Weakened Gustav Swipes New Orleans

Category 1 Hurricane Passes City, But Storm Surges Still Threaten; Canal Overtopped But Holds

(CBS/AP)  More than three-quarters of a million people are without power in Louisiana, as Hurricane Gustav brought torrential rains and winds to a region still recovering three years after Katrina's devastating blow.

Gustav weakened to a Category 1 hurricane this afternoon after making landfall near Cocodrie, La., early Monday. A direct hit on flood-prone New Orleans was avoided, boosting hope that the city would avoid catastrophic flooding.

At 3:00 p.m. EDT the National Hurricane Center said the center of Gustav was about 35 miles southeast of Lafayette.

Six to 12 inches of rain is expected, with an extremely dangerous storm surge of 10 to 14 feet above normal tidal levels.

The storm's winds dropped to about 90 mph with higher gusts, as the storm moved northwest near 16 mph.

Entergy Spokesman Morgan Stewart told CBS Station WWL in New Orleans there are 752,000 customers across the state without power, and noted that due to the heavy winds, in the southern part of the state, there is scarcely a road without a downed tree or power line. Cleco Corp., which has 273,000 customers in the state, said the number of customers without power was at 50,000 and growing.

At a press conference early this afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal pointed out that Gustav is bringing with it storm surges that may continue and even increase over the next several hours, so it may not be until midnight when the state can see how bad Gustav will get.

"The good news is that the storm is not slowing down; we expect it to decrease in intensity over the next 24 hours," he said.

A hurricane warning remains in effect from just east of High Island, Texas eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from east of the Mississippi-Alabama border to the Ochlockonee River.

Loss Of Life
There has been one traffic fatality reported in Louisiana, a 57-year-old woman from Jefferson whose vehicle ran off I-10 eastbound and hit a tree.

In addition, a car carrying six passengers who were fleeing the storm from Marrero, La., a suburb just south of New Orleans, veered from Interstate 20 in west Georgia around 10 p.m. Sunday night and struck a tree. A Georgia State Patrol Trooper said the driver may have fallen asleep.

Four people were killed: 27-year-old Derek Bryant, 33-year-old Lynika Kennard, 2-year-old Derk Kennard and 45-year-old Gyrone Hudson.

Property Damage
Tornadoes may have been responsible for some of the damage caused throughout southern Louisiana. In Terrabone Parish, for one, the roofs were blown off many houses, and several mobile homes were destroyed.

The storm could prove devastating to the region of fishing villages and oil-and-gas towns where a combination of factors have left the area with virtually no natural buffer against storms. Also, damage to refineries and drilling platforms could disrupt production, driving up gasoline prices.

The extent of the damage in Cajun country was not immediately clear. State officials said that as of noon they had still not reached anyone at Port Fourchon, a vital hub for the energy industry where huge amounts of oil and gas are piped inland to refineries. Gustav's passed about 20 miles from the port and there are fears the damage there could be extensive.

Jindal said that 85 percent of gas stations in southern Louisiana have no in-ground fuel. Refineries (which have shut down) have only a three-day supply.

Jindal said, "I am officially calling on the president to release fuel from the strategic petroleum reserve. We know we're going to need this fuel by Thursday."

All Eyes On Industrial Canal
In New Orleans' Upper 9th Ward about half the streets closest to the Industrial Canal were flooded with ankle- to knee-deep water as the road dipped and rose.

But city officials and the Army Corps of Engineers said they expected the levees - still only partially rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina - would hold. The canal broke during Hurricanes Betsy and Katrina, flooding St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward.

"We are seeing some overtopping waves," said Col. Jeff Bedey, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers' hurricane protection office. "We are cautiously optimistic and confident that we won't see catastrophic wall failure."

The Corps shored up parts of the canal system to address stability issues that arose following a geotechnical analysis a couple of weeks ago. A secondary wall of large, sand-filled Hesco baskets was created as a buffer between the western side of the canal and the floodwall bordering the Gentilly Woods subdivision.

So far, as water poured over the edge of the canal, those bags have held.

Mayor Ray Nagin said the city will not know until late afternoon if the vulnerable West Bank would stay dry. Worries about the level of flood protection in an area where enhancements to the levees are years from completion was a key reason Nagin was so insistent residents evacuate the city.

[mawskrat]

Nagin is a clown......other than that prayers for all involved

[nextgenman]

Posted by jodyrae4 at 08:16 AM : Sep 01, 2008
-------

Tell it to Ted Haggard.

[arohanui-2009]

Seems to me Jodyrae, your morals are sadly lacking as is your for respect for your fellow man...that is lacking evident in your post. Yet to see a mayor anywhere able to teach people the morals they should have acquired by age 4. And yes, sad when you have to protect your home from looters, sadly, a phenomena not solely attributed to New Orleans but anywhere there is any sort of disaster anywhere on the planet.

[antoniof123]

Posted by jodyrae4 at 08:16 AM : Sep 01, 2008

Were you born stupid or did you attend a special school.

[generey]

Its blow time!

[jodyrae4]

No..I wasn''t born stupid ..I have morals..no I''m not a looter..I just remember all those buses that were under water and all the people that died!
The elderly people dying really got to me!
I know no one knew it would be as bad as it was..
I just don''t think Nagin did a good job helping people!

[ajaxtheleast]

CATAGORY 2, FOLKS !!DO I HEAR CATAGORY 1 ?

A Tropical Depression???

Is this a preview of the "maverick''s"
White House decision making??:,,,,

For three days,,,"weighed" the RNC convention
as regards Gustav.

for one day,,,"Eyed" the RNC convention as
regards Gustav.

the forth day,,,,dropped 90% of the RNC convention.

the fifth day,,,"Took off his Republican hat,
put on his American hat"

Today,,,, the "Maverick" awoke to

protect us from a CAT 5 ,,,,,,

and now the "Maverick" is praying

that it wont end up a,,,,,

Tom Jone''s "PusssyCat-PusssyCat"

that he''s protecting us from !

[arohanui-2009]

Good night from Australia and God Bless any poor soul affected by Gustav. I hope like hell they never need compassion and assistance from the likes of cwazywabt and his ilk. Sad country you live in.

[abmitus]

howzilla

All we need from you is bottom to top lip contact. I nother words, SHUT THE - UP!

[antepamfe200]

My prayers go out to all who are in this storms path. Espically to the children in the children''s hospital that are to critical to move. God bless the nurses who are staying behind to care for them. Thank you.

[abbe91]

All we need from you is bottom to top lip contact. I nother words, SHUT THE - UP!

Posted by abmitus at 10:17 AM : Sep 01, 2008

He''d rather see his tax dollars used for killing Iraqis
than for saving fellow Americans ...

[whatithink-2009]

"Funny how the web page shows a white kid.....maybe because if it was po black folk we wouldn''''t have any compassion.
Posted by cwazywabt"


There you go. It always comes down to race. We are a nation of non-racists who can''t get over the topic.

[whatithink-2009]

jodyrae4,

Do you realize that the FEMA director (Brown) at the time didn''t allow those buses to be used? Do you know this? He prevented the local government from using those buses. He wanted to use FEMA buses that never came.

[xlib]

whatithink-cite your source regarding the buses. From I know those buses should have been used BEFORE the storm hit. The democratic establishment did nothing prior to the storm when they had 4 days warning. They did nothing.
And, since when would FEMA be expected to be present during the storm? The norm has always been local and state disater plans should be in effect. Where were they??? Your dems did NOTHING and even after the storm blanco had to be begged to call out the Guard.

[txgrouch2006]

Sad country you live in.
Posted by arohanui at 10:08 AM : Sep 01, 2008

What''s sad is watching the same persons jumping out in front of the same train over and over again, and expecting billion dollar rescues from all of us every time -

And all because their own state has spent decades focused more on building casinos than on building levees.

But the problem is a lack of compassion for them... RIIIIIIIGHT!!!

[txgrouch2006]

OK, the storm has made landfall - now a category 2.

How long before they start blaming Bush for the heavy rain and wind...

[mawskrat]

how much did it cost the tax payer to fix the super dome after the last folks left? that''s why they locked the doors.lol

[mawskrat]

negrovoter....now yo funny too

[swwils]

Those leeves wont hold if that storm increases much more.They are cracking at the bottom,so that means the pressure is too much.Hopefully it all passes over.

[lewiston14]

This is not over yet. Remember the center just hit the coast 2 hours ago.

[lewiston14]

"going to loot a refrigerator from walmart"

I see SuperMax in your future

[inventagod2]

anyone notified the White House yet?

[nothappyatall]

"We''re nervous, but we just have to keep trusting in *** that we don''t get the water again," said Lyndon Guidry,

LOL trusting in a fictional sky Santa Claus would be your biggest mistake Lyndon.


"Whats sad is watching the same persons jumping out in front of the same train over and over again, and expecting billion dollar rescues from all of us every time -

Posted by txgrouch2006"

Time to cut the apron strings, no more bailouts, you want to build a house in a flood plain, by a volcano, on the beach, on an active known quake fault zone then YOU buy the $2 million full coverage insurance policy and pay the premiums and stop expecting the rest of US to foot your bills!

[missingamerica]

And all because their own state has spent decades focused more on building casinos than on building levees.

But the problem is a lack of compassion for them... RIIIIIIIGHT!!!

Posted by txgrouch2006 at 11:18 AM : Sep 01, 2008

Actually, that casino building is practically a nationwide phenomena.

As the Clinton, Bush, and Republican "free traders" have made jobs disappear, the states are increasingly cash-strapped.

They have no choice but to employ those who have lost their jobs to free trade by using them to entice those who are profiting from free trade into gambling their ill-gotten gains away.

[realpatriot1]

txgrouch,

The state isn''t responsible for the levees the Army Corps of Engineers is. It''s easy to sit back and blame the victims for whatever befalls them.

I don''t know where in Texas you are but I guess you didn''t move out before the last Hurricane hit there, so why are you blaming the citizens of Louisiana?

The best thing for Americans to do is to leave politics out of this and realize that it doesn''t play
to the advantage of either party when Americans are suffering. Those of us who pray should be praying for our fellow Americans in the Gylf and those that don''t pray can still offer moral support rather than blame and retribution.

[lewiston14]

"Why did mayor nagin lock us out of the superdome?"

Because a certain group of people trashed it inside and out to the tune of $185 million. I guess a cot, some box lunches, and water all free did not fill all their needs.

[realpatriot1]

defras,

Fine. Then let''s stop pouring fed funds into that metro area called LA tha''s built on a fault line or Boston which has its downtown floating on landfill in the harbor with an earthquake predicted to happen at any time. Let''s stop sending fed funds to that island called Florida or to NYC(another island awaiting the rising sea levels from global warming).

There''s no truly safe place to live and those tax dollars are everyone''s tax dollars, including the citizens of the Gulf.

[realpatriot1]

txgrouch,

Why do we have to blame anyone? If Bush & Nagan do their jobs right this time we can give them the credit they didn''t deserve before.

[ladyraestewa]

I keep hearing about all the rebuilding yet I was in New Orleans just a couple months after Katrina. Didn''t see any physical evidence of any disaster. Going back in two weeks ---- gotta love the Big Easy!

[donnie766]

That picture is bonnner city.

[antoniof123]

Wow, so nice to see Americans thinking so highly of their neighbor.

[fishinfool43]

wonder how long it will be before Nagin will be whining for help to rebuild his "chocolate city" again.
Here in the midwest, with our flooding, we were told FEMA and Red Cross were broke, and saw little assistance. Lets see how this will play out. Keeping in mind, Hannah is still on her way. Better be prepared for the "sorry about your luck" speeches.
Remember, Bush don''t give 2 hoots about anyone but himself.

[fishinfool43]

Not long. It''''s the only way homey''''s can get anything for free besides looting and pillaging.....

I hear that. I''m still waiting for my free credit card and FEMA trailer. LOL

[realpatriot1]

fishinfool43,

You can fully expect that the response will be different because we''re in the midst of an election.

Nagan should call upon the federal government for help just as the Mayor''s in the midwest rightfully did.

One of the projected storm tracks for Hanna has it headed right for hwere I live in the Raleigh atrea but i''m not worried about federal assistance because we''re a battleground state. Call me a cynic!

[lewiston14]

The casinos are a fun topic. The church made them have to float off shore if only by a few feet then when they all washed up a few streets over on dry land NO was losing alot of money. So now they build them on land to keep that money flowing. Who said NO is not forward thinking. FINALLY and the churches were told where to stuff it.

[lovesamerica]

Since the Katrina year was unprecidented,and there were no plans in place to deal with 4 hurricanes in rapid succesion, I say that this evacuation,while proving to be unecessary went very well. When you first burn your hand on a stove, it is because you don''t realise what will happen,there after you use a oven mitt. Good job,glad things were better than expected and lets hope the next 3 coming along are also gentle. Now we just gotta get everyone home ,and it is their resposibility to behave in a decent manner,not the government.

[fishinfool43]

Posted by realpatriot1 at 02:02 PM : Sep 01, 2008

Maybe we better get Mother Nature to schedule natural disasters to "Only during election years". Seems thats the only time politicians are intrested in doing anything. Gotta get that almighty vote.
Nagin''s comment 3 years ago still burns my butt. Talk about a racist.
Hope you make it thru your upcoming disaster.
During these events people need to remember, proper prior planning prevents pizz poor performance

[republic1776]

Why do they insist on having a city that is below sea level, by the sea?
They should have moved the historic parts 50 miles inland and leveled the rest after Katrina.
This is stupid, since sea levels may be rising.

[lewiston14]

"Nagin''''s comment 3 years ago still burns my butt. Talk about a racist"

Which one?

[fishinfool43]

I must say, this one in NOLA has been handled better than 3 yrs ago. At least they were doing things to help themselves be prepared, and evacuating the areas affected. Maybe they did learn something.

[fishinfool43]

Posted by lewiston14 at 02:16 PM : Sep 01, 2008

the chocolate city comment, but yes he made alot of other stupid ones. Should have been more specific.

[lewiston14]

"the chocolate city comment, but yes he made alot of other stupid ones. Should have been more specific.

Posted by fishinfool43

No problem at all. I figured that was it. I always get a kick out of that one. Did not happen did it? Not going to happen is it? I think they changed the code name to Dark Side of The Moon

[realpatriot1]

fishinfool43,

Thanks for the concern. Let''s have some for the people in the middle of the storm right now.

Nagan is a 2-bit politician and his incompetence and politicizing still burns my butt too. But then so does Bushes incompetence and comments and lack of concern even after the fact.

Let''s try to put aside the partisonship and be honest, officials from both parties screwed up and made terrible decisions and put their own agendas ahead of the needs of the people.

Regarding the comments of people talking about "their" tax dollars going to pay for the Gulf Coast, look at it this way. Your tax dollars went to pay for health care for Iraqis while I can''t afford premiums for my wife. I want my tax dollars to go toward helping Americans in need.

[fishinfool43]

Posted by poopus123 at 02:23 PM : Sep 01, 2008
anyone taking bets on when the Jesse and Al show will be there? I''m sure someone there has been discriminated against. My guess is, when King George goes to the East coast and gets their aid before NOLA.

[fishinfool43]

Regarding the comments of people talking about "their" tax dollars going to pay for the Gulf Coast, look at it this way. Your tax dollars went to pay for health care for Iraqis while I can''''t afford premiums for my wife. I want my tax dollars to go toward helping Americans in need.

Well said patriot

[lewiston14]

I have no issues with NO just the way it has been presented It will never be the same again that%u2019s a given and if im eating breakfast at 7:00am at an outside table and one of those beggars starts blowing a horn in my ear im going to wrap that horn around his head.

[arcomcbride]

What a sad bunch of people can you find on these pages.i was in the states last year and was thinking highly of the people i did meet. i came back this year and found out that the KKK still is alive in some states.if i read the comments on this page i must agree , it is still alive. What a sad bunch of people. Holland Europe.

[realpatriot1]

poopus123,

If expoitative politicians like Sharpton & Jackson represent a good reason to not respect African-Americans then, by the same reasoning, exploitative
politicians like Guliani and Limbaugh who attempt to politicize every situation represent a good reason to not respect any white people.

Your comments are inherently racist and show your true colors.

[barbaram99]

sure thwir mayor said things he should not have..This time he stepped up to the plate and demamed the right. I love the cd Dark side of the moon, I am from Maine and the colour remarks were and are appalling. Some are colour blind, I hope they are safe the ones who could not be moved. As human beings and Americans their safty and well being be meet. I ''member an old sick lady in Katrina begging for help..She did not say I but we need help.She died as she was disbetic and needed her meds, That poor lady. A reporter covered her body. I saw it on TV. I was appalled . I hope the ones that are there are okay and help there. I am in Seattle.

[fishinfool43]

i came back this year and found out that the KKK still is alive in some states.if i read the comments on this page i must agree , it is still alive. What a sad bunch of people.
Posted by ArcoMcbride at 02:42 PM : Sep 01, 2008

Please dont believe we are all a bunch of racists. Granted the KKK is still alive but there are more of us that dont believe in racism. As long as the media gives coverage to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, racism will still exist. They are two of the biggest racists going.