More Katrina

My daughter and a friend are working on a project for the school social studies fair. Their title is "What Damage Did Hurricane Katrina Do?". They have to do a report, a model and a backboard. Today we took my digital camera out to Lakeview, the part of New Orleans that was flooded by the break in the 17th Street Canal levee. Lakeview is a middle to upper class area and it is right across the infamous 17th Street Canal from Jefferson Parish, which is where I live. Life in Jefferson Parish is becoming more normal every day. FEMA trailers are popping up everywhere, but you also hear daily stories of people moving back into their houses. In Jefferson Parish it is easy to think the recovery should be done soon. Lakeview brings up back to reality. Most homes in Jefferson Parish that flooded were flooded with rainwater that was not pumped out quickly enough. They got several inches to a couple of feet of water. Lakeview homes had six to ten feet of water in them. I believe the power grid has been turned back on, but an electrical inspection is necessary before power can be restored to individual homes--and that is going very slowly. We saw a few FEMA trailers, but not many. Most houses appear to have been gutted--the contents, sheetrock and flooring had been removed--but some looked untouched. The girls took the pictures I have posted below.