The perfect storm that came ashore Monday morning devastated America's Gulf Coast. People in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are picking up whatever pieces are left of the life they once lived.
Especially hard-hit was New Orleans, with eighty percent of it underwater. The once grand Hyatt Hotel has no windows, and the Superdome's roof began to peel as if it were made of paper rather than steel. With an evacuation expected to be enforced for a month and electricity unlikely, it could be a very long time before the population returns. Hospitals and stores are flooded out, and looting has begun, further complicating an already out of control situation.
The scenes that have played out on television show total loss of property for many citizens. They no doubt will start their lives again, but many may opt to not do so in New Orleans. There are also some AU students whose families have been affected, and hopefully no family members were lost.
It is encouraging to see Americans pulling together after the second worst hurricane in our history. American University has offered to accept students from heavily flooded Tulane University who were accepted here, but chose the New Orleans school.
Public schools in Houston will allow students to resume their educations there, and landlords have even been flexible in allowing families to take out short leases. Governor Perry of Texas pledged to accept all twenty-five thousand refugees from the Superdome to the Astrodome in Houston. Unfortunately people will probably be separated since there is no phone or internet access and the search for family members has begun.
Katrina's wrath was not reserved just for New Orleans. Small towns such as Gulfport, Mississippi were completely flooded. Hopefully this and areas more inland will get the same amount of attention and support as the tourist havens do.
