New Orleans mayor halts return of residents to city. Details soon.

Just heard on the radio that Nagin has changed his mind about allowing the 180K residents of NO back in, due to more storm activity on the way.

He has told the residents to leave, or not come back, and to wait for further instructions.

Details to follow.
www.msnbc.msn.com...

Additional sources are starting to post stories:

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Mayor Ray Nagin halted New Orleans residents' return to the city Monday, citing the threat from the strengthening Tropical Storm Rita.

"Now we have conditions that have changed," he said.

Nagin said one projection he had been shown had Rita becoming a Category 3 hurricane, hitting Louisiana and passing near New Orleans toward the end of the week
Not so fast..

The original decision to allow people back in was premature, IMO. Too many hazards still uncovered.

I imagine that the new threat of Rita in the gulf has to do with it also.

What is the use to have the people back when we are still wondering if more hurricanes will impact the area before the hurricane season is over.



[edit on 19-9-2005 by marg6043]

A Cat 3 hurricane hitting NOLA right now could put her back under water. The levees could easily fail again. Engineers reported on MSNBC that they're not covinced that the levees are strong enough to withstand another storm. I'm in the cone, but luckily I'm to the west of the projected eye path. Let's just hope this one doesn't get too strong. The gulf does not need another major storm right now.

Nagin needs to get everyone one out and prevent others from coming back.

Rita is exactly the reason he is worried. And depending upon the strength and the path, the levees could be in danger of failing. He could have also decided to heed Thad Allens' advice to prevent people from returning.

I'm in the cone, but luckily I'm to the west of the projected eye path.

Good luck and stay safe, darkelf.

`` excuse me,

the Mayors' premature 'open arms gesture' was merely a
populist Political Ploy

what a BS artist he is in this particular instance.
how fortunate it is for him that a new storm (Rita) is brewing
which gives him an 'out' on the wreckless 'come-on-back'
policy he held out to All the former residents of New Orleans...

i suspect the Feds & FEMA & Corps of Engineers & State Gov't
will just gloss over the irresponsible and ill-conceived announcement
Mayor Ray Nagin proposed to the victims of Katrina, and the open-door
invite. (but it sure reflects on his wisdom as opposed to his heart)
Do I Hear 'RECALL' ??

All the feds were against this, even the President said it was a bad idea on television.

And now that governor is on TV warning about the hurricane, too bad she wasn't doing more before Katrina...I think this is a CYA job all around, nobody wants to be seen as doing nothing again.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
All the feds were against this, even the President said it was a bad idea on television.

And now that governor is on TV warning about the hurricane, too bad she wasn't doing more before Katrina...I think this is a CYA job all around, nobody wants to be seen as doing nothing again.

Does this include Bush IYO?

Originally posted by intrepid
Does this include Bush IYO?

Sure.

Originally posted by djohnsto77

Originally posted by intrepid
Does this include Bush IYO?

Sure.

Damn, we are making progress here. Little partisan stuff. I agree with you, blame could be spread as easily as peanut butter.

Originally posted by jsobecky

I'm in the cone, but luckily I'm to the west of the projected eye path.

Good luck and stay safe, darkelf.

Thanks, I'll be fine, my concern is with worldwatcher right now. Katrina slapped south FL and now here comes Rita. WW is batening the hatches but expecting to lose electricity. Keep her in your heart and prayers.

Hurricane Jova in the Pacific is a great example of how unpredictable hurricanes can be. In three updates the forecast position on the 23rd changed by up to 6 degrees North. And two of those updates were on the same day. Definately keep an eye on Rita and get ready for it if you're anywhere near where it could happen, but don't panic, there is a lot of time before it gets there.

Galveston, perhaps learning from Katrina, has already begun plans for evacuation.

From Bloomberg

Sept. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Galveston, Texas, will begin voluntary evacuations tomorrow in advance of Tropical Storm Rita, which is expected to make landfall at the end of the week along the Texas Gulf Coast, city officials said at a news conference.

Voluntary evacuations will begin at 2 p.m. local time tomorrow, Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said. A fleet of 88 buses will begin transporting residents off the island 50 miles southeast of Houston beginning at 10 a.m. on Sept. 21.

With the possibility of Rita becoming a Cat3 hurricane by the time it makes landfall, Galveston is not taking any chances. Let's just hope that the citizens along the gulf coast rember Katrina when deciding whether or not to evac.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
Hurricane Jova in the Pacific is a great example of how unpredictable hurricanes can be. In three updates the forecast position on the 23rd changed by up to 6 degrees North. And two of those updates were on the same day. Definately keep an eye on Rita and get ready for it if you're anywhere near where it could happen, but don't panic, there is a lot of time before it gets there.

When Rita hits the warm waters of the gulf, it should continue almost directly westward. But depending how it comes off of the Keys, it could act like a cue ball with a load of english on it and do a masse' shot.

I'm all good, actually pretty nice outside right now, somehow Broward county once again manages to avoid the nastiest stuff.

I think New Orleans will be in the clear now, Rita seems to be moving fairly quickly and in that more west northwest motion. Texas residents need to really start getting their act together and preparing for a strong Cat 2 or 3

I expect we'll be getting a lot of wind and rain. Still south west of the projected eye path, so I'm not too worried. Glad to hear you dodged the bullet WW.