Concern for New Orleans, and fellow Buzzers

Well if it's one thing you can't control it's mother nature. She will do what she damn well pleases and doesn't care who's in the way.

It's scary.

Charleston is suppossed to get some heavy rains later on this evening, but I think Ohio is going to get the blunt of it.

-Tina

Trust me, Ohio is! I'm getting downpours throughout today, it'l be worse tomorrow.

I-10 is in the process of literally just falling apart. There's an amazing video of it right now on CNN.com, it looks like a few miles of just bridge, that you know probably used to be just elevated roadway. The Superdome is becoming more of a hindrance than a help without an air circulation system, they're starting to just simply evacuate the entire city. There's reports that they're just having to push the floating bodies out of the way just to get the living out of the city ASAP.

New Orleans is simply ceasing to exist.

This may seem morbid to some of you, but as a silver lining for those who care to see it ... the rebuilding of this area is going to fuel the US economy for years to come ... once it becomes habitable again.

Sort of makes the other thread seem like a real waste of energy ...

I dont know how many people have seen what is going on down there, but according to the news, 80% of the city is now underwater and it is still rising because they simply just can't stop the flow through the levees. It is broken in two spots and the helicopter shots of the entire city are really surreal.

This is the big disaster they say New Orleans avoids every time a big storm hits and misses. It is safe to say that the park is probably going to be not operating for quite some time.

My prayers definitely have to go out to everyone down there because this is going to go down as the worst hurricane disaster on record. My guess is next year before things start getting close to normal.

I cant even imagine how long it is going to take to pump all that water out of the metropolitan area of New Orleans and renovate all the destruction.

Everyone in the country should turn to these people and help out in any way possible because they are really going to need it!

As others mentioned, parts of the levees broke free and one report says a break the size of a football field is continuing to fill up New Orleans with water. 80% of the city is currently underwater and it's getting worse.

Continue to keep these people in your prayers. It's going to keep getting worse before it gets better.

If anyone sees any pics or video of the parks let us know or post a link if possible. Until then we should just be concerned for those trapped down there as well as those who won't be going home for a long time

Exactly. A park is just a park. It can be replaced. You can't replace lives.

-Tina

As long as SFNO is being mentioned, the website says that the park is temporarily closed with no opening date. Safe to say the park is in shambles or Six Flags knows opening the park now wouldn't make much sense.

Just watching the video footage of the affected areas in Louisiana and Mississippi is bringing a tear to my eye. :(

It's very hard to watch all the damage knowing it's happening in your own country and not overseas. A friend of mine has said at times that he has no symphathy for people who live in some of these areas. I disagree saying that there are a lot of children who have no choice in where they live.

But, where I will agree is that we've got to ask ourselves whether or not it's wise to rebuild in some of these areas. We have the room in the United States for people to move to other areas/states that aren't as prone to natural disasters. When will we get smart and provide financial incentives for people to relocate?

Rebuilding only can do so much for the economy. Sure the local Lowes and Home Depots might make out like bandits, but does it make up for the large amount of businesses that have been destroyed? How can you convince people to visit the tourist areas again?

Lastly, I used to think it was callous to ask about amusement parks after disasters, but I think I've changed my mind based on the fact that there were probably a lot of people who were/are employed by SFNO. If the park is able to reopen, will they be able to get staff to the park, and even if they do, will anyone have the money or desire to visit [that is if the roads are passable]? It's another bad situation for Six Flags.

Atleast 70 people have been confirmed dead, and that number is almost sure to increase. In comparrison Galveston Texas was hit by a hurricane in 1900 that killed I believe or a 1000 people back when there were not any warnings of hurricanes approaching. That was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. I know that this hurricane is going to hurt the economy, but I am far more concerned about lives right now. One death is too many as the old saying goes.

Fox News just showed some aerial footage of SFNO. I saw only their swinging ship, still standing. The park is under *a lot* of water.

They just showed it once more. It looks like the Skycoaster and all the coasters are still standing. *** Edited 8/31/2005 1:38:11 AM UTC by Chernabog***

You beet me too it. Yea everything is still standing but all the shops and buildings are flooded.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. We have just ben told our house and posessions are 100% intact, although I do not know when I will be able to go home (in a few days). I hope to see Lauren in a few days.

Send your thoughts and prayers to the 100s of thousands of people much more affected by the storm than I.

My only personal concerns right now are totally minimal, and am so releaved.

New Orleans is toast. Everything I see on the news is hard to believe and I recognize most places they show. The president of Jefferson Parish (county) which part of N.O. city is in told residents that in a week they will be allowed home for one hour under escort, and then will not be allowed back for one month!

Unfortunately, the situation isn't that bad as to keep looters off the streets. Unbelievable! Do these people actually think when they're finally forced to evacuate the city, they'll be allowed to take all the appliances and clothing they stole?

Who gives a **** about the stupid amusement park? Tens of thousands of people are now homeless. I think that's a little more important.

Yeah, why would you thinking about asking a question like that on CoasterBuzz??

Just because somebody asks about SFNO, doesn't mean they are heartless. Maybe they are just interested...

...or maybe they haven't clicked on the news and seen what the whole city looks like now. I'd really like to think it's the latter.

-'Playa

I'm interested to hear how SFNO faired....but at the same time I'm also concerned about how many people are homeless and have their lives in danger because of this disaster.

It's possible to be concerned about both, and it shouldn't be shocking or insulting that people would ask about how the amusement park is on a coaster forum.

I gre up in New Orleans. It's a sad thing to see.

I saw Fox News footage of SFNO, and most of it was submerged in water...the buildings anyway.

But it's just an amusement park. I have seen a lot more disturbing news all day. It really puts things into perspective. Honestly I haven't seen anything this disturbing since 9/11.

We all complain and ***** about the most redundant and trivial things, yet there are people who have lost everything and don't complain at all. They are just happy to be alive. We should consider ourselves lucky.

To see New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Mobile totally destroyed with the body count rising is very surreal indeed.

As far as the looters.....they have been showing video of people taking what they want. I admit if I was in their situation right now, I would take whatever food and clothing I could get. In these situations your survival instincts take over. I don't blame them at all really.

-Tina