First glimpse at "the mess"
All along Interstate 10 - the East/West connector to LA - we see debris littering the road. As we near Lake Ponchatrain, we see abondoned vehicles left prior to the storm! Yes, 3 months later we see abondoned cars covered in mud along I-10...
We see huge billboards toppled over... we cross the 25+ mile Lake Ponchatrain and can't help but awe at it's size. Entering the state we saw road signs pointing FEMA relief vehicles to certain staging grounds.
Now in Kenner, we approach our host's home. The area has trash along the streets. But for the most part, it's not as devasting as we imagine.
At our host's home, Gloria, we start to realize the storm's impact. Her home has been flooded. Everything 4 feet and below is gutted - and destroyed. Her home has no flooring, no drywall 4 feet and below, electricity is being re-run, and a moldy oder is present.
We learn that most all of Kenner, LA is just like this! The area was flooded because the pumps were not activated.
We meet a resident one street over, Dunes, who is quite upset at local/county government for not having the pumps running. Apparently, two years they funded an automated pump system. The project didn't get completed...
Cell service seems to be congested but working OK. The BlackBerry is working fine.