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| Post-Katrina Levees Tested as Isaac Stalls Over Louisiana | Post-Katrina Levees Tested as Isaac Stalls Over Louisiana |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Isaac hovered over the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, punishing southeast Louisiana with 75 mile per hour wind gusts, driving, horizontal rain and the threat of calamitous flooding. Forecasters said the rainfall may not let up for days. | |
| The hurricane, which made its second landfall early Wednesday, was moving very slowly, at about 6 miles per hour near Houma, La., according to the National Weather Service, bringing with it the heightened risk of tornadoes and flash flooding hundreds of miles inland from Louisiana, and across Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. | The hurricane, which made its second landfall early Wednesday, was moving very slowly, at about 6 miles per hour near Houma, La., according to the National Weather Service, bringing with it the heightened risk of tornadoes and flash flooding hundreds of miles inland from Louisiana, and across Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. |
| Hurricane Isaac’s maximum sustained wind speeds have slowed from 80 miles per hour during the morning and are expected to weaken further as the system moves inland. | Hurricane Isaac’s maximum sustained wind speeds have slowed from 80 miles per hour during the morning and are expected to weaken further as the system moves inland. |
| New Orleans so far appears to have avoided major damage, but the city is littered with fallen trees and downed power lines, and few traffic lights are working. Some streets were under several feet of water as rain continued to fall. More than 600,000 residents of Louisiana were without power, nearly a third of them in New Orleans. | |
| The longer the storm lingers, the more pressure it is putting on the levees and other flood-protection systems along the coast. | The longer the storm lingers, the more pressure it is putting on the levees and other flood-protection systems along the coast. |
| In Plaquemines Parish, about 95 miles from New Orleans and where the hurricane first made landfall, water “overtopped” a levee, causing extensive flooding and stranding dozens of people, officials said. | |
| The levee is not one of the large, federally maintained earthworks lining the Mississippi River, but a locally maintained levee some 8 feet high, and lower than the 12-foot surge that hit it, according to officials from the Army Corps of Engineers. The water is threatening people living along the east bank of the parish, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, who did not comply with the mandatory evacuation. | The levee is not one of the large, federally maintained earthworks lining the Mississippi River, but a locally maintained levee some 8 feet high, and lower than the 12-foot surge that hit it, according to officials from the Army Corps of Engineers. The water is threatening people living along the east bank of the parish, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, who did not comply with the mandatory evacuation. |
| “Right now, we’re trying to figure out where they actually are,” said a state trooper, Russel Brueck, at the parish emergency operations center. “They’re not actually in the body of water. They’re just stuck.” | “Right now, we’re trying to figure out where they actually are,” said a state trooper, Russel Brueck, at the parish emergency operations center. “They’re not actually in the body of water. They’re just stuck.” |
| Billy Nungesser, president of Plaquemines Parish, said Hurricane Isaac had already caused more damage in his parish than Hurricane Katrina had seven years ago. | |
| “Those areas that didn’t flood for Katrina were flooded for this storm,” he said. " If this is a Category 1 storm, I don’t want to see anything stronger.” | |
| In Jefferson Parish, there was anxiety about two communities not protected by levees — Grand Isle and Lafitte. | In Jefferson Parish, there was anxiety about two communities not protected by levees — Grand Isle and Lafitte. |
| Mandatory evacuations had been ordered in both places, but while only about 30 residents remained in Grand Isle as Hurricane Isaac bore down on them, far fewer had heeded the warning in Lafitte. | Mandatory evacuations had been ordered in both places, but while only about 30 residents remained in Grand Isle as Hurricane Isaac bore down on them, far fewer had heeded the warning in Lafitte. |
| “Initially, the storm only being a tropical storm instead of a hurricane, many people, especially the people who live down there, didn’t have a whole lot of concern,” said Deano Bonano, an aide to a parish councilman. “Then it ramped up pretty quickly.” | “Initially, the storm only being a tropical storm instead of a hurricane, many people, especially the people who live down there, didn’t have a whole lot of concern,” said Deano Bonano, an aide to a parish councilman. “Then it ramped up pretty quickly.” |
| By late Tuesday night, two feet of water had inundated parts of Grand Isle, a barrier island. There was significantly less flooding in Lafitte. Though the storm’s direction had helped by pushing water out, that direction may change later Wednesday, and flooding there was likely. | |
| Hurricane Isaac is the first test of a $14.5 billion, 133-mile ring of levees, flood walls, gates and pumps installed after Hurricane Katrina by the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that built the defenses that failed New Orleans catastrophically in 2005. | Hurricane Isaac is the first test of a $14.5 billion, 133-mile ring of levees, flood walls, gates and pumps installed after Hurricane Katrina by the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that built the defenses that failed New Orleans catastrophically in 2005. |
| While the current storm is nowhere near as powerful as Hurricane Katrina — which struck seven years ago Wednesday — its pounding, driving rains and surging waves are lashing towns from east of Morgan City, La., to the Mississippi-Alabama border. | While the current storm is nowhere near as powerful as Hurricane Katrina — which struck seven years ago Wednesday — its pounding, driving rains and surging waves are lashing towns from east of Morgan City, La., to the Mississippi-Alabama border. |
| Waters from the gulf pushed onto the coast through the night in Mississippi and Alabama, where thousands had lost power and 60 m.p.h. winds knocked out transformers and stripped palm trees. Several inches of rain had fallen overnight, flooding parts of the small cities along the coast. The Mississippi Gaming Commission ordered the 12 casinos along the coast to close. | Waters from the gulf pushed onto the coast through the night in Mississippi and Alabama, where thousands had lost power and 60 m.p.h. winds knocked out transformers and stripped palm trees. Several inches of rain had fallen overnight, flooding parts of the small cities along the coast. The Mississippi Gaming Commission ordered the 12 casinos along the coast to close. |
| The authorities in Mississippi have reported making a number of rescues, including a family with a 6-month-old baby and a dog that had been living on a houseboat on the Pearl River near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. | The authorities in Mississippi have reported making a number of rescues, including a family with a 6-month-old baby and a dog that had been living on a houseboat on the Pearl River near the Mississippi-Louisiana border. |
| On Wednesday, Biloxi, Miss., was being hammered by bands of wind and rain. | |
| A curfew had been extended to noon, and the city’s streets were virtually empty. The police were stopping what few drivers took to the streets. | A curfew had been extended to noon, and the city’s streets were virtually empty. The police were stopping what few drivers took to the streets. |
| The coast itself was a study of gray on gray: It was impossible to determine where the gulf’s waters ended and the overcast skies began. | The coast itself was a study of gray on gray: It was impossible to determine where the gulf’s waters ended and the overcast skies began. |
| Paul and Kim Punzo, who live just across the street from the banks of the Biloxi River, had water up to their driveway. Mr. Punzo expected another three feet. | Paul and Kim Punzo, who live just across the street from the banks of the Biloxi River, had water up to their driveway. Mr. Punzo expected another three feet. |
| “It’s all in the timing with the storm surge and the high tide, so we’ll keep watching it,” said Mr. Punzo, 44. “We’ve got our kayaks tied to the porch, and we’re ready to go.” | “It’s all in the timing with the storm surge and the high tide, so we’ll keep watching it,” said Mr. Punzo, 44. “We’ve got our kayaks tied to the porch, and we’re ready to go.” |
| Their house is a couple of feet off the ground. The only time it flooded was during Hurricane Katrina, when three feet of river water filled the floor of his two-bedroom house, he said. | Their house is a couple of feet off the ground. The only time it flooded was during Hurricane Katrina, when three feet of river water filled the floor of his two-bedroom house, he said. |
| The couple sent three of their children who live with them to relatives who are either on higher ground or who have brick homes. But they stayed, waking up happy that the storm had not done major damage through the night. | The couple sent three of their children who live with them to relatives who are either on higher ground or who have brick homes. But they stayed, waking up happy that the storm had not done major damage through the night. |
| “If it was a Category 3 we would have probably done left, but this isn’t going to be as bad as some we’ve seen,” he said. “If you wasn’t from here you’d be scared, but for those of us who have been through it time and time and time again this is like a doubled up summer thunderstorm.” | “If it was a Category 3 we would have probably done left, but this isn’t going to be as bad as some we’ve seen,” he said. “If you wasn’t from here you’d be scared, but for those of us who have been through it time and time and time again this is like a doubled up summer thunderstorm.” |
| Before the storm’s arrival on Tuesday, mandatory evacuations had been imposed in parts of eight parishes in Louisiana and in low-lying areas of Mississippi. The Red Cross had opened 19 shelters in Mississippi and Alabama and 18 in Louisiana. | Before the storm’s arrival on Tuesday, mandatory evacuations had been imposed in parts of eight parishes in Louisiana and in low-lying areas of Mississippi. The Red Cross had opened 19 shelters in Mississippi and Alabama and 18 in Louisiana. |
| In Alabama, extensive flooding is likely in Bayou La Batre, a town in Mobile County, as well as parts of downtown Mobile according to the National Weather Service. Several of the rivers flowing into Mobile Bay are also expected to flood. | In Alabama, extensive flooding is likely in Bayou La Batre, a town in Mobile County, as well as parts of downtown Mobile according to the National Weather Service. Several of the rivers flowing into Mobile Bay are also expected to flood. |
| The storm’s center is likely to stall over Louisiana through Thursday, said Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center. | The storm’s center is likely to stall over Louisiana through Thursday, said Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center. |
| Forecasters continued to predict a potentially life-threatening coastal storm surge, already reported in some spots in Louisiana to be over 10 feet. | Forecasters continued to predict a potentially life-threatening coastal storm surge, already reported in some spots in Louisiana to be over 10 feet. |
| In the early hours of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers was watching a potentially serious issue at the 17th Street Canal, a drainage canal into Lake Pontchartrain that reaches deep into the city and that was breached catastrophically after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. | In the early hours of Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers was watching a potentially serious issue at the 17th Street Canal, a drainage canal into Lake Pontchartrain that reaches deep into the city and that was breached catastrophically after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. |
| At the 6 a.m. briefing at corps district headquarters, Chris Accardo, chief of operations for the district, said that gauges on the canal show the water has risen to levels as high as six and a half feet — at or beyond the margin of safety for the flood walls. | At the 6 a.m. briefing at corps district headquarters, Chris Accardo, chief of operations for the district, said that gauges on the canal show the water has risen to levels as high as six and a half feet — at or beyond the margin of safety for the flood walls. |
| Corps officials however, said the storm had caused many gauges to misbehave, so they were not certain that the water had risen that high. | Corps officials however, said the storm had caused many gauges to misbehave, so they were not certain that the water had risen that high. |
| Tim Doody, president of the levee board that oversees the canal, agreed. | Tim Doody, president of the levee board that oversees the canal, agreed. |
| In a rapid-fire text message interview, he wrote, “Some think that reading inside the canal is reading too high based on eyes on.” | In a rapid-fire text message interview, he wrote, “Some think that reading inside the canal is reading too high based on eyes on.” |
| By 10 a.m., Mr. Doody said, the potential crisis appeared to have passed. | By 10 a.m., Mr. Doody said, the potential crisis appeared to have passed. |
| “All of the pumps are now up and running,” he said, pushing 8,800 cubic feet of water out of the canal every second. The water level in the canal had already dropped to five feet, well within the margin of safety for the canals, he said. | “All of the pumps are now up and running,” he said, pushing 8,800 cubic feet of water out of the canal every second. The water level in the canal had already dropped to five feet, well within the margin of safety for the canals, he said. |
| After the storm made its first landfall on Tuesday just southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River at about 6:45 p.m., it then wobbled westward and back out over water. Around 11 p.m., it was about 75 miles southeast of New Orleans with the same sustained winds and it remained stalled for hours, with bands of wind and rain continuing to churn over an area stretching several hundred miles. | After the storm made its first landfall on Tuesday just southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River at about 6:45 p.m., it then wobbled westward and back out over water. Around 11 p.m., it was about 75 miles southeast of New Orleans with the same sustained winds and it remained stalled for hours, with bands of wind and rain continuing to churn over an area stretching several hundred miles. |
| Around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, the storm began to move slowly north again, making a second landfall west of Port Fourchon, La. But it continues to make slow progress and “surge heights of 6 to 10 feet are still occurring along portions of the coast of Southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi,” according to the National Hurricane Center. | Around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, the storm began to move slowly north again, making a second landfall west of Port Fourchon, La. But it continues to make slow progress and “surge heights of 6 to 10 feet are still occurring along portions of the coast of Southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi,” according to the National Hurricane Center. |
| Federal officials have warned repeatedly that the storm, which killed 29 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, would generate high seas, intense rain and serious flooding in coastal and inland areas for days. | Federal officials have warned repeatedly that the storm, which killed 29 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, would generate high seas, intense rain and serious flooding in coastal and inland areas for days. |
John Schwartz and Campbell Robertson reported from New Orleans, and Kim Severson from Biloxi, Miss. David Thier contributed reporting from New Orleans and Marc Santora, Timothy Williams and Christine Hauser from New York. | John Schwartz and Campbell Robertson reported from New Orleans, and Kim Severson from Biloxi, Miss. David Thier contributed reporting from New Orleans and Marc Santora, Timothy Williams and Christine Hauser from New York. |