What do yall think? If we get "tropical-storm" force winds/rain

[AnnInLa]

I live in a small, frame house in Abbeville....(but, it's Such a cute, little, charming house, like a doll house, really) (LOL)...with a big tree over it. Should I be safe if I stay?

[rbjensen]

1. You got a basement? n/t

[AnnInLa]

7. basement? no one here has basements....we are at sea level

alot of above-ground cemeteries too

[rbjensen]

10. I live on the Gulf coast

with no basements either. (farther east than N.O.) Makes you damned vulnerable. Even with tropical force winds I'd give serious thought to a shelter, if you think you can get back to your house when it is over; as in, is the shelter within feasible walking distance. Because once you leave they keep you out of the area.

Get ready for a long time w/out power. One hurricane we had no power until Thanksgiving.

[benito]

2. I'm about a mile from you

I'm staying. Everything that can be blown away has been tied down. We lost all of our trees during Lili. I remember when Andrew hit New Iberia and we're about 25 miles from there. I don't remember extensive damage here from that. Obviously, this is a different situation.
I'm about to fill up my icechests and freezer with ice.
HWY 14 west is quite busy this morning as I drove from Kaplan to Abbeville.

[AnnInLa]

9. Tony...do you have an extra portable radio?

I'll bet Evil Wally World is sold out by now.

I have the car gassed & loaded in case they ask us to go. But, they asked us not to get on the main roads, so it's back roads for us. I have ice chest full of ice, water saved everywhere, picked up everything from the yard, patio. Have canned goods. I even colored my hair this morning. Just don't have a portable radio.

[Chomskyite]

20. The gutless scum at Walmart Hammond

. . . closed at 10 am Sunday morning. So Lowe's and True Value both got their business. The equally gutless Walgreens shut down early too, as did Fred's and Dollar General. We're two hours from New Orleans.

[phantom power]

3. A cat-5 hurricane is like an F-3 tornado, 50 miles wide.

I'm afraid for you folks. Wherever this thing hits shore, very bad things are going to happen.

[benito]

4. Hurricane Camille pic - this is what evil looks like

[KyndCulture]

5. Take a native floridian's advice.

Make a tornado plan if you stay... this monster is going spawn some nasty tornados even if you don't get the hurricane winds.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Those little Acadiana style homes up on cement pillars have

withstood more than I ever thought they could... I know you don't have a basement, trim your tree back if you can.... best of luck, I am in Lafayette and have decided to stay in a house with neighbors.... "relatives". Be safe Ann.... see you on the other side... (of the storm, not that other place) :)

[AnnInLa]

12. yeah, that's my house

[finecraft]

8. To the Cajun Country DU Bunch-

I'm staying too. We have all the stuff tied down, locked or stowed safely away. I'll try to keep everyone up on what's happening on this end of the bay. So far Iberia Parish officials haven't put out any evacuation warnings, so I think we'll be alright to ride out the storm. We have a bizillion people in town here that were evacuated from New Orleans and the surrounding areas that have made it this far, but have no hotel reservations and no place to go. They are staying in their cars in places like the old WalMart shopping center parking lot. :scary: Be safe everyone, and I'll be checking for y'all later in the day to see how things are going.

[AnnInLa]

11. thanks finecraft....looking forward to your reports

Peace

Be safe.

[finecraft]

19. OK- we're starting to get the winds and rain

Ann- gusty winds and rain. This crap came up in a hurry. Take care if it hasn't gotten to you yet.

[darkstar]

13. Good to see everyone staying in touch

I'm in Lafayette, too, 4MY.

If anyone needs anything *please* don't hesitate to ask.

Stay safe y'all.

[AnnInLa]

14. I believe they said there would be an update on the track

at 4:00. Darkstar, if it starts getting bad here, I am going to try to make it up to Lafayette....I'll phone first, tho. And, thanks again for the offer.

[benito]

15. I got my camcorder,

my inlines and a bed sheet.
Seriously though.
http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3775038&nav=EyAzdqAW
has the school closings as of now. I can't understand why Lafayette would be closed and Vermilion would be open....

I'll be online until the lights go out.
Also NO WATER on the shelves at SprawlMart in the Ville. We'll be in touch Ann!

[AnnInLa]

16. thanks Tony....any arrests at Wal Mart?

that was too funny

[Gman]

17. You'll probably be ok with only tropical storm force winds

but stay away from windows and watch out for tornadoes. Your biggest threat will be tornadoes. You'll never see the tornado coming as it'll be coming some 60 or 70 mph or maybe even much faster from this monster. If you're outside, stay away from trees and power poles. We have some friends who had a son killed a couple of years ago after Claudette came into Texas and had already moved inland. They had tropical force winds in Pleasanton, Texas and a tree limb broke and killed the kid.

[Greyskye]

18. I'd get out.

See this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3930122

A snip from this thread:

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1011 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005


DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED

HURRICANE KATRINA
A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED
STRENGTH...RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.