Junto Boys

NEW ORLEANS UPDATE

Things are not looking good in N.O. as you know from watching the news. The lake emptied into the city, and now the water level in the city is higher than the lake, so they need to get that water back into the lake. The pumping stations have been inoperable. The 20,000 people in the squalid Superdome are being evacuated, as is the rest of the city. To the south and east there is utter devastation.

Some 400 Tulane students were evacuated to Jackson State U. as well as faculty and staff. Arrangements are being made to get the students home. My alma mater is closed until further notice. Obviously there is extensive damage to the campus and power could be out for weeks. I will expect appeal after appeal in my mailbox. The rest of us have it very good right now; to whom much is given, much is required.

Looting is widespread.

He said looting has also escalated and an atmosphere of lawlessness has developed as police resources have been almost entirely devoted to search-and-rescue operations for people trapped by floodwaters on roofs and in attics. “Widespread looting is taking place in all parts of the city” - from uptown and Canal Street to areas around the housing projects, Thomas said.

“People are going in and out of businesses at Louisiana and Claiborne (avenues), taking clothes, tennis shoes and goods,” Thomas said. “It is inconceivable to me how people can do this.”

“People are leaving the Superdome to go to Canal Street to loot,” Thomas said. "Some people broke into drug stores and stole the drugs off the shelves. It is looting times five. I'm telling you, it's like Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Amid such desperate conditions, the situation will get worse before it gets better.

Those trapped in the city faced an increasingly lawless environment, as law enforcement agencies found themselves overwhelmed with widespread looting. Looters swarmed the Wal-mart on Tchoupitoulas Street, often bypassing the food and drink section to steal wide-screen TVs, jewelry, bicycles and computers. Watching the sordid display and shaking his head in disgust, one firefighter said of the scene: "It’s a f---- hurricane, what are you do with a basketball goal?"

Police regained control at about 3 p.m., after clearing the store with armed patrol.

One shotgun-toting Third District detective described the looting as "ferocious.""And it’s going to get worse as the days progress," he said.

The stories of heroism will surely follow, but New Orleans is taking a black eye right now.

"You know what sucks," Depodesta said. "The whole U.S. is looking at this city right now, and this is what they see."