New Orleans and surrounding area.

[curiouswombat]

I know that many people wonder what is happening in the areas hit by hurricane Katrina, in Europe we see the odd little clip on the news, but very little. I'm not sure how newsworthy everyday life outside the tourist areas is in the US now either.

One of my LJ friends, wisemack lives in the area, and spent some very worrying weeks after Katrina as no news was heard of her daughter and her family who lived in Bay St Louis for a very long time, but thankfully they were all alive, just 'lost' for quite a while.

This is a very moving account of wisemack's first visit back to New Orleans over Christmas, she is happy for me to link to it.


Wisemack's Return to New Orleans

Comments

[rincaro.livejournal.com]

Lil J's best friend in kindergarten is relocated from there. The stuff his mom tells me... *shudder*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's scary isn't it?

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. I know the Gulf Coast and Florida are no strangers to Hurricane damage, but Katrina seems to have been way over the top. NO was not the only devastated area, but it is certainly the most dramatic. It's hard to imagine a whole city being wiped out.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was sad reading - but so interesting. The thought of travelling along a road at night where it has always been a blaze of light, and it all being totally dark would really bring it home I think - even more maybe than seeing it in daylight.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

That was very interesting - as you say we rarely get to hear what is going on in the US after an event like that. Thanks.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was interesting wasn't it? So sad, but so much more 'real' for being written from the heart - I think she is still living with friends.

[vegmb.livejournal.com]

I popped over to say hi because we apparently have many friends in common who sent us both birthday wishes. The link to the NO observations and comments was a bit of a surprise. I live on the other side of Louisiana, the part that was hit by Rita and has not received much coverage but did receive a great deal of damage. I was watching the news while on vacation at my mother's house (outside of the area) and it is amazing how little information is given, even with all of the stories that are aired. I've not been to NO, but have seen some of the areas just north of there and recently drove across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. It is so strange. You feel like things are beginning to have some sence of normalcy, but there are so many things that it will take years to repair.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I popped over to say hi because we apparently have many friends in common who sent us both birthday wishes.

Hi - so we do! Hello twin of a slightly younger generation!

It is so sad that so many people are still affected - but I suppose it is inevitable - whole towns just cannot be built in months anywhere in the world. And it stops being news apart from on the anniversaries - so the areas of Britain that were flooded last year only get a passing mention now of the 'Look - these people are still living in caravans(trailers) a year later - isn't that amazing?' type. I guess it is the same the world over.

How is your area - slowly recovering? Was your own house affected badly? (You can see that I live up to the 'curious' part of my name!)

[vegmb.livejournal.com]

I had a little damage to my roof. I picked up shingles when I was visiting my mom because you simply can't get them in my area. (We had ordered and prepaid for some and after 2 months of not receiving them asked for a refund.) My sister's house was severly damaged...still standing but will basically have to be gutted and rebuilt. She finally got a contractor to come out and give her an estimate last week. The parish south of us was still under mandatory evacuation until last week. There is almost nothing left standing except for water towers and one or two government buildings there.

The surreal part about all of this is that my life was basically back to normal within two weeks of the storm and so I forget how much other people are still affected, even living here. My office wasn't damaged, my house is liveable and only in need of minor repairs. My work load has increased so I have less free time to be out and about, so my major reminders (aside from my daily phone calls to my sister) are when resturants or stores aren't open because they are either damaged or can't find people to work. Then I stop and look around and see everything that is left to do in the "clean up and recovery".

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Meep! ::Hugs safe little island home where we very rarely get hurricanes, just strong storms!::

Gutting and rebuilding will take ages - and drying out houses seems to take literally years if they are stone built - I guess the states affected will still be showing the scars in years time.

[vegmb.livejournal.com]

There are very few stone built homes here, but the drying out process will take a long time. My sister and her husband have taken down a couple of walls and the insulation is soaked.

[tuesdayallweek.livejournal.com]

I read the post, and it was very sad. I'd love to be able to comment on it, but I'm not on her flist. Can you ask her to add me? Please? And I will most happily add back!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Have you tried to comment? - I always thought if you could read it you could comment on it, and it's not friends locked.

I will add a note to pass on your request of course - but she doesn't always get to a computer for a few days so it might take a while. Try and see if a comment will register.

[tuesdayallweek.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I tried, but it said that her LJ was friends only. :(

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I left her a note, yesterday, but have only just noticed I forgot to let you know I'd done it!

[tuesdayallweek.livejournal.com]

Thanks! *huggles you*