Thoughts while Traveling
8.30.2005
please pray
Dear friends,
As many of you may know, I am a third year law student from New Orleans. Contrary to most of the national news headlines, although downtown and the french quarter were spared the catastrophic damage predicted, there are major areas of the city and suburbs which are in horrible shape and their situation is getting worse.
Areas of New Orleans East which is a heavily populated area similar to Virginia Beach (one subdivision after another) are under 10-15 feet of water, many survivors are either trapped in their attics and unable to break through or stranded on top of their roofs to escape the water. This area is your worse nightmare for this type of situation, the area is surrounded by swamp and marsh which has the full compliment of snakes, alligators, and wild animals which will be in and among these peoples homes and present very real hazards when they enter the water.
Additionally, this area because of its below sea level elevation has almost entirely all of its electri cal lines above ground and suspended from poles which have mostly been blown down. Many of these wires are still "live" and present incredible dangers for the survivors as well as the people who are attempting to rescue them.
Additionally, there are reports that water in the city is rising because one of the major levees close to Lake Ponchartrain has been breached (reportedly the break is about 2 city blocks long at the 17th Street canal) and the water is pouring into the city. My familiarity with the city reminds me that this particular canal is one of the main relief lines for the city's pumping stations and the drainage water pumped from other parts of the city feed into this particular canal. The result is that they are facing rising water which will only add to the already horrendous flooding which is effecting most of the inner city areas.
It is easy for those unfamiliar with this area to consider that those who stayed behind are only getting a healthy dose of reality; however, the reality is that this area is so huge and heavily populated that they physically could not have evacuated the entire city and suburbs. The grid lock which accompanied most of the evacuations was a significant part of the problem. There are only two interstate feeds into the city and now one is under water at key sections and the other has been completely destroyed. The bridge which was destroyed (twin span connecting Slidell to the New Orleans East was comprabable to Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel in its size and capacity.
Your prayers for the people trapped in the city, rescue workers, displaced people who are now scattered from Texas to Florida is incredibly needed and appreciated.
Most of our family will be effected by this, at least in the total loss of their homes and belongings and we have several members who are unaccounted for at this time. Please remember them in your prayers. Please forgive this long email I guess in a sense I'm in shock and pouring out this information somehow helps me to process and deal with it.
thanks,
Jay Albe
As many of you may know, I am a third year law student from New Orleans. Contrary to most of the national news headlines, although downtown and the french quarter were spared the catastrophic damage predicted, there are major areas of the city and suburbs which are in horrible shape and their situation is getting worse.
Areas of New Orleans East which is a heavily populated area similar to Virginia Beach (one subdivision after another) are under 10-15 feet of water, many survivors are either trapped in their attics and unable to break through or stranded on top of their roofs to escape the water. This area is your worse nightmare for this type of situation, the area is surrounded by swamp and marsh which has the full compliment of snakes, alligators, and wild animals which will be in and among these peoples homes and present very real hazards when they enter the water.
Additionally, this area because of its below sea level elevation has almost entirely all of its electri cal lines above ground and suspended from poles which have mostly been blown down. Many of these wires are still "live" and present incredible dangers for the survivors as well as the people who are attempting to rescue them.
Additionally, there are reports that water in the city is rising because one of the major levees close to Lake Ponchartrain has been breached (reportedly the break is about 2 city blocks long at the 17th Street canal) and the water is pouring into the city. My familiarity with the city reminds me that this particular canal is one of the main relief lines for the city's pumping stations and the drainage water pumped from other parts of the city feed into this particular canal. The result is that they are facing rising water which will only add to the already horrendous flooding which is effecting most of the inner city areas.
It is easy for those unfamiliar with this area to consider that those who stayed behind are only getting a healthy dose of reality; however, the reality is that this area is so huge and heavily populated that they physically could not have evacuated the entire city and suburbs. The grid lock which accompanied most of the evacuations was a significant part of the problem. There are only two interstate feeds into the city and now one is under water at key sections and the other has been completely destroyed. The bridge which was destroyed (twin span connecting Slidell to the New Orleans East was comprabable to Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel in its size and capacity.
Your prayers for the people trapped in the city, rescue workers, displaced people who are now scattered from Texas to Florida is incredibly needed and appreciated.
Most of our family will be effected by this, at least in the total loss of their homes and belongings and we have several members who are unaccounted for at this time. Please remember them in your prayers. Please forgive this long email I guess in a sense I'm in shock and pouring out this information somehow helps me to process and deal with it.
thanks,
Jay Albe
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