Katrina's Aftermath

[JamesSavik]

Here in Mississippi it's hot and noisy. Power and communications are spotty, I only just got power back yesterday.

 

We don't know how many people are missing. There were huge evacuations in the days before the storm and it's a very confusing situation. Worse still, people evacuated to places like Wiggins, Sliddell and Hattiesburg which have traditionally been safe havens only to find those communities also smashed by the storm.

 

The sounds of chain saws are everywhere from dusk to dawn. In many places the debris are so deep that you've got to dig to find where the roads are. So many huge trees are down, ancient, proud trees that have weathered so many storms- have simply been uprooted and splintered. Even the stately oaks at the Grove in Oxford weren't spaired.

 

It stinks here. The smell of death and decay is everywhere, greatly accelerated by the heat and humidity of late summer. It's coming from decomposing foods and dead animals- to things buried in the debris that we don't even want to know about.

 

In New Orleans there is chaos. Roving street gangs have armed themselves and are looting the stricken city taking what they want and exchanging gunfire with the remnants of the city police and rescue and even the national guard. In a grim, almost medieval fashion, rescue personnel are leaving bodies in houses in New Orleans and marking the houses with black paint. There is great fear that there may be outbreaks of disease caused by the conditions there.

 

Here in Mississippi, there are thousands of volunteers. Literally coming out of the woodwork. Neighbors are combining their tools and equipment to clear debris from homes and roadways. Emergency management people in Mississippi have enormous manpower but we are very, very short on fuel. It's here. We just don't have electricity to pump it. That situation is changing day to day but the clock is running. There are people and places that we just can't get to yet and it's very frustrating.

 

Mississippi is usually such a quiet, sedate place. I will never, ever say I wish that something interesting would happen here. We've had a belly-full of this kind of excitement.

 

We're all hot, grubby and very tired. I'd gladly pay $50 for a hot shower.

[Former Member]

Huggles 4 u. I can ask r mom if u can use r's. but um. u kinda sorta may b gotta come 2 florida. Wish I can help. keep thinkin a bout ALL of youse in the floodys.