New Orleans rocked by huge blasts

[Rob W 0]

New Orleans rocked by huge blasts

 

Refugee Angela Perkins outside the New Orleans Superdome

 

Victims' desperation

The New Orleans riverfront has been hit by a series of massive blasts, and fires are raging in the area.

 

Details are sketchy, but the blast is believed to have involved a chemical factory. A large cloud of acrid, black smoke is drifting over New Orleans.

 

The news came as extra troops were sent to quell lawlessness in the city, where thousands are stranded without food or water in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

 

President Bush is to visit areas hit amid anger at the federal response.

[Guest alex]

Bloody hell, what next? Getting hit by a meteor?

[Rob W 0]

CNN

 

Louisiana wants 40,000 troops

FEMA defends response; Congress considers $10.5 billion bill

 

Thursday, September 1, 2005; Posted: 11:26 p.m. EDT (03:26 GMT)

 

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (CNN) -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco said Thursday she has requested the mobilization of 40,000 National Guard troops to restore order and assist in relief efforts in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.

 

She said that by Friday 12,000 National Guard members will have arrived in Louisiana and that sheriff's deputies from as far away as Michigan are on the way. (See video of National Guard efforts to rein in violence -- 3:14)

 

"They have been issued an oath of office and now have arrest powers in the state of Louisiana," she said.

 

Blanco said she also has requisitioned hundreds of buses from state schools to get the evacuees out of the city. (See video of residents trying to leave -- 2:00)

 

The work to help survivors continued Thursday as FEMA Director Michael Brown defended the pace of rescue efforts, calling the catastrophe "ongoing."

 

"This disaster did not end the day Katrina made landfall," Brown told CNN.

 

The breach at New Orleans' 17th Street Canal is under repair, and engineers expect to close the front of the canal at Lake Pontchartrain by Thursday evening, said Walter Baumy of the Army Corps of Engineers there. (Map)

 

There are accessibility problems with a second breach, he said.

 

Only when those breaches are closed can the process of draining the city begin. (Full story)

 

Blanco described the project Wednesday as an "engineering nightmare." (See video of Blanco discussing rescue and recovery efforts -- 3:09)

 

State officials now say "thousands" of people have died in flooded New Orleans and its surrounding parishes, but no official count has been compiled, Blanco said.

 

Meanwhile, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a "desperate SOS," saying that violence and lawlessness have overtaken the city, and hope is fading for the tens of thousands of starving survivors still stranded. (Full story)

 

Sniper fire has prevented Charity Hospital from evacuating its patients. The hospital has no electricity or water, food consists of a few cans of vegetables, and the patients had to be moved to upper floors because of looters. (Full story) (See video of a city sinking in chaos -- 2:54)

 

Thursday afternoon, rain began to fall on the thousands of people gathered under an overhang at the city's convention center. A National Guard helicopter dropped MREs -- meals ready to eat -- and some water bottles.

 

CNN's Chris Lawrence described "many, many" bodies, inside and outside the facility on New Orleans' Riverwalk. "There are multiple people dying at the convention center," he said.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Rob W

[Toonpack 9042]

Here's a blog where a guy - ex-US Marine is reporting from inside NO.

 

Evidently he works for an ISP and started off just posting messages for people, he's become the unofficial uncensored "on the spot" reporter.

 

Some of the stuff is incredible

 

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

[Rob W 0]

The veneer of civilisation is pretty thin in parts of the USA

 

Nothing like this after the tsunami

[Guest alex]

I know it's an over simplification but it's seem ludicrous to me that the USA can spend billions on the war in Iraq yet seem to be woefully unable to sort out what is happening in New Orleans. I realise that getting the city back to normality will take a huge engineering project but even the relief effort seems to have been very inadequate thus far.

[Rob W 0]

Especially as its been due for years........................

 

Anyone noticed the similarity between New Orleans and the capture of Baghdad

[Guest alex]

Especially as its been due for years........................

 

Anyone noticed the similarity between New Orleans and the capture of Baghdad

27270[/snapback]

As I mentioned in the other thread about New Orleans, I saw a documentary years ago about how catastrophic a hurricane hitting the city would be. So, as you say, this wasn't unexpected.

[adios 717]

I know it's an over simplification but it's seem ludicrous to me that the USA can spend billions on the war in Iraq yet seem to be woefully unable to sort out what is happening in New Orleans. I realise that getting the city back to normality will take a huge engineering project but even the relief effort seems to have been very inadequate thus far.

27257[/snapback]

 

Have a read of Blumenthal's article over on the Guardian web site, he claims a direct correlation between the level of damages caused and the war in Iraq.

[Rob W 0]

If this is the general standard of disaster planning in the USA I'm not going to LA or San Francisco again....................

[adios 717]

Here's a blog where a guy - ex-US Marine is reporting from inside NO.

 

Evidently he works for an ISP and started off just posting messages for people, he's become the unofficial uncensored "on the spot" reporter.

 

Some of the stuff is incredible

 

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

27231[/snapback]

 

That guy's had me in stiches. He thinks he's in the middle of a war zone in 'Outpost Crystal' when his biggest concern is appeals for clean underwear and a hit counter for his site. Has he noticed there's a real disaster area and flooding outside of his building with full heating and internet access?

 

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

 

Doing what we can, this is Outpost Crystal getting back to work.

[Rob W 0]

Christ!

 

When the whole of Tyneside is slipping into the 50 Fathom Fault you won't find me emailing rubbish about "Mr Prime Minister" - I'll know the selfish lying bastard will be warm amd safe and far, far away.................... and doesn't give a toss for us.......

[Guest alex]

Christ!

 

When the whole of Tyneside is slipping into  the 50 Fathom Fault you won't find me emailing rubbish about "Mr Prime Minister"  - I'll know the selfish lying bastard will be warm amd safe and far, far away....................  and doesn't give a toss for us.......

27302[/snapback]

Bollocks! How can you suggest that? Blair used to sit in the old Gallowgate End don't you know

[Rob W 0]

Christ!

 

When the whole of Tyneside is slipping into  the 50 Fathom Fault you won't find me emailing rubbish about "Mr Prime Minister"  - I'll know the selfish lying bastard will be warm amd safe and far, far away....................  and doesn't give a toss for us.......

27302[/snapback]

Bollocks! How can you suggest that? Blair used to sit in the old Gallowgate End don't you know

27303[/snapback]

 

 

Aye, in the same row as me, wor kid, the owld gadge with the muffler, Lord Westwood and Hughie Gallagher watching Newcastle win the League - aa remember it like it was yesterday..........

[80-2 0]

The veneer of civilisation is pretty thin in parts of the USA

 

Nothing like this after the tsunami

27250[/snapback]

 

The tsunami wasn't as bad as this for various reasons. It came, did losts of damage to coastal villages and went away again. Here, the water won't even drain away, it stretches far further inland, into industrialised areas, and, to put it simply, modern Western civilisation isn't too robust at dealing with things like this, nowadays. We're raised in a society which relies on everything relying on everything else. People drive along smoothly paved, sign-posted streets to eat ready-made food out of containers. Now, large parts of the South of the USA are in collapse.

 

Bollocks! How can you suggest that? Blair used to sit in the old Gallowgate End don't you know

27303[/snapback]

 

As much as I hate to ruin this legendary anecdote, its been proven that he never said this when he was said to have.

[adios 717]

I think it's poetic justice to be honest - heart of Bush country, situation exacerbated by Bush's policies.

[Rob W 0]

The veneer of civilisation is pretty thin in parts of the USA

 

Nothing like this after the tsunami

27250[/snapback]

 

The tsunami wasn't as bad as this for various reasons. It came, did losts of damage to coastal villages and went away again. Here, the water won't even drain away, it stretches far further inland, into industrialised areas, and, to put it simply, modern Western civilisation isn't too robust at dealing with things like this, nowadays. We're raised in a society which relies on everything relying on everything else. People drive along smoothly paved, sign-posted streets to eat ready-made food out of containers. Now, large parts of the South of the USA are in collapse.

 

Bollocks! How can you suggest that? Blair used to sit in the old Gallowgate End don't you know

27303[/snapback]

 

As much as I hate to ruin this legendary anecdote, its been proven that he never said this when he was said to have.

27323[/snapback]

 

he said something bloody close to it........

[Gemmill 43842]

Here's a blog where a guy - ex-US Marine is reporting from inside NO.

 

Evidently he works for an ISP and started off just posting messages for people, he's become the unofficial uncensored "on the spot" reporter.

 

Some of the stuff is incredible

 

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

27231[/snapback]

 

That guy's had me in stiches. He thinks he's in the middle of a war zone in 'Outpost Crystal' when his biggest concern is appeals for clean underwear and a hit counter for his site. Has he noticed there's a real disaster area and flooding outside of his building with full heating and internet access?

 

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

 

Doing what we can, this is Outpost Crystal getting back to work.

27295[/snapback]

 

 

He thinks he's Rambo. He'll be telling us he can eat things that would make a billy goat puke next.

 

"God didn't make him. I did."

[adios 717]

I have a lot of people telling us to abandon ship and get out. Guys, that's not gonna happen. I'll eat roaches and drink the funky Quarter sludge in the gutters of Bourbon Street long before I abandon my city. I've got resources and will and so does my team, and we're here until this is over.

 

Good enough?

[Gemmill 43842]

I have a lot of people telling us to abandon ship and get out. Guys, that's not gonna happen. I'll eat roaches and drink the funky Quarter sludge in the gutters of Bourbon Street long before I abandon my city. I've got resources and will and so does my team, and we're here until this is over.

 

Good enough?

27335[/snapback]

 

 

Legend.

[80-2 0]

he said something bloody close to it........

 

It dates back to a radio interview, 5Live, I think. But in actuality, he said he was in the Gallowgate around the time just after Milburn had departed. So he wasn't even a glory-hunter, we were starting to get shit then...

[adios 717]

Teams Alpha and Bravo finished the medium range recon and there are 3 separate locations on fire. We have pictures coming shortly.

 

During the recon, I spoke to some Federal Marshalls and NOPD. Morale is LOW. Very low. They're not seeing the military presence they say they were promised. I told those guys they can't possibly imagine how much we (the world) appreciate their dedication. I asked what civil rights the citizens have and the US Marshalls looked at me like I just fell off the turnip truck and chuckled. I asked if citizens can have guns for protection and he said if someone thinks he needs a gun, he should have already evacuated. He also said they are setting the city on fire.

 

The NOPD wants to know where "the two active duty brigades" were that he says they were told were supposed to arrive today. When I asked him what he would want to tell the world, he said Everyone keeps talking about the military presence in the city, and then asked me," Do you see any military around here" in dusgust.

 

We reconned our roof also, to get a better view of the city and took... I hesitate to call them "amazing" pictures. My city... it has been punched in the face and is on the canvas being counted out.

 

And yes, that's smoke you see out of the windows. The city is under a haze from the fires. Smoke and ash are floating miles away from the fires.

 

More classics from our man in Louisiana. I'm fighting the urge to email him to say it's his duty to take on the heavily armed looters armed only with a knife and his wits.

[Gemmill 43842]

Situation Critical

Well, people, I'm not sure how much longer we're going to have internet. Our last OC3 which is located down the street is going to run out of fuel sometime tomorrow according to the providers. They had a fuel drop scheduled for today and they didn't make it in. Now it's scheduled for tomorrow morning. Our fuel drop was a no-show also. We have fuel for several days, but if the provider goes down it's game over man. There's no reason to be here any longer at that point. Our primary mission will be over and this blog will not be able to be updated.

 

I don't have much hope for success given the track record we've had with the fuel. So basically what I'm saying is that sometime tomorrow (Saturday), I probably will no longer be able to update. I hope this doesn't come across as melodramtic -- I'm just giving it to you straight.

 

We fought off the hurricane, civil unrest, fire, fatigue, and pressure from everyone to bug out. What we can't do is run other people's generators with our sheer force of will. We need them to get their diesel.

 

This is where I thank all of you for your kindness, prayers, support, and help. I don't know how or why this all happened the way it did. But it did happen this way, and I've tried to shoulder the responsibilities the company and the readers of this blog placed on me, however unintentionally, with resolve and focus. Hopefully, the guys down the street will get their fuel. Hopefully this post will not be one of my last. Hopefully we'll be able to stay here and see this through to the end. Know that I am trying every feasible option to make this happen. It simply comes down to whether or not the scheduled drops get made tomorrow. If they do, I'll be here. If they don't, I'll be taking Crystal with me sometime this week to head out somewhere.

 

There's nothing more we can do from here. We need those trucks to show up down the street. That's all there is.

 

I guess I will spend the rest of my night til I crash in IRC with you guys and answering as many IMs as possible.

 

Aye best that you stop in and play on MSN under the circumstances.

 

Looks like we won't be hearing from the legend for too much longer.

 

Oh and:

 

What a bowl of fubar soup we got served for dinner tonight. Yummy.

 

WTF?!

[Happy Face 29]

The red cross want donations for relief....

 

here

 

Call me a twat but why can't the US government immediately free up funds to pay for this themselves? It would cost a tiny fraction of the hundreds of billions they've spent on blitzing iraq (I almost fell for the prpaganda and foolishly called it a war then).

 

Anyway, they reckon up to 10,000 dead so....you know.

Edited September 3, 2005 by Happy Face

[luckyluke 2]

A couple of friends of mine got back from the States last night - apparently the only news coverage is rousing stuff such as American flags being pulled out of the mud etc.

 

By the way did you all see the Mayor of New Orleans rip into Bush (sadly not literally) the other night? Fair play to the guy.