Gulf Coast residents flee 'extremely dangerous' Gustav
Story Highlights
NEW: New Orleans mayor "strongly, strongly encouraging everyone in this city to evacuate"
Gustav's winds were nearly 145 mph as it gets ready to slam Cuba
Hurricane center calls Gustav "extremely dangerous"
Thousands flee Gulf Coast; Gustav could hit Monday or Tuesday
BELLE CHASE, Louisiana (CNN) -- As Hurricane Gustav's winds reached up to 145 mph on its predicted path to the U.S. Gulf Coast -- ravaged in 2005 by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita -- residents headed inland in droves.
"This makes Gustav an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale," the National Hurricane Center said.
In New Orleans, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, anxiety was high.
"I am strongly, strongly encouraging everyone in this city to evacuate," New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said at a news conference Saturday. "Start the process now."
"I'm not sure where I'm going," Margie Hawkins of New Orleans told CNN as she stood outside Union Passenger Terminal, where people were waiting to be transported out of New Orleans.
However, she was not fazed.
"I am confident and positive that the city will arrange a good place," she said, her small dog Bubbles yipping at her feet. Unlike the runup to Katrina, officials are allowing people to take their pets with them.
"My last 24 hours have been somewhat worrisome and very, very prayerful, because this is a very serious threat, and it's a lot of people to get to safe ground or be safe where they are," Hawkins said.
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/gustav.prepare/index.html
From the Netherlands I watched in disbelief that people in 2005 were not allowed to take their pets with them. Many, many innocent pets were abandoned and died a horrible death. I am very pleased to read that this time pets can go with their owners. I hope that no pet owner leaves his or her buddies home, or if it is decided that the pet(s) should stay home, the owner does so too!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with the pet owners and their animal friends!
Jetty Middelkoop
Soest, Netherlands
(and her 10 cats)
Thank you for the comment.
ReplyDeleteWe all remember the horrible pictures of dogs and cats trapped. We read the stories of people who couldn't get out and of the people who would not leave their pets behind. Heartless people do not understand that pets become part of the family. They cannot understand the love and devotion some people have for their pets.
I have a Golden Retriever. He's one of the kindest, gentlest giant good of a dog that I've even known. At the age of 12, he prances around the house with a stuffed duck in his mouth as if he's still a puppy. If faced with the choice of getting to safety by leaving him behind, I would not be able to go either.
This time, they have taken this connection seriously and made arrangements. That alone will save some lives of people.