Katrina Images, Rita's Wrath, Wilma

Posted at 3:48 PM, Oct. 19, 2005

Until an appropriate mandatory evacuation forced both areas to seek refuge due to Hurricane Rita, Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas joined the rest of the country in providing Katrina aid. Southwest Louisiana alone supported approx 15,000 evacuess still here in shelters, private homes, motels, rental units, and vacant homes for sale. 

Historically, it has only been our more coastal areas to be so affected by hurricanes.Mandatory evacuations rare. We were the place of refuge, especially to our neighboring parish of Cameron. Sadly, many of those featured in this blog suffered significant property damage. "Lost all" applies to at least 3 of our membership with many more displaced as their homes are repaired or rebuilt.  And it is a rare neighbor that has not suffered in some way. Cameron is basically a community that "lost all" with few structures remaining.

In the weeks to come, photos of Rita as well as details about our local rebuild effort dubbed "Calcasieu Comeback" will be inserted here and/or on a separate blog. Guess John Reilly and I have learned a lesson in naming blogs!

This link, featuring Moving Katrina photographs and music, was sent to me so thought it appropriate to post. 

More important, our thoughts and prayers are with those in Wilma's path.  I just spoke to one of the many new faces in town responding to our desparate need for construction workers.  He is from Cuba and knows first hand the power of these storms.  He did not try to hide his anguish and concern over what is now "the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic."