New Orleans
Times-Picayune Breaking News Weblog

Charity Navigator
America's premier independent charity evaluator

More
Matrix Masters
Blogs
World Events
US News
Science & Health
Earth News
Free Speech
News from Africa
News from Palestine
Bill of Rights Under Attack

Matrix Masters'
SUPPORTERS

Lorenzo's
Random Musings
. . . about Chaos,
Reason, and Hope

 

Timeline: How the hurricane crisis unfolded
(BBC NEWS, 3 September 2005)
A day-by-day look at how the crisis has unfolded in New Orleans, after the city was battered by Hurricane Katrina.

SUNDAY 28 AUGUST: Hurricane Katrina gains strength over the Gulf of Mexico - having already battered the state of Florida. Fears grow for New Orleans, which sits some 6ft (2m) below sea level. . . . Mayor Ray Nagin orders the mandatory evacuation of the city after the storm becomes a maximum-strength Category Five hurricane. . . . Motorways are jammed as people obey the order to leave. . . . Some of those unable to leave spend the night in shelters - including the Superdome stadium.

MONDAY 29 AUGUST: Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf coast, wreaking havoc in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. . . . Many areas of New Orleans are flooded and winds of more than 100mph (160km/h) tear off part of the roof of the Superdome stadium where some 9,000 people are taking refuge. . . . Power lines are cut, trees felled, shops wrecked and cars hurled across streets strewn with shattered glass. . . . There are reports that some of the city's flood defences have been breached.

TUESDAY 30 AUGUST: The scale of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding becomes clearer. . . . About 80% of the low-lying city is under water. Helicopters and boats are picking up survivors stranded on rooftops across the area - many are to spend several more days there. . . . Rescuers are said to be pushing aside the dead bodies floating in the water, as they try to reach survivors. . . . With some of the city's flood defences breached, the situation is getting more desperate as waters continue to rise. . . . Hundreds of people are feared dead along the Mississippi coast.

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST: Mayor Ray Nagin says the hurricane has killed hundreds, possibly thousands. He orders the full evacuation of the city - up to 100,000 residents are still said to be there. . . . Many try to battle their way through the water to the city's Superdome stadium in search of refuge. Tens of thousands of people end up there, but conditions inside the stadium are deteriorating fast. . . . Armed police try to impose a form of martial law to stem looting - while some looters are stealing non-essential goods, others are simply trying to find food and water. . . . Cutting short a holiday in Texas to take charge of the federal recovery effort, President Bush says the government is dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in US history. . . . The government declares a public health emergency along the whole of the Gulf coast, to speed up the delivery of food, water and fuel to the region. It is announced that extra troops are also being sent. Bush flys over the area in Air Force 1 and then plays a round of golf in Washtington.

THURSDAY 1 SEPTEMBER: New Orleans descends into anarchy, with reports of looting, shootings, carjackings and rapes. The local police force is ordered to focus its efforts on tackling lawlessness. . . . Buses and helicopters begin to take the most vulnerable out of the Superdome stadium . . . Shots reportedly fired at a helicopter airlifting people from the stadium slow down the evacuation process. . . . Anger mounts over the delay in getting aid to people in New Orleans and what is seen as an inadequate response from the federal government.

FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER: The relief effort in New Orleans is stepped up. Evacuations continue as military convoys arrive with supplies of food, medicine and water. . . . Extra National Guard units are brought into New Orleans to tackle the looting and general lawlessness which has spread across the city. . . . It is still not known how many people have died as a consequence of Katrina, but a Republican Senator in Louisiana, David Vitter, says the number could reach 10,000. . . . Tens of thousands of people are still stranded - some of them are still waiting to be rescued from rooftops of houses surrounded by water. . . . Meanwhile, President Bush promises long-term help for reconstruction during a visit to affected areas, having acknowledged that the initial response had not been acceptable. Congress approves a $10.5bn emergency spending package.

SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER: Amid mounting political pressure, President George Bush orders 7,000 more front-line troops into the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. . . . In a national televised address, he acknowledges that many "citizens simply are not getting the help they need, especially in New Orleans".

posted by LoZo 2:42 PM