By DemocracyRules
EYE IS INLAND, drops to Cat 1 hurricane, slows forward progress, keeps dumping rain. Storm surge is still pushing water to very high levels in New Orleans canals. Storm surge about 10-14 feet. Waves are over-topping some levees. No levee breaches, but overtopping has begun to cause flooding. Levees may hold, but some pumps may fail, especially as rainfall continues to inundate the area. 5-20 inches expected in local areas.
Plaquemines Parish Levee Overtopped, Subdivision Threatened. Looks bad...by Andrew Vanacore, The Times-Picayune Monday September 01, 2008, 4:43 PM
"Plaquemines Parish officials are trying to open the Caenarvon Mississippi River diversion to ease pressure on a levee that is being overtopped in Braithwaite. Since power is out in the area, however, they are trying to open the diversion gates manually.
... Plaquemines Parish workers have been trying to bolster the levee along the Clearwater Canal that is being overtopped by floodwaters that threaten the Braithwaite Park subdivision... Plaquemines Parish workers have been furiously working on the levee since mid-afternoon. The levee has not breached, but authorities are not hopeful.
"We don't think our efforts are going to be successful so we need to get everyone out now,'' Parish President Billy Nungesser said. Meanwhile, St. Bernard Parish is sending firefighters, deputies and other workers to the area to help with the efforts.
The canal is on the east bank of the parish. The subdivision is off Louisiana 39. Officials said the same levee is also being overtopped further south at Scarsdale."
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Mandeville Lakefront Inundated; Water Still Rising
Lafitte Threatened
Baton Rouge neighborhood blasted
Widespread power failures. Widespread wind damage occurring over entire area. Damage path moving inland. Eye passing West of Baton Rouge, gusts there to about 90 mph. Eye is passing over Lafayette.
The crisis is not over yet. With Katrina, things looked manageable at about this point. Then 3 things occurred: (1) levees failed unexpectedly after hours of maximum strain, (2) flooding began to take many lives, and (3) examination and reviews of storm-hit areas showed widespread and serious damage far beyond the boundaries of New Orleans.
Waves overtopping main New Orleans levee:
| VIDEO: Water laps over Industrial Canal |
Frequent New Orleans updates here.
Click on the image below for frequent video updates:
Wind gusts now about to 65 mph at New Orleans Lakefront Airport, Radar images show high winds... Tornado watch in New Orleans area ... tornados have hit...
LIVE NEW ORLEANS BRIDGE WEB CAM -- click on image, or click HERE for larger image.
Baton Rouge is close to the eye of the hurricane. The eye passes 40 miles West of Baton Rouge. Outer bands still lashing the coast. "AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 14 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDAL LEVELS IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF GUSTAV CROSSES THE COAST."
Levees may hold, but pumps may fail, depending on rainfall. 5-20 inches expected. Water is now the enemy.
Widespread damage already apparent:
Pro Patria
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