Originally posted by: stephenw22
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: stephenw22
'This is out tsunami' (CBC News article)
...
The storm inflicted catastrophic damage along the Gulf coast as it slammed into Louisiana, and then swept across Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida.
Although an unofficial death toll hovered around 55 on Tuesday morning, officials in Mississippi were reporting 50 dead in that state alone.
Jim Pollard, a spokesperson in Harrison County, said that 30 of them died at a Biloxi, Miss. apartment complex where they were drowned or crushed by debris.
"This is our tsunami," said Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway.
...
Total Death Count from Hurricane Katrina: maybe 100
Total Death Count from Tsunami:
226,000
Yes, the hurricane is horrible, but everyone had DAYS of notice to get the hell out of there.
Days?
It wasn't a Cat 5 until less than 24hrs before landfall. It wasn't predicted to hit that far west until late on Friday.
And, what are the people who have no car, no money, medical problems, etc. supposed to do? Sprout wings?
So it wasn't dangerous as a cat 3 or cat 4? As soon as I hear about ANY kind of thunderstorm warning for my area, I'm on the weather band, listening for the most current forecast. People need to take more responsibility here for staying informed on what is going on around them. A radio costs what? $3? $4?
No car? You should have planned in advance to get a ride with someone who has a car. Or, take the bus/plane/train/etc. Or, find out where there is a shelter you can stay at, and have plans to be able to get there in a hurry.
No money? Then you are a moron. You should have been saving some money over the last several years for something like this. I make sure that I have enough cash on hand for emergencies, in case the bank machines go down over a long weekend or something. I also keep a separate no-fee account with a 'rainy-day fund' for emergency use. I put $2/week into it before I was married, and now I put $5/week into it. It took a few years, but now I know that I'm covered if I have emergency expenses (uncovered medical/dental, unemployment, etc.)
Medical Problems? You should have made plans in advance, and knew where you could go. You should have had an extra supply of medication or other supplies that could get you through an emergency.
In almost any case, it's their own fault. People might whine and complain, but they still put themselves in the potential path of a disaster without thinking about the natural consequences