Hurricane Katrina Lived Up To Dire Predictions

More than 50 people have been killed as a result of this incredible storm. Insurers expect hurricane Katrina to cost upwards of $26 billion in insurable losses. And that's just from what people can determine as of last nite and this morning.

And it would appear that New Orleans didn't escape the flooding. Nearly 80% of the city is underwater because levees failed on Lake Pontchartrain. In St. Bernard Parish, Katrina's storm surge swamped an estimated 40,000 homes. Hundreds of thousands are without power, water, or safe evacuation routes as debris and downed lines block roads.

The head of FEMA considers this storm catastrophic. People were warned to get out of the way, and many didn't heed that warning. Instead, rescuers had to risk their own lives to bring hundreds of people to safety from the roofs of their homes. More had to be rescued as cars found themselves swamped.

Around the region, Mobile, Gulfport, and hundreds of communities suffered tremendous damage. The greatest loss of life would appear to be in Harrison County, which encompasses Biloxi, Mississippi, where 50 people were killed by Katrina. 30 were killed at a single apartment complex.

Meanwhile, Daniel Drezner comments on the phenomenon known as hurricane porn, in which the media milks a situation for all its worth. Daniel wrote this before word of the problems with the flooding in New Orleans. He might have to reassess his statements in light of the problems that surfaced overnight.

It is quite possible that much of New Orleans will take weeks before the flooding subsides. So, despite New Orleans escaping a direct hit, it took one on the chin and is facing a standing 8 count.

UPDATE:
Brendan Loy is easily doing the best work on this huge story. Go check his assessment. The mainstream media isn't even in the ballpark on this one. They're still using older news accounts from last nite to give a rosy picture of the situation and talking about how New Orleans survived with what they claim is mostly superficial damage.

Just look at Brian Williams this morning on NBC news. He was flabbergasted over where the water came from. Did he not realize that the city is ringed by water that was whipped into a frenzy by the hurricane and that the levees could fail, sending all that water into the city? Parts of the city that had escape serious damage yesterday are under up to 20 feet of water.

And apparently the insurance estimates that I cited above were before the flooding in New Orleans took shape overnight. This means that we're looking at damage reaching well above the $25 billion point. The American Red Cross is looking at its largest mobilization ever to deal with this. We're talking about at least three states with massive damage, and this storm still has the potential to cause devastating flooding before it heads out to sea at the end of the week. (HT: Michelle Malkin.

UPDATE II:
This is our tsunami said the mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi. Umm, sorry to break it to you, but this wasn't a tsunami. It wasn't even a natural disaster in the same game. It wasn't even the same sport. It was in a league all its own. The tsunami victims never had a chance because they had absolutely no warning. Here in the US, we had 24-48 hours of warning after Katrina finished with Florida and strengthened into a cat 5 storm. Even still, people didn't heed the warnings to get out of town, and many perished (at least 55, many in the one apartment complex in Biloxi). So, the devastation is primarily property damage, and in that respect, and that respect only, this storm only passingly resembles the tsunami. The entire coastline between Texas and Florida has been smashed up. Property can be rebuilt. Items can be replaced, but this was by no means nearly as devastating as the tsunami in South Asia, which killed more than 270,000 people.

UPDATE III:
Looting is occurring in scattered precincts in New Orleans and in Mississippi. The authorities have said that they would deal with looters harshly and ruthlessly. Good. They are criminals and need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These are people who are taking advantage of a natural disaster for personal gain. They are no different than the profiteers who price gouge on basic necessities because they think they can get away with the higher prices.

However, incredibly Punditguy waded into the DU swamps and discovered that the DUers were egging on the looters -

The fact the national guard is keeping people from FOOD shows we are NOT living in a democracy, the Rich people's THINGS must be protected from starving people!! Remember the french revolution, the rich make sure the lower class suffers and is desperate, the middle class is scared of poor people, the soldiers are bribed obedient and loyal. That is how they stay rich and on our backs.

These DUers think that the looting is okay. It's because they're poor and the rules should be relaxed.

When I say that DUers are nutbars, I don't think I'm exaggerating. In fact, I think I underestimate their insanity.

UPDATE IV 10:39AM EDT:
According to unconfirmed reports, martial law has been declared in New Orleans and parts of Louisana. Nothing posted to the Internet on the LA state website or other news outlets as yet. Nothing on the Mayor's website either.

The only secured access out of NO is to the west. The causeway is accessible only by law enforcement and recovery efforts.

Several sections of the Twin Spans have washed away and other sections of the bridge are structurally unsound.

The I-10 Causeway was washed out.

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway has been opened to police, fire and other emergency vehicles after an initial inspection concluded the 24-mile long bridge was sound, WWL Radio reported this morning.

UPDATE V:
WWLTV is reporting that martial law (learn to spell folks) has been declared for Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish. 60% of homes in Plaquemines Parish under water. FoxNews is reporting that martial law has been declared for NO. Flood waters are expected to rise over the next few days.