Aug 31, 2008 10:00 am US/Eastern
New Orleans Residents Evacuate Ahead Of Gustav
New Orleans (CBS4) ―
-
-
Tara Legendre (left) and her boyfriend Howard Ferrell, from the Ninth Ward, talk while on a city bus during early evacuation as hurricane Gustav approaches Aug. 30, 2008 in New Orleans, La.
Stephen Morton/Getty Images
It's slow going as thousands of residents of New Orleans and the surrounding areas packed up and headed out Sunday morning ahead of Hurricane Gustav.
"We are totally stuck in traffic!" Juanita Arena told
CBS4 reporter Ted Scouten as she tried to leave town.
City emergency management officials issued a mandatory evacuation order with residents on the city's vulnerable West Bank told to leave first.
At noon, the rest of the city was supposed to be out.
"It's a nightmare… we've been in traffic for about an hour." Joe Isadore hasn't made the distance he thought he would. And for those without a car, buses are filling up fast as thousands take advantage of the city's offer to get them to shelters far from the coast.
Mayor Ray Nagin called Gustav "the mother of all storms," and says anyone ignoring calls to leave would be on their own.
"This is the real deal, not a test," Nagin said as he issued the evacuation order Saturday night. "For everyone thinking they can ride this storm out, I have news for you: that will be one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your life."
Cora Green is just happy to be out of the way of the storm. She got on a bus without having any clue where she'll end up. "I don't know where I'm going… I'm going somewhere to get out of the storm, that's for sure." Even the bus drivers didn't know where they're headed until they pulled out and were told where to go. For those who remember the horrors of Katrina, their destination was not important. "I was down here one before," Green says, "for Katrina. I was in water up to my knee." This time, many families are relieved to find even their pets are allowed to head out with them.
The airports are packed as well. In fact, airlines are adding extra flights. New Orleans's mayor is telling everybody to get out.
"We have a few more days, I wish we could do a little more partying," says Jeff Sanders, "But we knew the risks when we were coming down here."
Packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, Gustav picked up speed early Sunday as it moved to the northwest across the Gulf of Mexico.
It is projected to make landfall as early Monday, and could bring a storm surge of up to 20 feet to the coast and rainfall totals of up to 15 inches.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Hurricane Ike Hits Texas Coast
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
