Is Post-Katrina New Orleans Ready For Hurricane Gustav!!!!!!!

by **J The Kidd** Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:58 pm

Is Post-Katrina New Orleans Ready For Hurricane Gustav!!!!!!! L_298550389e3831641dc0e1f647b3bd1d

The Superdome sits empty this weekend. New Orleans officials stuffed
it with Hurricane Katrina refugees a couple years ago. Rather than
shelter residents from the coming onslaught of Hurricane Gustav — now a
Category 4 with winds expected north of 70mph when it hits the city —
officials are moving forward with what may actually be a well-organized
evacuation plan. Voluntary evacuations are already in place for many
areas, with bus service offered to residents to transfer them to
northern Louisiana to wait out the storm. A mandatory evacuation is
expected Sunday morning to prepare for Gustav's expected landfall on
Tuesday, though Mayor Ray Nagin is encouraging residents to get a head
start.

Might they get things right this time around? And to those who decide
to stay and suffer through Gustav, refusing to leave the city — how
much sympathy should they be afforded?

If you're on the ground in New Orleans, or have friends and family
there, how much does reality differ from press reports about what's
going on?