Hurricane Katrina

[cruzzers]

God Bless all of you in the path of Katrina. We can only hope and pray for your safety and the ability to find a place to wait this out. Living in the midwest, we know the rath of mother nature and experienced an F-4 tornado up close and personal. While hunkering down in the basement of our house, our entire neighborhood was destroyed. We were very lucky to have only lost our home and not our lives. We will be thinking about you and praying for your safety.

[GottaLuvCruising]

My thoughts and prayers are with the families in Katrina's path. God be with you.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

My thoughts and prayers are with all who may be affected by Hurricane Katrina.

[mabo456]

my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that has to deal with Katrina

[zydecocruiser]

Now tornado warnings all over the place.

[huskerdude]

May God be with everyone.

[momof4boys]

God be with you all!

[jckvpa0]

It is so nice to see so many people reaching out with their thoughts & prayers!

 

As I have been watching this on CNN for the last few hours I really get the sinking feeling that this is going to be something that we have never seen before. All we can do tonight is pray for everyone.

 

I'm trying set my thoughts on the morning when there will be more information on what we all can do to help out the people that have been devastated by this storm. I know there will be a need for food, clothing, & money. I have donated to these causes in the past & think I have done my part & move on with my life not giving it another thought. I realize now how wrong I have been.

 

Just recently I have met a woman from Florida that is still trying to rebuild from last years storms. Unfortunately, once the story is not in the headlines anymore we rarely hear about the people that are still struggling with everyday life. So I'm going to vow to make this tragedy different with our family. I'm going to search out areas that are hit hardest & keep them in our everyday thoughts even after the cameras are shut off.

 

I think it would be great if there was some sort of program where you could adopt a family & help them out until they were back on there feet. If anyone has any knowledge of any programs similar to this, or any other suggestions I would love to know about it.

[zydecocruiser]

Cruise Critic meet Weather Critic...

 

They are blogging the storm:

http://www.stormdigest.com/

[dkee]

How can you tell where the Holiday is located? Is there a website? Thanks.

[pins5]

http://www.nola.com/paradecam/index.ssf?video

Here is a live web cam of Katrina in NO....:eek:

My thoughts and prayers are with you all......Be safe:(

[zydecocruiser]

How can you tell where the Holiday is located? Is there a website? Thanks.

 

Sort of. This is where Holiday was reported earlier:

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=C6FM6

[SS Strider]

... small comfort, I suppose. :(

[AIMS312]

HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 26A...CORRECTED

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL

6 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

 

CORRECTED TIMES TO 6 AM CDT

 

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE KATRINA PREPARING

TO MOVE ONSHORE NEAR SOUTHERN PLAQUEMINES PARISH LOUISIANA...

...HURRICANE-FORCE WIND GUSTS OCCURRING OVER MOST OF SOUTHEASTERN

LOUISIANA...IN THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA...AND AS FAR

EAST AS THE CHANDELEUR ISLANDS...

 

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST

FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA

BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN

COMPLETED.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM

EAST OF THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA...AND FROM

WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA

EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA...AND FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY

LOUISIANA WESTWARD TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.

 

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

 

AT 6 AM CDT...1100Z...THE CENTER OF MAJOR HURRICANE KATRINA WAS

LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 89.6 WEST OR ABOUT

MIDWAY BETWEEN GRAND ISLE AND THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS

LOUISIANA AND ABOUT 95 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BILOXI MISSISSIPPI.

 

KATRINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH... AND THIS

MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TODAY. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE

NORTH-NORTHEAST AT A SLIGHTLY FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED

LATER TONIGHT AND ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...KATRINA WILL

MOVE ONSHORE THE SOUTHERN COAST OF PLAQUEMINES PARISH NEAR EMPIRE

AND BURAS LOUSIANA WITHIN THE ENXT HOUR...AND REACH THE

LOUISIANA-MISSISSIPPI BORDER AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS

WILL CONTINUE TO STEADILY DETERIORATE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN

LOUISIANA...SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA THROUGHOUT

THE DAY.

 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...WITH HIGHER

GUSTS. KATRINA IS A STRONG CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE

SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY

PRIOR TO LANDFALL...BUT KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AS

A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE. WINDS AFFECTING THE UPPER FLOORS OF

HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER THAN THOSE NEAR

GROUND LEVEL.

 

KATRINA REMAINS A VERY LARGE HURRICANE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND

OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE

WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES. DURING THE PAST HOUR...A

SUSTAINED WIND OF 56 MPH WITH A GUST TO 85 MPH WAS REPORTED AT NEW

ORLEANS LAKEFRONT AIRPORT...AND A SUSTAINED WIND OF 74 MPH WITH A

GUST TO 96 MPH WAS REPORTED AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION IN BELLE

CHASSE LOUISIANA.

 

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE

RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 918 MB...27.11 INCHES.

 

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE

LEVELS...LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 28 FEET...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS

BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE

CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA

COULD BE OVERTOPPED. SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL OCCUR

ELSEWHERE ALONG THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST.

NOAA BUOY 42040 LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE

MISSISSIPPI RIVER RECENTLY REPORTED WAVES HEIGHTS OF AT LEAST 47

FEET.

 

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF

15 INCHES...ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF KATRINA ACROSS THE GULF

COAST AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES

ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES

REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

 

SCATTERED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER SOUTHEASTERN

LOUISIANA... SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND OVER

THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

 

REPEATING THE 6 AM CDT POSITION...29.1 N... 89.6 W. MOVEMENT

TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED

WINDS...145 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 918 MB.

 

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL

HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT

COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 10 AM CDT.

 

FORECASTER STEWART

 

 

 

Looks like it's not a direct hit for NO, thank God.

Anyone know anything about Pensacola as of this morning?

[nashville cruisers]

Looks like things are going better than expected, bust still not great. I know the people in the Superdome are really scared. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.

My friends and I are leaving Galveston Monday on the Ectasy. Had a great time on the Glory 2/2005. No storms to deal with that time of year. Will plan around hurricane season from now on.

Everyone hold on and protect yourselves and loved one.

[lukegr]

I was just on the Conquest, which sailed 08/21 from New Orleans, and we were supposed to disembark at NO as well on the 08/28, when the hurricane hit. The ship was really rocky the last night because the captain tried to beat the hurricane to NO (smart guy), but he ended up changing his mind and docking at Galveston, Texas. $200 per person plus 25% off next cruise is a pretty good apology from Carnival.

 

Good job Carnival ;)

[zydecocruiser]

At least 55 reported dead along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. :(

[GoinCruisin]

At least 55 reported dead along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. :(

 

After just hearing the report from NOLA, I have a feeling that number is going to rise... significantly :( Just so sad... I'm praying they can start the rescue efforts early, and hoping that they are able to find more people... I just cannot imagine the horrific fate some of these people faced :(

[wrp96]

At least 55 reported dead along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. :(

 

And that, unfortunately, is an unofficial number. May the Lord help those people who will be recovering from this for months to come.

[GoinCruisin]

And more bad news... looks like downtown NOLA is getting much worse :( Tulane Univ Hospital is going to have to evacuate 1000 patients by air due to the water rising a foot an hour... she said it is whitecapping down Canal in the CBD... the breach in the levy at 17th and Canal is 2 blocks long, it appears the "bowl" is filling up :( Sounds like the other hospitals in the area are going to have to do the same thing... Evacuating 1000 people by air is going to be quite an undertaking... this just continues to get worse... Lake Ponch is filling the city... God bless them all... the numbers from this I fear, are going to get much higher :(

[christicruiser]

This is an update currently posted on the harrahs.com website:

 

To ensure the safety of team members and customers, Harrah's New Orleans, Grand Biloxi and Grand Gulfport are now closed. We will reopen as soon as it is safe. At this time, we anticipate this will happen no sooner than Monday, September 12, 2005.

 

Our casinos in Bossier, Lake Charles and Tunica have joined forces to provide shelter as needed. We are also preparing to provide assistance to our team members, their families and other residents in the affected communities once the storm passes.

 

For further assistance, please call 1-800-HARRAHS for Harrah's New Orleans. For the Grand Casino Biloxi and Grand Casino Gulfport, please check back Tuesday morning.

 

Sept. 12th may be a bit ambitious but I hope they can reopen that soon for the sake of all their employees.

[zydecocruiser]

No sooner is certainly accurate.

 

Not much point in reopening for a while, even if possible - won't be any customers.

[zydecocruiser]

Rebuild power system, Entergy says

 

Tuesday, 9:25 a.m.

 

Entergy probably will have to rebuild its power system, a process that will take at least a month, because hurricane-related damage was so extensive, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

 

"We're looking at a rebuild situation," Dan Silverman said. "I don't want to minimize the devastation we've experience in the metro area. . . . Maybe this isn't he worst, but it's damn close."

 

Speaking on WWL-AM radio the morning after Hurricane Katrina roared through the New Orleans area, Silverman said that all Entergy customers -- about 750,000 people -- are without power and that nearly all the power poles he has seen had been snapped in two.

 

Nevertheless, he said, some substations are still in working order. Their capabilities are being assessed as part of a study of Entergy's the power system.

[GoinCruisin]

And the news continues to get more grim... A man just jumped to his death from the Superdome :( I cannot imagine how bad it is there... they know they are surrounded by water, they have no news on their homes, or families, the conditions are worsening inside... and now this. Just so sad :(

[CeleBrat]

On a cruise-related note, those who had parked their cars in the Port of New Orleans lot while they were out cruising have surely LOST their cars. NOt only have they been destroyed by the storm and water, but the flooding and broken roads wouldn't even allow them to be driven away.

 

While it may seem like a huge inconvenience for those who were cruising, I'm sure they are glad that they were well out of harm's way while the storn roared through.

 

CeleBrat