Do You Think The People Of New Orleans Should Not Return To Their City?

Question

When and if Hurricane Gustav hits?

Answer 1

I feel sorry 4 them having to go through all that sh*t, they barley got recovered from katrina and now here comes another one, i feel 4 them, n 2 answer your question i think they should because thats home for them, some of the people's families have lived there for a long time they cant jus let the history die ya feel me

Answer 2

The city was built in an unwise manor, having a land mass below sea level near the ocean is unwise, also people didn't leave on their own accord, I was aware of it several days before it hit.

If you noticed now, people are leaving as Gustav approaches(wise decision). The city can be improved, and people need to take the initiative to do the smart thing, without the need for government to give it the OK.

I believe they can overcome this obstacle and the weather will not prevent some of them from going back, if anything they will improve the city for such and practice awareness and that will make them even stronger than before.

Added: I know this wasn't directed at me, but you can work little parts at a time at building better infrastructure, if the people living their don't want to live there anymore they definitely don't have to, but are you suggesting about forcing them not to live there? Not sure, but either way people will eventually flock there whether it is sanctioned or not.

Added: They need more than levees, they need to start over from scratch the new levies were created for a temporary measure, they need to redo a lot (raise the land mass, among other things) but it can be improved a lot more than what it is currently.

Answer 3

If the majority rule its unsafe, then your lives are far more important.America is such a big country, surely there are other places that are much safer to live.I dont know a lot about what happened but I do know it was tragic. Im in Australia so.......

Each and every life is so important and you do NOT need any more tragedy than you have already had.

Relocating might be tough also but I feel its a far safer bet for you Choc 1.

Do what ever is the safest for you and yours Honey!

I wish you all the best!

Answer 4

Hey Choc1, do some basic research before posting really foolish information:

New Orleans is NOT "below sea level".

New Orleans is NOT sinking.

The Port of New Orleans is the first or second largest port in the USA each year in tons of cargo. There are other ports with more traffic (though not in Louisiana), but remember that a very small vessel counts as "traffic".

I agree the fires in CA are small events, but the people in CA and the media don't seem to feel that way.  Are earthquakes in CA small?

And so on.

--------------------------------------...

New Orleans is not optional. History, architecture, culture, and the fact the city is home to many people are usually mentioned when the topic of rebuilding is discussed.  However, those factors (while significant) are NOT why NOLA is important to the rest of the United States.

First, New Orleans is a metro area of almost 1.4 million people – not some small town that could be easily relocated somewhere else.

More than 35% of America's energy is either produced in Southeast Louisiana or imported through here, and the infrastructure is focused on New Orleans. What may be the largest oil field on earth was discovered offshore of Louisiana in 2006, and it will be exploited via New Orleans.

The Port of New Orleans is the largest or second largest port in North America each year (tons of cargo) and one of the top ports in the world each year. The Port of New Orleans is not replaceable.

More than 25% of America's petroleum refining capacity is in the New Orleans area. That percentage will increase due to a new refinery already under construction and the planned expansion of existing refineries.

A large percentage of America's non-petroleum chemical industry is here.

New Orleans is one of only three principal east-west transportation points for the USA, and the resulting convergence of water, rail, pipeline, electricity, and highway links is not replaceable.

A large percentage of America's ship building & repair industry is in New Orleans.

NASA builds essential parts for the space shuttle in New Orleans, and will build components for the next generation of spacecraft here. Other manufacturers (ex. Bell-Textron) have factories in New Orleans.

A large percentage of America's seafood comes from SE Louisiana, and the distribution network is focused on New Orleans.

And so on….

It is theoretically possible to move the industry and the population, but only at horrific cost. The Mississippi river, Gulf of Mexico, and the oil fields cannot be moved. To even attempt to replace New Orleans would cost Trillions of Dollars and the attempt would fail.

In contrast, New Orleans can be protected from future hurricanes with the expenditure of about $15 Billion (that should have been spent before Katrina) spread out over a period of a decade.

Note that New Orleans is NOT "prone" to hurricanes or being flooded. The last one to hit before Katrina was in 1965 and before that was in 1947. Neither of those flooded the city proper like Katrina, which was the strongest storm ever recorded to strike North America.  

There is a widespread myth that New Orleans is "built below sea level”, but that is not true.

Realize that nowhere is without risk. NYC and Miami are at more risk from hurricanes than New Orleans. Los Angeles and San Francisco are at risk from earthquakes and fires. Seattle is threatened by volcanoes and Tsunamis. The Midwest is hit by tornadoes every year. However, I don’t hear anyone claiming New York, Florida, California, Kansas, or Washington (state) be abandoned, or even not rebuilt after the next disaster.

However, people routinely claim New Orleans should be abandoned, or that we somehow don’t deserve help after Katrina.

Why is that?

Answer 5

Theres too mch history in N.O. for it to be permenantly abandoned.. I say just build stronger infustructure.