Getting Ready for Gustav on the Anniversary of Katrina

For the latest on Gustav’s potential impact on Alabama, check out Meteorologist
Richard Jack’s Blog:

http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/social_networking/blogs/weather_blog/

Gustav is expected to gain strength and will soon be making its way into the Gulf of Mexico. The forecast track is still uncertain so people from Texas to the Florida panhandle are keeping a close eye on things.

In New Orleans, there may be a little more anxiety this morning.

Not only is it in the center of the forecast track but it is three years to the day since Hurricane Katrina hit, devastating the city. The governor, homeland security secretary, and head of FEMA spent time making sure residents would be prepared.

On the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is waking up to an eerie sound.

Hurricane preparations in high gear and warnings that three years may not have been enough time to make this city safe.

After $2 billion in levee repairs, workers are scrambling to fill huge metal sandbags to shore things up but the Army Corps admits the system may not be strong enough to hold in a big storm.

Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff says, “If you have a storm surge, you may have some overtopping of levees, you may have a real impact in terms of New Orleans itself.“

Though Gustav is still days away, and its track far from certain, New Orleans once again sits near the center of the danger zone, but officials vow what they can control will be different this time.

FEMA Director David Paulison says “things that happened after Hurricane Katrina..after the storm made landfall are now happening before the storm makes landfall.“

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says “we’re here to demonstrate that we’re not only ready but this is a time where we have unprecedented coordination the federal government, the state government and local government.“

Transportation, supplies, and the National Guard are moving into place and residents are being urged to make evacuation plans early

New Orleans resident Lloyd Smith says “three years down the line from Katrina and here we go again.“

Many who didn’t evacuate last time say this time they will go knowing they don’t want to make the same mistakes either.

The center of Tropical Storm Gustav should be leaving Jamaica Friday morning and head off toward the Cayman Islands.
Forecasters say Gustav could strengthen into a hurricane before slamming into Grand Cayman today.
The storm struck a deadly blow to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. At least 67 people were killed in those two countries,
mainly from floods, mudslides and falling trees.