacuations Begin

While a mandatory evacuation has not yet been called for, officials are calling on New Orleans residents to "get out."

New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin (D), along with a half-dozen police, fire and community leaders, encouraged residents Saturday to leave the city as soon as possible.

"We are strongly, strongly encouraging everyone to evacuate and go north," Nagin said. "Tourists, it is time for you to leave the city. Do not wait to start the evacuation. This storm is starting to be a little tricky. We want to encourage everyone to take this storm very seriously."
"We are telling people to get out today," he said, adding, "The next time you hear us, the message is going to be 'get the heck out.' "

Mayor Nagin, known as a straight shooter is telling everyone to leave the area residents and tourists alike and also indicated that they will step up the rhetoric as the storm gets closer to the City.

As you will see in an AP video below, the Mayor and police officials stated that while a curfew is not yet in effect, if you are in the City and not on your own property you will be arrested.

For Current Status of Gustave with historical track of Katrina.

Earlier posts on Gustave in order:

New Orleans Considers Evacuations

Gustave becomes Cat 1, Killer Storm

Gustave Becomes Cat 3, Evacuations Begin

Note: This will most likely be our last update until landfall baring something extraordinary since most people seem to be following the evacuations.

AP Video

AP Video

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Source 3 Map of New Orleans from Washington Post
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Gustav Becomes Category 3 Hurricane

Louisiana begins voluntary evacuations as Gustav Turns into Category 3 Hurricane.

New Orleans residents are being told there will be no shelters for those who stay as the city is calling for evacuations of residents and the city's emergency preparedness director, Jerry Sneed, is warning residents who ignore orders to leave accept "all responsibility for themselves and their loved ones."

New Orleans began city-assisted evacuations at 8 a.m. local time, an e-mail from Mayor Ray Nagin's office said. This time, the city has taken steps to ensure no one has an excuse not to leave. The state has a $7 million contract to provide 700 buses to evacuate the elderly, the sick and anyone around the region without transportation.

The President and the Governor of Louisiana took action yesterday by issuing a declaration of emergency which coincidently landed on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

See our other post on Hurricane Gustav for a current storm tracker. We also have the current Atlantic storm basin if you scroll to the very bottom of the page.

With another storm T.S. Hanna also in the area, it makes me wonder if we are going to see a full repeat of the one two punch of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita again.

Hopefully everyone will leave the area this time, but I suspect there will be a few who stay behind, there always is. With the Governments telling them they are on their own I wonder how the response to the aftermath will take shape.

I will make updates over the weekend as the situation changes. Be sure to check back.

AP Video.

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