Katrina- One Year Later: Chapter Two

I'm watching live footage from the CBS station in New Orleans, WWL-TV, Channel 4. At this moment, they're ringing what is called the 'Katrina Bell' at the main Roman Catholic Church in the city, St. Louis Cathedral, on Jackson Square (Chartres and St. Ann Streets. The spot in front of St. Louis Cathedral has a mark bearing the late Pope John Paul II's visit almost 20 years ago).

Bells are tolling all over the metro area, commemorating the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's path of destruction and death.

The bell tolling, I think I can understand. After all, this was the worst natural disaster- thus far- to strike the US. But after all the bell tolling, and the mourning- some which will go on forever- the people of New Orleans must move on, and rebuild. Be stronger than before Katrina hit, lest they fall again.

I recall a year ago, as I watched safely in the confines of Portland, Oregon, I wrote in a journal entry- I believe that I still have that journal- that Katrina, as a Category 5 hurricane, could completely level the city. Although she came in as a slightly less damaging, but no less dangerous Category 3, Katrina did indeed level a good part of the city, and left a good number of people in desolation. But as I look back at this on this the first anniversary, it is my belief that if a disaster the magnitude of Katrina could destroy a city, imagine Portland being struck by, say, a magnitude of, say 6 (on the Ricther Scale) earthquake. Or even the 'Big One' that may strike Los Angeles (yes, I'll be in the City of Angels when- and if- it happens...).

No one knows when the next big disaster will strike. It could be in a minute; the next day. The next year, even. All we can do is be better prepared, not complacent.
The folks in New Orleans, those who stayed because they've ridden out many tropical storms and hurricanes before, or because they had no way of getting out (I blame political incompetence here, but that's another subject fore another day), probably felt like, "hey, this Katrina bitch is just another storm." Of course, some are now asking, "where was Nash Roberts where we needed him?" (Nash Roberts, 88, is a retired WWL-TV meteorologist. He had a uncanny ability to predict how dangerous the storm would be. All he needed was a magic marker and paper. No glitzy computer graphic mumbo-jumbo. Thankfully, he and his wife made it through Katrina. They were evacuated).

Let us not forget the 1800 victims of Katrina's wrath. And let us move on, rebuild, and continue to live.