Glad, too, to hear about your brother's scramble to safety, Chi.
And, S'tan, Otter was in NYC for Wigstock. It's possible she is still here...
Since it's very difficult to get any first hand info from NOLA, because there is no power or telephone service, the information is very piecemeal.
CNN, of course, is there, but seems to have gone out of its way to use reporters with absolutely no knowlege of the City's geography. And I will scream if they run that harrowing and heartless footage of the man who lost his wife when their house split in two one more time!
The Times-Picayune and WWL TV have relocated to Baton Rouge (as has the mayor!) but seem to be doing an admirable job with reporters on the spot. Their links, for those who haven't discovered them yet, are below.
It seems that, aside from the original places that were settled in the swamp-- the French Quarter and The Garden District-- that the whole city is seriously flooded. The Lower Ninth and St. Bernard's Parish are gone. And I would suspect The Bywater us not faring well either.
Toni C. BTW is here in NYC and her GF evacuated to Georgia with their menagerie. And when last I heard, they thought their house was definitely submerged. But who can say?
Meanwhile, I continue to pray to St. Jude...
Times-Picayune link
WWL Television