Hurricane Katrina

[Khoal]

For those who don't know: Hurricane Katrina has made landfall. Four are confirmed dead, and a family is missing.

Ipray any and all of you who are impacted by this storm stay safe!

[Khoal]

Update for those who may want to know: The hurricane is now classified as Category 5, the strongest type of hurricane there is (a Category4 hurricane virtually wiped the city of Galveston, Texas,off the map in the early 1900s).

Winds have been recorded at 165 mph.

Forecasts suggest it may hit New Orleans, which, with a 28-foot storm surge, may well drown that city. A mandatory evacuation has been ordered, and the Superdome has become a giant storm shelter for those who can't get out in time.

From FoxNews:

... the evacuation was slow going. Highways in Louisiana and Mississippi were jammed as people headed away from Katrina's expected landfall. All lanes were limited to northbound traffic on Interstates 55 and 59, and westbound on I-10.

Hurricanes suck. Cat5 hurricanes exist on a plane of suckage that is hard to quantify.

[*-)]

Edit: Changed the Category rating of the Galveston storm. I stand corrected.

[imported_Denrath]

Update for those who may want to know: The hurricane is now classified as Category 5, the strongest type of hurricane there is (a Category 5 hurricane virtually wiped the city of Galveston, Texas,off the map in the early 1900s).

The one that wiped Galveston was only a Cat 4. There have been only 3 Cat 5 Hurricanes to hit the US, An Unnamed one that hit the Florida Keys, Camile, and Andrew.

[imported_Eileen Mavourneen]

My dad and sister live on the coast, nestled between Biloxi and Mobile in a little nowhere place called VanCleave. I got just enough contactvia my nephew'scell phone today to know they are all still alive but the connection didn't last long enough to learn about damages or injuriesfor our family. So I'm still watching CNN from Tempe, AZ and worrying. It will be a very long time for them to rebuild, if they even can down there.
Luck and safety to all down there, and all in the same boat of anxious waiting that we are in.

[imported_Denrath]

The base there in Biloxi got hammered from what I heard this evening. Classes have been postponed I think, and I know there were a few buildings that were decimated.

[Eleena]

My Great Aunt Rose and her husband Don lived all their married life in Slidell, LA... the entire town is now gone... Rose passed away about 6 months ago and Uncle Don was still living there... all 14 of their children also lived in/around there and New Orleans... we have not heard from any of them.... My dads brother, Gary and his wife Kay, lived in Gulfport... their home is now gone too... no word from them yet either... I am on a Search And Rescue Unit and have been asked to go down to help but being as my dog is currently out of commission, not sure yet if we are. Life is in a holding pattern for me until I can figure out what if anything we are doing in response to the mass destruction. We live in Tupelo, MS and there is alot of local/regional work to be done here too so am atm trying to atleast get a schedule/plan put into place. Hope those we know on the naval bases are ok too as my husband spent 8 years in.. have heard from those that were out on leave elsewhere but no word of course from those on base still... Hope everyone else is fairing well that is dealing with direct tragedy or are still waiting...



Eleena

[Kwinn]

The subject says it all

I donated $50 to the Red Cross. They need all they can get now.

This is a challenge to our players, friends...everyone Meet or exceed what I donated. Those people need our help.



Moderators: Please leave this here for a few days so it can can some exposure. Thanks

[awdz]

Agreed Kwinn, we should all do what we can to help in the face of this catastrophe... I cannot fathom how much some folks have lost, let alone the country as a whole. Thanks for posting the challenge, I'll do what I can.

[Guaran]

Glad to hear you are OK Eleena.

I doubt New Orleans will ever be exactly as it was, ever again.

[FleshRoast]

Godspeed Eleena. I hope you can get there to help. They really need it.

Flsssssh
Blight's Redemption

[Eleena]

Thank you so much for the good thoughts of my own safety. I know just how fortunate I am to be alive yet still have a large number of my family that has not been heard from...

After much thought and discussion, we have decided that I will be going down each weekend for the next 6 months. Why so long you may ask as the initial SAR will be over. The reason is this... I will be taking down supplies for those who continue to do the recovery missions and the reclamation. There will be thousands staying to help 'clean up' after the initial mass operation is finished. With not having been down there myself yet and still no word from any of my large family there, its the leastI can do.... now, as someone else has, I challenge out entire gaming family to contribute. If you are interested in helping with this, please send me a pm... and dont think that its just cash that you could help with. I will be adding a full list of needs to my business website and those who pm me wishing to help will be sent that web address. I beg each of you to seriously consider what you are willing to do to help others who have suffered such a loss. It might not be a hurricane that would affect you directly but another natural disaster. I look forward to hearing from many of you and thanks for the time to think of us here...

Eleena

[imported_Denrath]

Those doing the actual cleanup will probably be pretty set when it comes to supplies (and when it finallygets to that point). The ones who could use the supplies will be the various shelters that are taking in all these people who no longer have a home.

Good luck with your family Eleena, I hope you hear from them soon.

[Eleena]

Actually Denrath, I have had a direct call from our SAR unit... they are NOT set for anything and the g'vt has fallen on their fannies on this one... the units are having to supply MOST if not ALL of their own supplies.. I would not have asked for help from others to help them if not for a call specifically asking for help for them.... They are having to try to come up with everything... FEMA has thus far given them nothing to work with... and at this point, the units are having to 'travel' to get supplies when they run out of what they have...

Eleena

[imported_Denrath]

There is a difference between what they have now, and what they will have in place when it comes time for clean-up.