Danae Columbus, opinion columnist
The New Orleans City Council’s budget hearing today focuses on capital improvements, public works and other drainage improvements that were paid for this year with emergency funds. When also factoring in yesterday’s fire at the Sewerage & Water Board’s Claiborne Avenue main pumping station, it’s easy to see why citizens are becoming more skeptical about the ability of our mayor and his S&WB team to protect us against flooding. Continue reading »
Mayor Mitch Landrieu speaks Tuesday afternoon about the response to Tropical Storm Harvey. (via Facebook live video)
After a surprise day off Tuesday for Tropical Storm Harvey’s rains, all students in the Orleans Parish School Board and Recovery School District will return to their schools as normal on Wednesday, officials announced. Continue reading »
Barricades block the flooded intersection of Olive Street at South Carrollton Avenue on Tuesday morning. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
After rain bands from Tropical Storm Harvey brought nearly 6 inches of rain to New Orleans on Monday, city officials warned residents to stay off the streets if at all possible because of the continued threat of flooding with nearly several inches more rain expected Tuesday. Continue reading »
Rainfall predictions from Tropical Storm Harvey over the next five days, issued Monday morning. (via National Hurricane Center)
While New Orleans was spared the worst of Hurricane Harvey’s possible impacts over the weekend, the meandering tropical storm could still bring a significant amount of rain to the city over the coming week, New Orleans officials said. Continue reading »
Rainfall predictions from Hurricane Harvey as of 7 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25. (via National Hurricane Center)
The effects of Hurricane Harvey are beginning to be felt along the Southern coast of Texas on Friday morning, but the National Hurricane Center predicts the system to slowly drift northeast back towards Louisiana into next week, bringing rainfall that could once again test New Orleans’ beleagured pumps. Continue reading »
The National Hurricane Center’s rainfall predictions for Tropical Storm Harvey across the Gulf Coast as of 4 a.m. Thursday. (via National Hurricane Center)
After strengthening overnight, Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to make landfall on the Texas coast on Friday, bringing the potential for heavy rain over New Orleans and more flooding starting this weekend, officials said. Continue reading »
Mayor Mitch Landrieu leads a news conference Saturday morning. (via City of New Orleans)
Although the fire-damaged backup power system to the city’s pumps has now been repaired, the city has identified 17 of its 120 pumps that are out of service and need emergency repairs, Mayor Mitch Landrieu said Saturday morning. Continue reading »
With a tent shielding her from the light rain Thursday afternoon, Chelsey Monroe paints a utility box at the corner of Nashville and Magazine streets. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
The turbine powering the city’s pumping system that caught fire Wednesday evening has been repaired successfully, but that only restores the city’s pumping capacity to the levels prior to last weekend’s flooding, leaving New Orleans at “some risk,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced Friday morning.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu speaks Friday morning about the status of the city’s pumping system. (via City of New Orleans)
Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks alongside Mayor Mitch Landrieu and city officials at a news conference late Thursday morning. (via City of New Orleans)
An overnight fire damaged the power to the city’s pumping system, leading to an increased risk of flooding across the Eastbank of New Orleans as more thunderstorms approach the city Thursday afternoon, authorities said. All public schools in the city will be closed through Friday.
“Obviously, this is a serious situation, but it is not something to be panicked about,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards late Thursday morning in a news conference with Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Continue reading »
Danae Columbus, opinion columnist
This week’s tropical storm Cindy is just the latest example that the New Orleans region and the entire Gulf Coast must become better at living with water rather than merely struggling to defeat it. From powerful waves breaking over the sea walls on Lakeshore Drive and in Covington to flooding caused by storm surge in Venetian Isles, Myrtle Grove and Grand Isle, we must employ what the Dutch call “inventive urbanism” to make our towns and cities more resilient. Continue reading »
Members of the Junior League of New Orleans pack up supplies for delivery to Baton Rouge. (via Facebook)
Businesses and organizations on Freret Street have been individually responding to the Baton Rouge-area flooding for the past two weeks, and now they are uniting their efforts to focus on providing for families’ babies and pets that other relief efforts may not reach.
Michelle Ingram of Zeus’ Place smiles with a furry passenger rescued from shelters in the flood zone. (via Facebook)
Several local and national organizations have put a call out to request donations and volunteers in the wake of Louisiana’s historic flooding, which has so far killed six, according to the Weather Channel, and forced rescues of 20,000 more. Here are local and national places to give monetary donations and goods.
Church Alley Coffee & The Good Shop, located at 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., is collecting toiletries, shoes, socks, cleaning supplies, baby wipes, formulas, car seats, fans, contractor garbage bags, gloves, and utility knives.
Raury performs on the Power Plant stage at BUKU in 2015. (Jamal Melancon, UptownMessenger.com)
The threat of dangerous conditions from the storm causing deep flooding around Louisiana on Friday morning may have closed most schools in New Orleans, but two major weekend events — the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel, and Buku festival in the Lower Garden District — are still scheduled to proceed despite the rain. Continue reading »
Lusher, Audubon and Samuel J. Green charter schools, Tulane University and City Hall will all be closing early today (Tuesday, Feb. 23) because of the sudden threat of severe weather. Continue reading »
(map via Entergy, 5:05 p.m. Monday)
More than 1,600 Entergy customers in the Carrollton and Hollygrove neighborhoods were temporarily without power as a Monday afternoon thunderstorm rolled through the area, utility officials said. Continue reading »
