So-Gustav is now a Cat 4 - the Levees have been rebuilt to only withstand a Cat 3?

Question

And the Levees technically are not even finished yet. Oh-and Gustav will probably grow into a Cat 5 before it hits.

Is this screwed up or what?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008145814_levee29.html

Answer 1

This is a sad event, after 3 years I'm surprised that they don't have something a bit more sturdy to protect against another Katrina-like disaster. My boyfriend is from New Orleans and he also says that they haven't finished the levee's yet. At least they have begun to evacuate people early. All we can do now is wait and see what happens? Oh another thing I'm curious about is why would they only build them to withstand a 3? I've been looking at past hurricanes and more often than any where else they seem to go to that gulf area. I guess it could just be impossible to build anything that would be sure-fire protection against such a disaster.

Answer 2

The whole thing reminds me of the story of the three lttle pigs.  But instead of the moral of the story being you should not build your house out of straw it is don't build your house below sea level by the ocean.  Would it have been a good idea to build a $15 billion wall around the straw house. I guess the answer is only if you are willing to trust your life in the hands of FEMA.

Answer 3

The article says Gustav is going to be a Category 3 when it hits.  

"Projections showed Gustav arriving early next week as a Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 111 mph or greater, from the Florida Panhandle to eastern Texas. The National Hurricane Center's cone shows the storm's projected path's center line pointing at the Louisiana coast southwest of New Orleans."

If Gustav does hit New Orleans, let's hope the response from FEMA and is quicker.  

Answer 4

and gustav will be followed up by hurricane hanna which is just a couple of days behind over the bahamas

Answer 5

the levees arent done  but it would nt matter some places would be underwater they only hold back 10ft of water the storm surge is 15-18-25 ft  the weather lady just said maybe 40ft of water!!!  

Answer 6

It's called 'the fury of nature.'  We've been dealing with it for thousands of years.

Answer 7

Gustav is down to a 3 now. He'll probably make landfall as a 3 or 4. The levees are not finished nor fully repaired, no technically about it, it's not finished.