Clearer Picture of Gustav's Aftermath

While all eyes were on New Orleans and the residents of the coastal communities now housed in shelters across the country, Gustav swept through Louisiana causing tremendous damage. Once the storm passed and the levees in New Orleans held, everyone seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Since that time, very little coverage of the damage in Louisiana has found a place in national and international media coverage. 

While researching a route for a storm assessment trip, I came across some photos submitted from people in affected areas. The locations were noted on most of the photos. I came across some photos from Zachary, Louisiana, just north of Baton Rouge. The images showed much more significant storm damage than I expected. I called a pastor in Zachary who is a friend of mine and received confirmation of the damage in the photos. A little more research and a few more phone calls provided a greater awareness of the extent of the damage throughout Baton Rouge and much of the surrounding area. Gustav's eastern edge drenched the area and pummeled the cities along the Mississippi River with hurricane force winds and tornadoes. Those old live oak trees that are so much a part of the traditional image of Louisiana were broken and uprooted by the hundreds in turn bringing down power lines and crushing buildings. Power transmission stations have received damage as well, and some are reporting estimates of three weeks before power will be restored. Some other areas of the state are not expecting power to return for four to six weeks. Photos of Gustav's aftermath are now becoming available in greater number. Check http://www.2theadvocate.com/multimedia for several galleries.