Tropical Storm Katrina Attacks Mississippi, New Orleans, Alabama, Gulf Coast, Etc...
Tropical storm Katrina (one of the worst natural disasters of US history, also hottest summer in recorded American history) has already caused over $25,000,000,000 (25 billion dollars, this figure could double with insurance claims) in damages, food/water/gas/housing/shelter shortages, looting/crime (price gauging) running rampant (military law to take affect?), it is horrendous! Got as high as a Category 5 (thankfully it was not a Cat5 after all) tropical storm (the warm gulf coast waters increased the high winds greatly), a rarity for United States! This was expected to be a bad year for rare weather patterns (maybe due to global warming?). Nature is cruel! Unfortunately the ground beneath us is constantly moving, flooding, sinking, colliding and shifting or erupting.
I have had my life uprooted from accidental fires (once an apartment fire caused me to become homeless without any possessions of my own left), but I could not imagine my entire neighborhood, city or even state destroyed and devastated. Funny how everyone was told to go to the Dome, it looks like the first place I would visit if
I was a huricane (Tsunami?)! Thankfully everyone had sufficient notice to leave the area (if they had an alternative, many could not leave family behind, many without cars, some people were just plain stubborn, some people are too poor to relocate or have no where else to go), yet many people are still left behind (worries of water borne diseases/illnesses and mosquitoes infestations carrying other disease).
My heart goes out to people living in Mississippi, New Orleans, southern Alabama, Gulf Coast, etc... I encourage everyone to volunteer (search & rescue workers, fire fighters, debris cleaners/clearing, medical staff, engineers, etc) for or donate to a hurricane relief fund (the damage is tremendous and many homeless or missing) like UNICEF, United Way, American Red Cross (many wounded need blood donations, even volunteer nurses and doctors are needed) or the Salvation Army (find links on http://www.sparesomechange.com for homeless/poverty organizations near disaster areas), (make sure it is reputable organization)!
UPDATE 10:55 PM 9/2/2005:
I am glad that the National Guard (martial law has
been imposed, military is in control of the government, but more troops are
needed from northern states that have not been affected) is finally stepping in
(why did it take the government so long to help out, where are the bottled water
companies like Coca-Cola, or any company that makes canned/dried food, where is
Grey Hound with the buses to get survivors out, baby formula makers like Glaxo,
bedding/towels/clothes, etc?), militia law needed to be in effect days ago since
people are shooting and killing each other down in the ravaged areas, it has
gone crazy down there with looting and killing! People are resorting to their
natural/primitive instincts as they are hungry, thirsty (basics for survival of
all life) and desperate to get out of that area, whether they have to murder for
a car or kill for gas money... Finally the National Guard is bringing in Army
rationed food packs...
Looting WalMart for a wide screen TV where there is no electricity is called
stealing (holding a gun to someone's head to steal their car is called armed
robbery and maybe even attempt of murder). Looting a store for water, feminine
products, medical needs (medications previously prescribed or needed in an
emergency) and non perishable food (necessities) is called survival of the
fittest... Many people think that this looting and stealing is a stereotypical
race thing, well let me tell you that where those awful videos come from, the
majority (at least 75%-85%) of the people there are African-Americans, yes
people were well warned, but not everyone had the money or resources to leave
(most white folks had the resources, cars/gas, friends to go to or family, many
of the poor minorities and homeless, sick, elderly, mentally ill, etc were just
abandoned). If this happened in New York City, you'd probably see more white
people panicking and doing stupid things! Let's starve and neglect you of
food/shelter/water/relief, plus emerge in neck deep water (ancient Chinese water
torture) and lets see how civilized you remain...
http://katrina.sparesomechange.com (Katrina homeless links)
1) Where To Safely/Securely Donate?
The American Red Cross
Donation Link:
Click here and select 'Donate Now'.
The American Red Cross is launching the
largest mobilization of resources in its history for a single natural disaster. More than two hundred Red Cross shelters are housing thousands of residents who fled Katrina’s wrath. More than 200 emergency response vehicles and countless other Red Cross resources are en route or on the scene to provide hot meals, snacks, bottled water and distribute other much-needed relief supplies.
You can help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by making a financial donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.
You can make a secure online contribution by visiting the Red Cross Online Donation Page.
1-800-HELP-NOW
(1-800-435-7669)
English speaking
1-800-257-7575
Spanish Speaking
The Salvation Army
Donation Link:
Click here and follow the donate on line link (1-800-SAL-ARMY).
Relief
focus: The Salvation Army is prepared to provide 400,000 hot meals a day to
displaced disaster victims and emergency personnel working to aid those
devastated by Hurricane Katrina. They also provide a means for individuals to
physically volunteer their time and assistance in the relief efforts.
United Way
Donation Link: Click here and follow Katrina donation links.
Relief focus: United Way is leading response and recovery efforts by working hard to identify the most serious needs of devastated communities and is committed to helping not only with front-line disaster relief but with long-term recovery—those needs that are often not addressed in the days, weeks and months following a disaster.
Feed The Children
Donation Link: Click here and follow the donation link.
Relief focus: Feed the Children has long been competent at mobilizing and distributing supplies to disaster victims and victims of famine and disease. They are currently mobilizing a massive relief effort by gathering needed supplies and getting them to hurricane devastated areas.
Habitat for Humanity
Donation link: Click here and follow the Katrina link.
Relief focus: Helping disaster victims rebuild piece by piece and house by house.
The Better Business Bureau's Give.org site can help you decide which charity if you are torn. They have reports available on major charitable organizations and, in some cases, detailed information on a charity's organization and administration.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is accepting donations at its 3,800 stores and Web site,
www.WalMart.com.
Americares.org
Known as the most efficient relief charity in the U.S. (and Non-denominational
also)
88 Hamilton Avenue, Stamford, CT USA 06902
Toll Free: 1-800-486-HELP (4357) Phone: 01-203-658-9500
2) News Coverage
Yahoo! FULL COVERAGE: Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
Google Groups katrina relief aid
The
KatrinaHelp Wiki relief page
Images/Photos Of Katrina
3) Weather Related Resources
National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
Actual
Water Level Measurements, at New Orleans, LA
USGS 073802338 IWW @ I-510 Bridge (Paris Rd) http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=073802338
See this
Google Map for location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Paris+Road,+New+Orleans,+LA+70129
&spn=0.217644,0.317677&hl=en
National Weather Service
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/ graphicsversion/bigmain.html
Hydrologic
Information Center (river flooding)
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hic /index.html
4) Government Resources
Federal Emergency Management Agency
1-800-621-FEMA
http://www.fema.gov/
City of New Orleans
http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx
Louisiana Governor's Office
http://www.gov.state.la.us/
Mississippi Emergency Management
http://www.msema.org/
Louisiana Homeland Security
http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/
5) State Government Resources
Louisiana Emergency Road Closures
http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/evacinfo/rdclosureindex.htm
Mississippi Emergency
Road Closures
http://www.gomdot.com/
Alabama
Emergency Road Closures
http://www.dot.state.al.us/closures/
Florida
Emergency Road Closures
http://www.floridadisaster.org/
New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau Update
http://www.neworleanscvb.com/static/index.cfm/action/group/
contentID/256/sectionID/1/subsectionID/0/
