The Worst Has Passed.

Katrina’s eye is now well north of New Orleans, and so the worst has likely passed. New Orleans was lucky that Katrina’s path fell just east of the city, avoiding the nightmare flooding scenario that was likely to occur had the path been directly over the city or Lake Pontchartrain. Katrina skimmed over the far southeast corner of Louisiana, and then made true landfall at the Louisiana-Mississippi border, between New Orleans and Gulfport. Unfortunately for Gulfport, the most severe weather generated by the storm was east of the eye.

New Orleans has not escaped damage, of course. There are reports off 6 feet of water at Jackson Barracks in the Lower 9th Ward, as well as flooding along the Industrial Canal. Water should begin receding there soon, and there haven’t been any reports of significant flooding in the Uptown area. Although there was at least a 12-foot storm surge on the Mississippi at New Orleans, it looks like the levee held—at least for the most part—and kept the really dangerous flood waters at bay. The flooding in the Industrial Canal area is still cause for concern, and the Mayor of New Orleans announced that there had been a diesel spill, spread by the flood waters. Industrial contamination is a real concern, along with the almost certain contamination from the sewer system.

Lafayette, as far as I can tell, is unscathed. I’m sure the city and its residents will be sending resources east to assist in the recovery as soon as is safe.