Stranded tourist
We are in the Sheraton on 500 Canal St. (in New Orleans) across from the Marriott, which did get damaged. Many other hotels, like Loews, Hilton and the ones in that row, by Harrahs Casino did have many windows broken and the curtains are blowing in the breeze. The Marriott seemed to shelter the Sheraton a bit. Sheraton only got outside panes of the thermal windows broken. The 8th floor skylight window got lifted up so that floor got pretty wet, but the 5th floor ballrooms were about 900 people were housed stayed pretty dry. We walked up to our 38th floor room about 4 p.m. and all was well in the room and stairway. The power in the city, at least here, is still out and they are providing emergency lighting in the hotel with generators.
There are two cars crushed from the brickfront of an old building across the way. ... Everybody stayed very calm. The hotel started taking in local people about 4 p.m. They have been feeding everybody, including some police and firemen. A Times photographer and others are staying here and I have gotten some news from them. The people have been very calm and it doesn't seem to matter who you are, where you are from, what you do, etc. Old and young are getting along.
--Larry Jackson, Redding, Calif.

Frantic feeling
I have lived in Laplace (La.) ever since I was born, so the radical hurricane season and the dangers it brings are not new to me; however, this is the first time I have feared the aftermath so greatly. Against my initial wishes (which are surely different now), I was forced to evacuate to a relative's house farther north in Baton Rouge Saturday night. Because I did not think the hurricane would not cause damage Laplace itself, and because I was in such a rush to pack and evacuate, I left everything in my house as it was: my most cherished car and new drum set included. As I tuned into the news reports Sunday and today and realized how Hurricane Katrina was predicted to affect New Orleans, I was stricken with the greatest fears and worries. Now in Lafayette with my family, I dearly pray for my home, my school, my possessions, and of the most importance, my friends who decided to wait the storm out in Laplace. I sit here now with a phone pressed against my ear with my shoulder trying frantically to get in touch with anyone. God please help us in this one.
--Ben Bourgeois, 17 years old, Laplace, La.

For materials you post or otherwise provide to MSNBC (a "Submission"), you grant MSNBC permission to (1) use, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, modify, translate and reformat your Submission, each in connection with the MSNBC Web Site, and (2) sublicense these rights, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. MSNBC will not pay you for your Submission. MSNBC may remove your Submission at any time. For each Submission, you represent that you have all rights necessary for you to make the grants in this section.

CONTINUED : More Hurricane Katrina reports

< Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Next >

Discuss Story On Newsvine
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh
Email
Instant Message
Print