Hurricane Gustav

[Flamingo]

I have been watching with horror Gustav approaching the cental LA region where it is expected to hit. I know anyone from that area who is on here is probably on the way out and unable to post/give an update so if anyone on here has relatives or friends in that area, I certainly hope all goes well for them and while I hope the Hurricane drifts east/west of a direct impact on New Orleans, wherever it hits on the coast will cause devistation. I was just three years ago exactly that Katrina hit and I can imagine the pain/burden on the folks that moved back and rebuilt.

[AngelinaCat]

I too am concerned. We have some good friends in Texas, the Baytown area, and hope they will be okay.

Also, somewhere along the line I got the impression that member Southernbelle is in Louisiana. She hasn't posted lately and I hope she is okay, since TS Fay travelled along the Gulf coast for a while.

[Flamingo]

Living where I live, we have had Hurricanes hit here but certainly no where near what a category 4 or 5 would cause further south. Just an inkling this far north in this region - we had Hurricane Floyd hit this region in September 1999 - the rain was so bad and so heavy that the 3 foot wide woodland stream that is on two sides of our property turned into a raging 30+ foot wide river which came so close to our house we almost had to evacuate. All I remember is hearing roaring water like you would hear with rapids (you could hear it actually over the heavy rain hitting the house), going outside and standing there in shock. Absolutely unreal. That is nothing compared to what a direct hit in a warmer climate would do.

[imaloser]

i just talked to my brother - he lives in biloxi right on the coast - lost everything in katrina - a remarkable story of survival - here he is again - battening down all the hatches. my niece, who, a week ago today started her freshman year of college at tulane university, received a text message this past wednesday from university officials that everyone had to be off campus by noon on thursday and that the campus would be shut down for a week. they don't allow cars on campus so my brother had to run over there to get her. i wish they'd abandon the coast for good ! i was just looking over an e-mail folder i saved titled "katrina" - brought tears to my eyes - all the e-mails i received from around the world - guys who used to work for my brother wanting to help. its scary.

[Lajazz947]

Sending my regards and prayers to all of you. My sister and cousin were hit by Andrew so i can relate.

[Tabbygirl]

I am in Texas, and I honestly don't know how much we will be impacted, if any. We are about 1.5 hours inland, so we are close, but not so close. That said, I was told that a tree went through my house (and my neighbor's house) during Hurricane Carla in the 1960s, so we do get pretty big damage from time to time. (I was also told a tornado damaged my roof and knocked off a chimney during the 1920s--but obliterated the house across the street--so my house is apparently a Timex-kinda house!! It's almost 100 years old and built like a fortress)

With Rita and Katrina, the big deal for this area were the people leaving the coastal areas--our highways were bumper-to-bumper with cars and you could hear the "roar" of the motors for MILES. Very strange, surreal sound; I'm pretty far from the main highway if that tells you anything.

The last few storms (this year) have just been wind and rain; no biggies. That said, I will most definitely watch the news the next couple of days....

[banca rotta]

I hope to god the levees aren't breached!

[soleprop]

i got the notgood chills reading this thread. i don't have tv and obsessed with my bk filing, so i'm incredibly uninformed. thank you for the thread and the reality check.

everyone take care of each other! i'm in minnesota which doesn't even seem fair (as i don't have to deal with storms like that).

[banca rotta]

i got the notgood chills reading this thread. i don't have tv and obsessed with my bk filing, so i'm incredibly uninformed. thank you for the thread and the reality check.

everyone take care of each other! i'm in minnesota which doesn't even seem fair (as i don't have to deal with storms like that).

You lost me somewhere. Why isn't it fair that you don't have storms like this?

Stay well and good luck to ya...

[FLBK7]

I am watching Gustav's march with horror. My heart goes out to the residents of New Orleans and neighboring areas. My family and I went through Andrew in '92 so we have never taken any hurricane lightly since then. Gustav is a monster one.

[AngelinaCatHub]

[Pinkie86]

My grandparents, Aunt and Uncle are in Mississippi. Thankfully my Uncle's house withstood Katrina, but they're worried this second time around. My grandparents house flooded in Louisiana (they were living in Slidell), and had to move.

My grandma is a nurse and is staying behind again (she told the younger nurses to get out while they can) and I am terrified for her and my grandpa.

If you guys could keep them as well as everyone in that region in your prayers tonight, I would be so grateful.

[imaloser]

it's frightening...i would like to share a handful of photos (10) from katrina. these are not technically great photos - remember - dead batteries, wet cameras, and so forth. i added descriptions for the photos - but in brief, my brother's home/property sits 500 feet from the sea wall. they refuged katrina (ditto with gustav) in a home 1500 feet from the sea wall (not far enough in my opinion). i have looked at these photos a million times over, and it still amazes me how they survived. when the water broke through the house they stayed in, they took refuge, on their bellies (no room) in the attic for six hours! they wrapped shadow (dog) in a curtain and hoisted her up the attic steps and there they laid for six hours together - listening - trees crashing, cars crashing, boats crashing, the horrible sound of the house being breeched. i will never forget in a million years what my niece said..."daddy said lay with our heads to the wind, stay calm, and if the roof blows off - don't worry - there will be plenty of things to hang on to as a floatation device". take a look. http://public.fotki.com/neck2navel/katrina use the slideshow feature. my edits are in the top left.

[AngelinaCatHub]

My grandparents, Aunt and Uncle are in Mississippi. Thankfully my Uncle's house withstood Katrina, but they're worried this second time around. My grandparents house flooded in Louisiana (they were living in Slidell), and had to move.

My grandma is a nurse and is staying behind again (she told the younger nurses to get out while they can) and I am terrified for her and my grandpa.

If you guys could keep them as well as everyone in that region in your prayers tonight, I would be so grateful.

[banca rotta]

it's frightening...i would like to share a handful of photos (10) from katrina. these are not technically great photos - remember - dead batteries, wet cameras, and so forth. i added descriptions for the photos - but in brief, my brother's home/property sits 500 feet from the sea wall. they refuged katrina (ditto with gustav) in a home 1500 feet from the sea wall (not far enough in my opinion). i have looked at these photos a million times over, and it still amazes me how they survived. when the water broke through the house they stayed in, they took refuge, on their bellies (no room) in the attic for six hours! they wrapped shadow (dog) in a curtain and hoisted her up the attic steps and there they laid for six hours together - listening - trees crashing, cars crashing, boats crashing, the horrible sound of the house being breeched. i will never forget in a million years what my niece said..."daddy said lay with our heads to the wind, stay calm, and if the roof blows off - don't worry - there will be plenty of things to hang on to as a floatation device". take a look. http://public.fotki.com/neck2navel/katrina use the slideshow feature. my edits are in the top left.

Terrible.

Thanks for sharing. I would love a miracle that the storm dies before landing.