Rita Results in New Orleans

By now it is common knowledge that the storm surge generated by Hurricane Rita has caused water to top some of the repaired levees. It appears at this point that the most heavily damaged area by the new flooding has been the Lower 9th Ward, to the east of the Industrial Canal. No doubt this has affected parts of St. Bernard Parish as well, particularly Arabi and perhaps parts of Chalmette. Estimates are that the draining for this new flood damage will take approximately one week. (www.msn.com)

Awaiting Rita

I have not updated neighborhood conditions in a week, mostly because the situation is clearly getting better everywhere and most water is drained (only 20% flooded now, typically 1 or 2 feet at most).

However, there is the possibility for a new breach in the levees if Hurricane Rita passes through New Orleans with torrential rain. If such is this case, I will resume neighborhood updates, reporting on all conditions and potential distruction to housing.

Neighborhood Update September 14

Original post 9/1/05

Trying to keep everyone abreast of the conditions of the city, here are some areas within the metro to consider. Please feel free to update with your own comments and I will consolidate any feedback:

Within New Orleans:

Uptown/Carrollton/Riverbend
- among the least affected within the city; areas closest to the river show least evidence of damage while Tulane and Loyola likely have experienced some standing water of perhaps 3' (David Vitter flyover)
(UPDATE 9/4/05) Most areas riverside of St. Charles Avenue are completely dry; water begins to appear about two blocks north (lakeside) of St. Charles (aerial photo); (UPDATE 9/7/05) Serious fire at Upperline and Camp Street with a total loss of 6 homes (www.nola.com)
- mostly fallen trees and impassable roads

Garden District/Lower Garden District/Irish Channel
- among least affected due to proximity to Mississippi; close to a great deal of reported looting, especially at the Wal-mart around the St. Thomas area
(UPDATE 9/4/05) Area appears completely dry; greatest vulnerability is to looters and vandals (aerial photo); (UPDATE 9/7/05) Serious fire at Camp Street and St. Andrew, close to Magazine street, complete loss of 3 homes and an apartment building (www.nola.com)

CBD/Warehouse District
- standing water around superdome, diminishes as you get closer to river (UPDATE 9/2/05) fire affecting two buildings at intersection of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas (UPDATE 9/11/05) Most water along Poydras near City Hall is gone, water in Treme is significantly reduced or non-existent (www.nola.com)

French Quarter/Marigny/Bywater/Treme
- (UPDATE 9/2/05) French Quarter predominantly unaffected, overwhelmingly free of flooding and heavily guarded; looting on Royal Street has greatly diminished
- reports that Treme is heavily affected
- (UPDATE 9/4/05) Marigny and Bywater appear completely dry (aerial photo) (UPDATE 9/9/05) Bywater has experienced some loss of buildings due to fire (www.nola.com)
- (UPDATE 9/9/05) Many French Quarter residents have experienced restoration of power and running water (bbc.news.co.uk)


Gentilly
- (UPDATE 9/4/05) significant flooding about five blocks riverside (south) of the Lake Pontchartrain coast. University of New Orleans and all areas abutting the coast appear relatively dry (aerial photo); (UPDATE 9/9/05) Three multi-story buildings on Dillard University campus completely destroyed by fires (www.nola.com)

East New Orleans
- reports of significant damage though nothing confirmed, closer to high winds and probably greater structural damage
- (UPDATE 9/5/05) Estimates are that most of the area is still under 5 to 7 feet of water (Water Depth Gauge)

9th Ward
- (UPDATE 9/4/05) 9th Ward east (downriver) of Industrial Canal is heavily submerged; apparently the breach in the levee occurred only on the downriver side so all flooding spilled in that direction (aerial photo) (UPDATE 9/11/05) Water levels have dropped 3 to 5 feet in most sections, many areas are now dry (www.nola.com)

Central City
- (UPDATE 9/4/05) Area lakeside (north) of Oretha Castle Haley Blvd shows evidence of standing water, evidence grows more pronounced as one approaches Claiborne Avenue (aerial photo)

Mid-City/Bayou St. John
- (UPDATE 9/4/05) Jefferson Davis Blvd under at least 3' water, area around Canal and Carrollton is under between 3' and 5' of water, bayou is heavily flooded and more like a lake

Lakeview
- significant flooding due to breach in levee, most likely 10' of standing water or more

Algiers
- conflicting information, some saying West Bank is significantly hit, some saying it is among the least damaged (David Vitter flyover)
- (UPDATE 9/9/05) One of the driest, least damaged areas in the city. Algiers point is now temporary administrative center for New Orleans government. Power has been restored in some places; estimates are that complete electric restoration shoul occur in the next 48 hours. (www.nola.com)

Jefferson Parish - East Bank:
(UPDATE 9/6/04) Residents are returning to their homes to gathering most valuable belongings and begin assessments of the damage. Area is still considered very lawless and dangerous, with an 8 pm curfew; residents are not recommended to stay overnight.
Metairie/Old Metairie/Bonnabel Place
- area east of Bonnabel Blvd less significantly affected (David Vitter flyover); (UPDATE 9/7/05) Much of Old Metairie still contains 2' of standing water (www.nola.com); (UPDATE 9/13/05) Bucktown used for military installations but structural damage remains considerable

Jefferson/Jefferson Heights/Southport

River Ridge

Harahan

Kenner
- relatively minor damage and minimal flooding south of Veterans Blvd and around airport

Jefferson Parish - West Bank
- conflicting information regarding conditions here; hearsay suggests that Algiers is among least affected areas, no information for Jefferson Parish suburbs
Harvey

Marrero

Terrytown/Gretna
Serious damage to Oakwood Mall from looters; (UPDATE 9/13/05) Gretna officials allowing citizens to return to homes; all utilities have been restored (www.nola.com)
Westwego
(UPDATE 9/13/05) Westwego officials allowing citizens to return to homes; all utilities have been restored (www.nola.com)
Waggaman

Crown Point/Lafitte
(UPDATE 9/13/05) Jean Lafitte officials allowing citizens to return to homes; all utilities have been restored (www.nola.com)
St. Bernard/Plaquemines Parishes:
perhaps most devastated areas of all; significant flooding and much greater structural damage due to high winds than in Orleans Parish; (UPDATE 9/13/05) Estimates that over 25,000 homes will have to be demolished due to structural damage, environmental contamination, and prolonged flooding (ABC news)
Arabi

Chalmette

Belle Chasse

Poydras

Braithwaite

Venice
- towns along mouth of Mississippi (lower Plaquemines) most likely no longer exist

St. Tammany Parish (North Shore):
- less flooding and more structural damage, increases further to the east
Abita Springs

Mandeville
(UPDATE 9/7/05) Serious damage to homes and businesses along lakefront, most of destruction due to high winds and storm surge but no continuous flooding (www.nola.com)
Covington

Slidell
- probably the greatest damage of all the North Shore towns (UPDATE 9/6/04) Estimates are that 80% of buildings withstood significant structural damage due to winds

Madisonville

Lacombe

Upper Parish

River Parishes (St. John the Baptist, St. James, St. Charles)
- very little information available, but one report suggested significant structural damage due to high winds


Feel free to post any additional information you might have and I will integrate it and update this bulletin board.

Water Depth Gauge

This site includes a formula that LSU scientists are using to calculate the depth of the water in certain sections of the city. Perhaps more interestingly, it also includes a map where you can point and click precisely to find the estimated water depth at that specific location.

http://mapper.cctechnol.com/

Emergency Numbers

Included below is a pretty comprehensive list of potentially useful emergency contact numbers:


NOW...


Notify people where you are:

Air America Public Voicemail
866.217.6255

Red Cross
877.LOVED 1S

RedCross.org
Click on Family Tracing

National Next of Kin Registry
nokr.org

notify to deployed oversees military
888.777.7731

National ASPCA for pets
866.275.3923

HurricanehHousing.org

Operation Share Your Home: 888-827-2525

RedCross.org
800.HELP NOW

United Jewish Communities
ujc.org

United Way
national.unitedway.org

Second Harvest
secondharvest.org

FUTURE...

Habitat for Humanity
866.292.7892


OTHER...

FEMA.org

FEMA assistance
http://www.fema.gov/rrr/inassist.shtm
http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/resources_katrina.shtm

Many more numbers and links at www.CNN.com


from: http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/

Hurricane Katrina Donations Hotline 1-866-334-8305 (Available as of 8:00 AM September 5th)
FEMA Disaster Assistance 1-800-621-3362 / 1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
National Flood Insurance Program
Charitable organizations recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

American Red Cross Disaster Donations - (800) 435-7669
Red Cross 225-295-0104, 225-243-1889
Salvation Army - (800) 725-2769

Katrina - Shelter Information:

Red Cross- 1(866)-GET-INFO (438-4636)

Pet Shelters LSU 1-800-928-5862
Locations for Animal Evacuation:
Alexandria - Large & Small 318-442-4222 (all vet clinics will accept)
Lamar Dixon - Gonzales - Large Animals
Shreveport - LSU-S (pets only, no livestock)
West Monroe - Ike Hamilton Coliseum

Louisiana Hotel Information 1-800-99-GUMBO


Katrina - Key Information/services
Missing Persons (New Orleans) 225-925-6626, 7708, 7709, 3511, or 7412
www.nola.com or www.katrinacheckin.com
Coast Guard Search & Rescue 1-800-323-7233
Search & Rescue 1-800 or 225-922-0325, 0012, 0286
FEMA 1-800-621-3362 Food & Shelter vouchers www.fema.gov
Missing Persons (Mississippi only) 601-987-1430
DHH Triage Line 1-800-349-1373
N.O. Babies & Patients (Evacuees) 225-924-8380 Woman’s Hospital
Road Conditions – lsp.org or 1-800-994-8626
Wildlife & Fisheries 1-800-256-2749 or 1-800-442-2511
Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries (Boats) 1-800-442-2511 or 225-925-7500
Prescriptions BR Mental Health Center 225-925-1906
Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries (Boats) 1-800-442-2511 or 225-925-7500
Prescriptions BR Mental Health Center 225-925-1906
Emergency Animal 225-578-6111
East Baton Rouge info 225-389-2100
Volunteer Hotline 211 (in LA)
LSU Health Care Workers Volunteers 225-219-0823
Price Gouging 1-800-488-2770
Metro Flight Info 225-355-0333
NO Airport info 504-464-0831
Emergency Response & Recovery
225-922-0325/0332/0333/0334/0335/0340/0341
To Report Road Closures: 1-800-469-4828
To Register Kids for school: 1-877-453-2721 or 225-226-3762
Dept of Social Services for emergency food stamps 922-3000, 219-1500, 342-9111, 342-0495

Related Parishes
Ascension Parish OEP 225-621-8360
E Baton Rouge OEP 225-389-2100
W Baton Rouge OEP 225-346-1577
Lafourche Parish OEP 985-537-7603
Livingston Parish OEP 225-686-3066
Orleans Parish OEP 504-415-1158
St Bernard Parish OEP 504-278-4267
St Charles Parish OEP 985-783-5050
St John Parish OEP 985-652-2222
Tangipahoa Parish OEP 985-748-3211
Terrebonne Parish OEP 985-873-6357

Aerial Shots of the City from Google

If you go to Google Maps (at http://maps.google.com/ ) you can see new satellite imagery of New Orleans, taken last Wednesday. The aerial photographs aren't perfect: much of Uptown/Algiers is either missing or not visible due to cloud cover, but this can still offer a good before/after comparison to see which areas were wet during the worst point in the levee breaks. More updates to the neighborhoods will come soon.

Soliciting Info on these Topics

Hey, I've also had requests for gathering information on the following topics:

1) Looting and Vandalism - where it is most prevalent

2) Gas Availability and Costs - reported evidence of price gouging

3) accessibility - ability to travel depending on standing water or fallen trees

4) Sanitation - areas most susceptible to illnesses borne by high levels of sewage or disease carrying animals (don't know how we'll be able to pinpoint that one)

Anyway, if anyone receives information on these topics, please list to me what you find by location and I will organize in the same manner as the chart I've made on "Neighborhoods" and flooding conditions.

Regarding Updates

I will try to update this blog on a daily basis. Updates should stand out in all caps, followed by the information it pertains to. Anyone else who has relevant material for the "Neighborhood" conditions update, feel free to send me a message as well as the verifiable media source (or individual) and I will integrate it to my existing post.