Polimom Says

Well now – isn’t this dandy? Rita is really becoming a problem all the way around, yes?

This is from my email:

“We are staying in a trailer in Lafayette. At this point they are calling for voluntary evacuation of mobile homes here. Is there a chance we can go to our home in Park Timbers where it will be safe?”

My gut instinct is to say, “No�, although I really don’t like that answer. Algiers is not likely to have any trouble handling this… unless Rita takes a hard turn and deals another direct blow. In that case, those river levees, already stressed by the many loose ships, would be a worry (not to mention the existing conditions across the river).

NOLA.com is running an AP article right now, titled “Rain falling in New Orleans, raising fears of new flooding�. The last paragraph says,

â€?New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin continued to urge residents to get out of the city. A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for the entire east bank of the Mississippi, and some 500 buses were standing by at the convention center, but few seemed to be taking advantage. Only 27 people had been evacuated by the end of Wednesday.”

Given all the fear and confusion just now, I can’t imagine they’re letting anybody into Orleans. I know there are many Algiers folks reading this. If somebody has news to the contrary, now would be a great time to share it.

If nothing else, you might consider trying to drive due north from your location, if it’s still an option over that way. Further inland is always better, as all of us know. (Getting out of the Houston metro area is looking really problematic, but I just don’t know enough right now about Louisiana.)

On a personal note: my former Algiers houseguests just called from Ft. Polk. They left this morning from Lake Charles, under a mandatory evacuation order. This is just nuts. Hang on tight, everybody - and keep breathing… slowly…