New Orleans Evacuates As Hurricane Gustav Draws Closer
Louisiana is in the middle of the path that Gustav - which is now a category 4 hurricane - is taking and many are afraid that it will become another Katrina and devastate the lands that are still in the middle of being rebuilt. However, this time the people are prepared.
The Mayor of New Orleans set up a mandatory evacuation Sunday in which the people in the West Bank were told to evacuate first. The evacuation had everyone out of their homes and making their way into a safe zone by noon.
Officials in the city have been keeping a very close eye on the route that Gustav is taking and how fast it is moving. The hurricane made its way into the Gulf of Mexico Sunday where it picked up speed and moved northwest at 17 mph. Its winds were up to 120 mph according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane-force winds extended 50 miles from the storm’s center. Its center was about 325 miles southeast of the Mississippi River’s mouth. It was projected to make landfall as early as Monday, and could bring a storm surge of up to 20 feet to the coast and rainfall totals of up to 15 inches.
At a press conference this afternoon, Nagin said the last buses will leave the city by 3 p.m., and that a dusk-to-dawn curfew would be in place for anyone who chose to remain. “Anybody who is on the street after the curfew kicks in will be arrested,” Nagin said. Although according to the mayor there have been only a handful of arrests so far, “We will have zero tolerance for looters. You will go directly to Angola prison, and God bless you when you go there.”
Nagin did not minimize the danger posed by Gustav: “Since we are on the wrong side of the storm, we should start to see tornado threats,” he said. “This is still a big, ugly storm. It’s still strong and I urge everyone to leave.” Those who choose to stay will be on thier own.