Katrina

[Beth]

Katrina is one big, bag storm this morning. I canoot believe how much she grew overnight. The Weather Channel keeps saying she will turn north, but I wouldn't be surprised if a storm that large and strong did exacly what she wanted to and steered the weather around it instead of the other way around.

Folks in Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama -- even coastal east Texas, I hope you are not at home to be reading this. A storm with 160 mile an hour sustained winds (meaning tornado strength gusts) and walls of water over 20 feet is nothing to play around with. Please stay safe!

[mom2garret]

I started a thread too but I am going to jump in on this one as well! We are glued to the tv watching and praying for all of those in Katrina's path. PRAYERS AND PEACE TOO ALL THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM! :( :mad:
Jodi

[Beth]

We must have been typing at the same time, but I am slow and distracted by watching the TV and talking to DH and the boys about this storm. If the forcasters are not right about the northerly turn (and Katrina has seemed to have a mind of her own so far) that storm could hit west Louisiana or east Texas and they would be totally unprepared. That scares me as much as what she could do to New Orleans and the surrounding area.

[SamanthaD]

My boys and I will be praying for the safety of all in the path of Katrina.
Sam

[Natasha]

Sending out good wishes and thoughts to anyone possibly affected by Katrina.

Natasha

[Kristal]

This storm looks to be very very bad. Stay safe, everyone.

[lindrusso]

More prayers coming from Indiana.

Obviously it would be devastating for ANY area to get hit by a category 5 storm, but New Orleans is particularly vulnerable. :( Not only is it below sea level, but as in most major cities, some folks simply don't have their own means of transportation and have no way out of the city.

We'll be praying for a major weakening of this storm.

Alysha

[HealthyinMN]

Anyone in Katrina's path please try and stay safe! It is one large mean storm!

[candlelight]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/candlelight1961/prayer2.bmp
All who are in the path, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Beth]

It's now 175 mph and not expected to make landfall until tomorrow. Any chance it could blow itself out? I do not want to see this hit New Orleans -- not really anywhere. They said the Superdome is being used as a shelter of last resort for folk who can not get away, but I do wonder what it will be like with that much water. More prayers for safety.....

[Robyncz]

It's now 175 mph and not expected to make landfall until tomorrow. Any chance it could blow itself out? I do not want to see this hit New Orleans -- not really anywhere. They said the Superdome is being used as a shelter of last resort for folk who can not get away, but I do wonder what it will be like with that much water. More prayers for safety.....

As a Tulane alumnus and former resident advisor, I can't stop thinking about all the incoming freshman who were scheduled to arrive for orientation this weekend. I think the dorms were set to open Saturday morning, and then they had to turn around and evacuate the campus. Can you imagine being an incoming freshman and parents--driving in from who-knows-where with a dorm room full of stuff--and having to turn around and find someplace to go? I can't even imagine the chaos. I know Tulane has an evacuation plan to bus students to Jackson State University. That is complicated enough when everyone has been briefed and knows what's going on.What a way to start the school year!

[fci5767]

I wish everyone in Katrina's path the best. I lived in South Florida for eight years and was lucky enough not to experience any major hurricanes.

I spoke with a friend down there this morning and they are fine but it was a very scary experience. I hope everyone else has the same good fortune.

[tperes]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. There isn't much to say other than, let us know how you are doing on the other side!

[Terrytx]

My Dad called last night. He and my uncle live in Mandeville (near NO) and they packed it in to Baton Rouge to ride it out at my cousin's house. He has never left before, so he is taking it very seriously and I am very thankful.

[Dahlia]

They said the Superdome is being used as a shelter of last resort for folk who can not get away, but I do wonder what it will be like with that much water......


On the subject of the Superdome, this just in from FoxNews:

Holes Open Up in Louisiana Superdome Roof

Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Katrina ripped away part of the roof on the Louisiana Superdome (search) as thousands of storm refugees huddled inside Monday.

Strips of metal were peeled away, creating two holes that were visible from the floor of the huge arena. Water dripped in and people were moved away from about five sections of seats directly below.

Others watched as sheets of metal flapped visibly and noisily. From the floor, more than 19 stories below the dome, the openings appeared to be 6 feet long.

"The Superdome is not in any dangerous situation," Gov. Kathleen Blanco (search) said.

General Manager Glenn Menard said he did not know how serious the problem was.

"We have no way of getting anyone up there to look," he said.

Aside from the tear in the huge roof, the 77,000-seat steel-framework stadium, home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints (search), provided few comforts but at least had bathrooms and food donated by charities.

The wind that howled around the dome during the night was not heard in the interior of the building where the refugees were kept.

"Everybody slept last night. They didn't seem to have any problems," said Dr. Kevin Stephens Sr., in charge of the medical shelter in the Superdome. "They slept all over the place."

Power failed in the Superdome around 5 a.m. Monday, triggering groans from the crowd. Emergency generators kicked in, but the backup power runs only reduced lighting, not the air conditioning.

..... More on the story here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,167313,00.html