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ST. BERNARD/KATRINA LOG OF EVENTS OF AUGUST 29, 2005 |
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by Henry "Junior" Rodriguez
President Rodriguez, Parish President, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana Monday: "There are reports of army ducks traveling throughout the parish with some homes and streets deeply in water. Information will be ongoing ..." -- Senator Walter Boasso 11:00 a.m. - The National Weather Service reported that a levee broke on the Industrial Canal near the St. Bernard-Orleans parish line (Tennessee St.), and 3 to 10 feet of flooding was possible (with Arabi (MAP) receiving some degree of rising water). (Info: The Industrial Canal is the 5.5-mile waterway that connects the Mississippi River to the Intracoastal Waterway).
Arabi, LA St. Bernard Parish Office of
Emergency Preparedness says the parish's two shelters at Chalmette High
and St. Bernard High are suffering much damage with flooding. He said
Chalmette High shelter is losing its roof, and St. Bernard High has many
broken windows/glass. There are estimates of 300-plus refugees at the two
sites. "We cannot see the tops of the levees!" -- Director OEP, Larry
Ingargiola 12:30 P.M. - Chalmette's Gibb Drive and community is reported underwater to roof. Some citizens were driven to rooftops. 2:00 P.M. - Communications into the New Orleans/St. Bernard area are little to none due to power and downed telecommunications equipment and massive calls into state. 2:30 PM. - National Guard Armory submerged. Reports about the 911 Center on St. Bernard Parish (near the Palms) was severely damaged as well as the Meraux Food Store in Meraux. 3:00 P.M. - Approximately 150 people were sighted on rooftops where approx. 8-10 feet (perhaps more) of water in area. Included on roofs were WDSU reporter (and St. Bernard resident) Heath Allen & photographer on a Government Complex rooftop). Search and Rescue teams are being dispensed to areas hard hit. Presently no deaths have been reported as was sighted in New Orleans. 3:30 P.M. - Reports about area around Violet Canal had 8-12 Feet of Water. Officials plan on an aerial view to access information in the parish at its earliest opportunity. Parish and Federal officials plan on its own teamwork to help determine degree of damage in order to seek Federal assistance. President Bush, perhaps and Governor Blanco who has ordered officials to block re-entry to communities deemed affected by Katrina until authorities can access the damage. "Please be patient and calm." 4:00 P.M. - Entergy reports: 700,000 or 92% of the utility's 770,000 customers in metro New Orleans are without power on storm day. 4:30 P.M. - CNN reports that "It's like Armageddon!" (Describing how she feels about Katrina's miserable appearance). 5:00 P.M. - "Boats manned by Wildlife and Fisheries officials have been deployed to rescue residents stranded in St. Bernard AND Mobile medical teams are prepared to act quickly." (-Gov. Blanco). It's entirely possible in many places that water is contaminated, and it may take quite a while to restore power to the metro area. Teams of emergency teams are
available from Louisiana to Alabama/Florida.
FEMA
(Federal Emergency agency) officials are deployed and standing by as
needed to access damage on the ground. President Bush has declared states
of emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi to accelerate the emergency
response and will work side by side with local governments. "Once
assessments are made we're ready to go, says Bush". Estimates by experts
determine damage by Katrina to be between $12 and @ $26 billion, perhaps
making it history's costliest storm and 3rd in list of most powerful in
recorded history (behind Camille and an unnamed storm in 1935). The Contra flow plan has been rescinded. Contraflow info is available here.
St. Bernard Parish School Superintendent Doris Voitier has announced that public schools will be closed into further notice. Parochial schools will be closed until further notice. A curfew has been in effect for entering the parish. ID is required at checkpoints.
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