We're not out of the woods yet...

There was a time that I, like many residents of New Orleans, would scoff at predictions that the doomsday scenario would take place, but since it in effect did when Hurricane Katrina hit, I am taking any more warnings with a little bit more seriousness. The Corps of Engineers says that they have pumped 87% of the Katrina floodwaters out of New Orleans and that the city should be dry by the end of the week. That is unless Tropical Storm Rita has anything to say about it. If the storm should hit Texas it would dump a considerably amount of water on south Louisiana. If it veers east, as many hurricanes tend to do, it could be a whole new disaster for those residents who are rushing to return to the city. I think that it is extremely unwise to put 180,000 people back in the potential path of a hurricane in a city that, by the mayor's own admission, "remains a hazardous site, and ongoing health and safety issues are being assessed."

UPDATE: As of this afternoon, Mayor Nagin has suspended the public return to parts of New Orleans citing the threat of Tropical Storm Rita. I'm all for New Orleans rising again but it's good to see that reason has prevailed in the face of this next potential hurricane.