Hurricane Katrina: Possibly The Big One!

Millions Take Cover As Katrina Prepares To Roar Through...

Throughout the day on Sunday, I was glued to the tv watching the news regarding Hurricane Katrina's impending strike upon the Gulf States in the U.S. predicted to take place early Monday morning. Most of the news coverage has been devoted to New Orleans, Louisiana and its surrounding areas. And meteorological, environmental, and financial analysts are already calling Hurricane Katrina (a Category 5 hurricane) the biggest storm of our lifetime and an imminent disaster. From the looks of things the area's residents are taking this hurricane seriously. Evacuating cars sat in bumper to bumper traffic trying to get out of the area, while others stood in long lines hoping to take refuge in the Louisiana Superdome as a last resort evacuation spot where the power is expected to go out. Area airlines have closed down. Local hotels are booked. Hospitals have moved their emergency rooms to upper floors. This is it.

During the day and night on Sunday, elected officials and weather forecasters announced to the public that Hurricane Katrina is the real thing, and that evacuations are quite necessary. Environmental scientists and other experts have been trying to determine what chances the New Orleans area has, given the fact that it is an already sinking area that has water pumped out of it on good, non-hurricane days. Not only is the excess water from the hurricane a concern, but the winds are also since they may spawn tornadoes. The hurricane may be on a path to strike New Orleans, but the whole nation will feel its blow. An oil analyst has predicted that already high gas prices will further skyrocket to new record highs for the whole nation, because a third of the U.S.'s refineries are located off the coast of Louisiana. But one of the most heartbreaking things that I've heard is that officials are expecting loss of life. We all hope that the hurricane will veer off into another direction or will deteriorate. Nevertheless, let's pray that all those affected by the storm in the various States will come through this safely.
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UPDATE:



The Louisiana Superdome

News reports have stated that the power is out in the Louisiana Superdome, and that the dome is operating under limited functions with backup generators. This means that nearly 9,000 or more people who are taking shelter at the Superdome as a means of last resort are sitting in the dark with no air condition and lights. It's unclear how long the hurricane will last and how long people will have to stay in the dome under very harsh conditions. Yesterday, many of the people I saw waiting in long lines to enter the dome were old, ill, or had small kids.

At one time I had a beef with the American Red Cross, because you're never really sure where your donations go as the Red Cross uses its own discretion. But during the last hurricane a few years ago in North Carolina where my family lives, the residents lost power for 2 to 3 weeks. And during that time, the Red Cross really showed its commitment. They served meals 3 times a day, and provided all kinds of support to people who lost homes. Therefore at a time like this, charity, support, and prayers can go a long way to help others in need.
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Here are a few news and information web sites related to the hurricane:

News Web Sites:

CNN,MSNBC,CBS

State Emergency Preparedness Agencies:

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida

Additional Organizations:

American Red Cross and The Salvation Army