Total evacuation of New Orleans planned
{{New Orleans Disaster Infobox}}
{{date|August 31, 2005}}

A [[w: State of Emergency|state of emergency]] has been enacted in [[w:New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] in the [[w:U.S. state|U.S. state]] of [[w:Louisiana|Louisiana]] today, after the devastating [[w:Hurricane Katrina|Hurricane Katrina]] made landfall on Monday. There were earlier erroneous reports by the news media that martial law had been imposed. Mayor [[w:Ray Nagin|Ray Nagin]] fears that there may be "thousands" of fatalities in his city alone.
[[Image:KatrinaNewOrleansFlooded.jpg|left|200px|thumb|New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina showing Interstate 10 at West End Boulevard, looking towards Lake Pontchartrain. The 17th Street Canal is just beyond the left edge of the image. The breach in the levee of that canal was responsible for most of the flooding of the city in the hours after the hurricane.]]
Many hospital staff are [http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/0001577/ struggling] without power and  supplies. As many as 2,500 patients from hospitals in Orleans Parish were to be evacuated, according to US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, but where they could be sent was still uncertain.

[[w:Looting|Looters]] are roaming the city and have already ransacked the city's upscale shopping district on [[w:Canal Street, New Orleans|Canal Street]]. They have been seen on news reports carrying huge bags of stolen goods. Governor [[w:Kathleen Blanco|Kathleen Blanco]] announced plans to completely shut down New Orleans and move everybody left there out of the area. A rescue helicopter was shot at, temporarily halting all rescue operations.

Former mayor [[w:Marc Morial|Marc Morial]] summed up his view by saying; "We've lost our city, I fear it's potentially like [[w:Pompeii|Pompeii]]."

Two of the city's levees on [[w:Lake Ponchartrain|Lake Ponchartrain]] failed; one with a football-field size breach.
Emergency workers dropped sandbags from helicopters into the levee's breaches,
but the water kept coming.

"It appears that now the bowl is beginning to fill -- not rapidly but slowly," 
said Walter Maestri, an emergency operations manager. New floods swept through the center of New Orleans and water now covers 80 percent of the city with broken gas lines feeding raging fires. In some locations the water is now at a depth of 20 feet (six meters).

The famous [[w:French Quarter|French Quarter]], initially less affected by flooding, [http://www.theconservativevoice.com/articles/article.html?id=7904 finally also succumbed].

"Get out of town if you can." said Ed Freytag, a city worker at the temporary City Hall complex. "We're damn close right now to that worst-case scenario," said Dave Cohen, a local radio host.

For those that were staying in the [[w:Superdome|Superdome]], officials have begun moving them to the long-vacant [[w:Astrodome|Astrodome]] in Houston, Texas.

{{audio|Wikinews_NO_Martial_Law_083105.ogg|2005-08-31}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/12516787.htm?source=rss&channel=miamiherald_breaking_news
|title=The second day brought more horror, greater despair: The death toll exceeded 100 -- in just one county
|author=David Ovalle, Erika Bolstad and Martin Merzer
|pub=Miami Herald
|date=August 30, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/08/update-louisiana-martial-law.php
|title=Louisiana "martial law" declarations clarified
|author=Bernard Hibbitts
|pub=Jurist
|date=August 31, 2005}}<!--put spaces after commas in dates-->

*{{source|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/30/news/storm.php
|title=Hurricane damage 'enormous'
|author=Joseph B. Treaster and Kate Zernike
|pub=International Herald Tribune
|date=August 31, 2005}}<!--NYT was referred to, but the URL refers to IHT instead-->

*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050831/ap_on_re_us/katrina_astrodome_2
|title=Katrina Refugees Will Go to Astrodome
|author=[[Associated Press|AP]]
|pub=Yahoo!
|date=August 31, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/hurricane_katrina;_ylt=AvAdZNXpSExOilx8Pq21ZBGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
|title=Mayor: Katrina May Have Killed Thousands
|author=Brett Martel
|pub=AP
|date=August 31, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/0001577/31/
|title=Hospitals in Katrina Flood Zone Struggle to Stay Afloat
|author=[[Associated Press|AP]]
|pub=Daily News Central
|date=August 31, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4205074.stm
|title=Shots halt hurricane evacuation
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=September 1, 2005}}

{{publish}}{{PD-Article}}
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[[Category:Hurricane season, 2005]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Alabama]]
[[Category:Louisiana]]
[[Category:Mississippi]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Mike Leavitt]]
A state of emergency has been enacted in New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana today, after the devastating Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. There were earlier erroneous reports by the news media that martial law had been imposed. Mayor Ray Nagin fears that there may be "thousands" of fatalities in his city alone.
New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina showing Interstate 10 at West End Boulevard, looking towards Lake Pontchartrain. The 17th Street Canal is just beyond the left edge of the image. The breach in the levee of that canal was responsible for most of the flooding of the city in the hours after the hurricane.
Many hospital staff are  struggling without power and  supplies. As many as 2,500 patients from hospitals in Orleans Parish were to be evacuated, according to US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, but where they could be sent was still uncertain.

Looters are roaming the city and have already ransacked the city's upscale shopping district on Canal Street. They have been seen on news reports carrying huge bags of stolen goods. Governor Kathleen Blanco announced plans to completely shut down New Orleans and move everybody left there out of the area. A rescue helicopter was shot at, temporarily halting all rescue operations.

Former mayor Marc Morial summed up his view by saying; "We've lost our city, I fear it's potentially like Pompeii."

Two of the city's levees on Lake Ponchartrain failed; one with a football-field size breach.
Emergency workers dropped sandbags from helicopters into the levee's breaches,
but the water kept coming.

"It appears that now the bowl is beginning to fill -- not rapidly but slowly," 
said Walter Maestri, an emergency operations manager. New floods swept through the center of New Orleans and water now covers 80 percent of the city with broken gas lines feeding raging fires. In some locations the water is now at a depth of 20 feet (six meters).

The famous French Quarter, initially less affected by flooding,  finally also succumbed.

"Get out of town if you can." said Ed Freytag, a city worker at the temporary City Hall complex. "We're damn close right now to that worst-case scenario," said Dave Cohen, a local radio host.

For those that were staying in the Superdome, officials have begun moving them to the long-vacant Astrodome in Houston, Texas.


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Hurricane season, 2005 Disasters and accidents Alabama Louisiana Mississippi North America United States Mike Leavitt