The Laughing Wolf

Hurricane Katrina: New Orleans Flooding

According to reports by both Brendan Loy and Josh Britton one of the worst-case scenarios is taking place: a major levee has given way. According to reports, a 200-foot section of Lake Pontchartrain levee has given way, at 17th and Canal. Go to them for the latest, though Brendan has not updated since about 0130 hours and Josh since 0348. MINI-UPDATE: Both are taking breaks for now.

Fox is now reporting multiple levee breaks/overflows, apparently three breeches and multiple overflows. They are also reporting deaths in the SuperDome, and bodies seen floating in canals. Unsure if those are bodies from recent burials (NO has above ground burial) or people who stayed behind. One report of 50 people killed at one building in Mississippi. MINI-UPDATE: Figure is now given as 30 (or so).

Add this to the hammering given Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and things are bad. It may well be weeks before we know the full extent of damage and deaths.

As bad as they are, however, it could have been much worse. Had the storm not dropped in strength as much and as fast as it did, had it not jogged in course...

More later...