I have some pics I want to post for you guys. These were taken in Biloxi and Gulfport on the day after the hurricane, as well as 7 days after the hurricane. Some of these are large, so I'm going to post links to them rather than set them up to show here. Before the pic will be a description of what you are seeing, for those not familiar with the Mississippi Gulf Coast. After seeing this area and taking these pics, I thought of those people who like to piss and moan and bitch and gripe about every little thing that doesn't go right. I bet they wouldn't trade places with the people affected by these:
This is the Treasure Bay Casino and Resort. The boat used to be behind that little building, with the bow facing to the left of the picture.
www.pi68.com/katrina001.jpgThis is the President Casino. Well the structure taking up the right 2/3 of the picture is. The 1/3 to the left is part of the motel that the President has destroyed.
www.pi68.com/katrina002.jpgJust one of the many shots of the surface of Hwy 90. I'm in the westbound lanes. The eastbound lanes are to the left of the picture.
www.pi68.com/katrina003.jpgThere is something to be said for this picture. The background looks like some trees and all. If you look closely however, you will see a couple of slabs where entire houses used to be. They are now about 1.5 blocks further inland, and the slabs are clean. This was NOT done by cleanup crews, but by the storm surge.
www.pi68.com/katrina004.jpgUmmm, Stairway to Heaven? This was a 4 story motel or apartment complex. I'm not sure which. It doesn't much matter any more....
www.pi68.com/katrina005.jpgTaking the McDonalds drive-thru idea to a whole new level. This is the McDonalds in the Edgewater Mall parking lot. There was a Chevron immediately to the right of it.
www.pi68.com/katrina006.jpgThe foreground is the corner of a piece of private property. Across the road was Denny's. Next to it was a gas station (Kangaroo, used to be a Texaco).
www.pi68.com/katrina007.jpgThis house managed to not get washed off its foundation.
www.pi68.com/katrina008.jpgNeither did this one.
www.pi68.com/katrina009.jpgThe couple of houses on the left are still on their foundations, but the stuff in the street?? Who knows...
www.pi68.com/katrina010.jpgAn A-Frame Church building. Now with a view.
www.pi68.com/katrina011.jpgSome more of the condition of Hwy 90 along the beach.
www.pi68.com/katrina012.jpgDebris to the left of the pic was from the south side of Hwy 90. The pic is of the north side of Hwy 90. Notice the cleaned off slab to the right of the picture. There used to be a building...
www.pi68.com/katrina013.jpgWhat is left of a 3 story motel.
www.pi68.com/katrina014.jpgNissan vs Mother Nature.
www.pi68.com/katrina015.jpgOn the left of the picture... A Sonic, a Fiesta Brava, a Waffle House, a Taco Bell, a Shell gas station, a Hooters, etc., etc., etc. On the right, several motels.
www.pi68.com/katrina016.jpgBeauvoir, the Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederacy) home and library, is on Hwy 90. This is the library.
www.pi68.com/katrina017.jpgThis is the inside of the Edgewater Mall.
www.pi68.com/katrina018.jpgOn the right were some unknown establishment, a Spirits Bar and Grill, and yet another Waffle House.
www.pi68.com/katrina019.jpgThis is part of the debris field inside the VA Hospital grounds in Gulfport. It goes for about 150', then turns to the right for another 75' as it all piled up against the rear gate. The rest of the compound is similarly littered. When we went in, they warned us that there were 3 bodies that had been tagged, but not removed yet. Ugh.
www.pi68.com/katrina020.jpgI have a lot more, but I have to get to sleep soon so I can start back up with the disaster recovery in the morning. Hope these have given you an idea just how bad it really is.
Woody