NOLA question

[moribundman]

During the past few days, when looking at aerial shots of New Orleans, I can see quite a few spots that are not flooded, yet it appears that no one is there. Some of those spots seem to be residential areas. Are there people holed up in their buildings, waiting it out? People usually go for higher ground in case of flooding, but these areas appear abandoned and I don't see anybody walk around. I surely would rather sit on somebody's front lawn than wading around aimlessly in knee-deep in sewage. It doesn't look like residents are keeping others off these grounds by force. There's simply nobody at all in sight. What gives?

 

[HardbodyLoyalist]

I suspect that those left in the city simply don't know where the dry ground is. It's not like they have access to CNN or the internet.

 

[Jeffrey]

I can't seem to get a clear picture of it either.

I hear stories of people "walking out" of the city, and it appears that reporters were able to get down to the Superdome.

However, some stories make it sound as though the people at the Superdome were somehow trapped there. Are they ringed by water that is so deep that it is impassable for pedestrians? I can imagine that families with small children might not be able to walk out of the city, but what of the others?

 

[HardbodyLoyalist]

Same issue.

The reporters had people on the other end of cell phones looking at aerial maps/photos, telling them which roads were passable. Without that info, you could wander around for days looking for an escape route.

 

[Shannow]

Looking at the reporters, they generally appear fit, clean clothed, with a decent make-up before venturing out.

Haven't heard reference of them offering stranded people a lift out of town on the way back out of an evening.

 

[Pablo]

You got it Shannow. Our "reporters" are actually actors.

 

[Jeffrey]

quote:

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Originally posted by HardbodyLoyalist:
Same issue.

The reporters had people on the other end of cell phones looking at aerial maps/photos, telling them which roads were passable. Without that info, you could wander around for days looking for an escape route.

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Wouldn't the locals know where the high ground is in their city?

 

[moribundman]

Even if nobody can get to those elevated areas due to disorientation, deep water, mayhem, etc, it still doesn't explain where the residents of the high grounds areas are -- unless they all left.

 

[HardbodyLoyalist]

Sadly... the "high ground" tends to be the more affluent areas. I would be surprised if many of them stayed around.

To answer Jeffrey's question: No. I lived there for 8 years and was frequently surprised at what areas did or did not flood during tropical storms and torrential rains. Everyone knows that the French Quarter is some of the highest ground in the city, but otherwise it seems fairly random. For example, the University of New Orleans sits right on Lake Pontchartrain, and it was one of the last few dry spots. I would never have expected that.

 

[moribundman]

quote:

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Sadly... the "high ground" tends to be the more affluent areas. I would be surprised if many of them stayed around.

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Makes sense. What I saw looked sort of like suburban residential areas with a lawn in front of each house and a pool behind. I'm still surprised that, especially if the owners left, nobody got there.