Did Mayor Ray Nagin not know that his city was below sea level?

Question

Why was this man elected to be mayor again? He had many days to prepare the city of New Orleans for this disaster but he did nothing.

eelfins, how on earth did people forgive the mayor for ignoring the fact that the levees would not sustain a hurricane of that magnitude?

Answer 1

New Orleans had years to fix their problems. I remember watching a program in the 80's and it addressed the concerns of a big hurricane hitting N.O. They knew, even back then, they just chose not to do anything about it.

Answer 2

I am thoroughly disgusted. First, the Mayor did know about the storm coming, and did nothing to prepare the people. Simply because they were arrogant enough to think that their precious city would not be harmed. They felt that since they have weathered many bad storms before this one, they would be ok. I don't know about any of you, but if I lived in a city that sat below sea level, near the coast, and there was a raging hurricane about to hit in a few days. I would have packed up my belongings, called my insurance agent to make sure I was covered, and left for higher ground! Period. One here even had the ignorance to write that it is because George Bush is a racist and that is why New Orleans is below sea level. New Orleans is a fish bowl because of geography not because of the President!! I have always said that I am surprised that N O was not wiped out a long time ago. This whole fiasco truly disgusts me and blame is being thrown around like the beads at Mardi Gras. The fact of the matter remains that N O is below sea level and near the ocean. It has always been destined for destruction one way or another. I believe that if a storm is really strong enough and bent on hitting land there, there is no levy of any kind that is going to stop it from destroying New Orleans. Pure and simple, this is not a race problem, or a political problem, it is not a Republican or Democrat problem, it is a geography problem! People need to rebuild New Orleans away from the fish bowl and if you refuse to do that, than you suffer the consequences. I personally live in an area that has no hurricanes, no floods, no earthquakes, no land or mud slides and only an occassional tornado. I like it here. I would NEVER live in a city that is on the coast and sits under the water level and is prone to nasty hurricanes. But hey, that's just me. Just for thought, maybe if New Orleans gets wiped out again, first, I hope that everyone has learned from the last time and gets out!! Then maybe all of those people need to start thinking that it's not a good place to raise a family!

Answer 3

The news media broadcast a lot of incorrect information about New Orleans over the past week, and the status of the levee system was really badly communicated. There are about 350 miles of levees protecting the greater New Orleans metro area and about 220 miles of them were damaged or destroyed by Katrina. ALL of the damaged/destroyed levees were repaired by the summer of 2006, and the repairs included many reinforcements. The system is getting a $14 Billion upgrade that started in 2007 (as soon as the repairs were completed). The upgrade won't be finished until 2011 or 2012 (it's an enormous project) but many improvements were in place when Gustav struck. Those improvements may have saved the city from worse flooding during Gustav. Additional work is planned for after the upgrade, including long-term projects to restore the wetlands and do other eco-friendly things to provide atural protection from hurricanes. If $14 Billion sounds like a lot, realize the federal government spent that much on a 3-mile tunnel under Boston harbor for commuters. More than half of New Orleans is above sea level. The parts BSL are neighborhoods built in the 20th century on drained swamps (swampland subsides after it is drained). Finally, the levee system (now and before) is a federal responsibility - NOT a responsibility of the city or state governments. Specifically, the levee system was designed and built by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the USACE is accomplishing the repairs & upgrades.

Answer 4

Answer: Sea Level! Get Real! As mayor it was in the city charter that if needed the mayor would activate every available bus the city owned to evacuate the city.
AFTER the levies broke Rappin Ray, blamed "Greyhound" for not re-routing its entire fleet to take those that HE had abandoned, to safety.
Typical Chocolate...Sorry! Unlike him "I" have to be politically correct...
His lies much like the governors were just so lame and stupid that only like minded criminals accepted
And once again! N.O. is the most crime ridden city in America!
Thanks to Ray Nagin! The Chocolate Criminal Enabler!

Answer 5

I'm sure that the Mayor knew. There are so many things that could have gone right, but didn't in that disaster. While the mayor did little to get people evacuated before the storm hit, let's not lay the whole thing at his doorstep. They say that the mayor didn't care, and judging by the amount initiative taken by the city's residents and community leaders, they didn't care either. There are so many things that a proactive citizenry could have done to make the mayor's job easier, but didn't.

Answer 6

He was the biggest fool in the whole hurricane disaster. he left buses to go under water when they could have taken many of them put in the Super dome to safer ground. Nagin just wanted to fan the racist scenario of the relief for his own purpose since he was such an ineffective mayor.

Answer 7

What happened in NO is typical when these states receive money they spend it in the wrong place. That said.

When nagin "we will have a chocolate city" did not use the buses to get people out, that was local governments job not Washing tons job. They had warning and they stood there with their fingers up their rears.

I really do not know why anyone would want to live there, they are in a soup bowl.

Why don't they do what they did with (what is now) Staten Island NY build it up with garbage (above sea level) then start over.

Answer 8

Did the builders of the city not know to stop at a certain point instead of building in lower areas?

Why did they dredge wetlands that would have helped with surges to make way for ships?

Not only the mayor is to blame. This was in the making since the French settled there. Just that Nagin is an idiot and an easy mark.

Answer 9

Ray Nagin does not now nor did he ever have a clue about running a city. New Orleans was falling apart before Katrina, his incompetency finished it off--what a terrible shame. He was hiding high and dry in a hotel suite while some of the residents of New Orleans were drowning and stranded in the Superdome. Thing is, they turned around and elected him again--guess they got what they wanted.

Answer 10

I agree, everyone wants to blame the entire government and bush for what happened.I am no bush fan, but it is law that environmental disasters are handled by local governments, and when assistance is needed then they go to the feds such as fema, the governor took her sweet time and was reluctant to go to fema, once fema was asked it was too late to get the ball rolling and get organized. The local government i.e. mayor KNEW there were problems before hand and should have taken precautions like bussing people out. Also in general I dont think people should rely on there government for every single thing, individuals need to take precautions, and invest there money, and flee temporarily when they are warned to do so. Oh yea, not shooting at rescue choppers, and looting, and defrauding fema aid money

Answer 11

From what I'm hearing the levi's still aren't able to handle a hurricane! I don't know why they reelected him or the Gov. again but because they did so willingly and knowing the parts they played in this hurricane I have no sympathy for them nor will I if another hurricane strikes. I think they are the digrace of the country and I feel sorry for those who had to go it alone in Mississippi and all the others in Katrina!