New Orleans mayor calls Gustav 'storm of the century,' issues mandatory evacuation

Hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast residents are moving north by cars, buses and trains as Hurricane Gustav approaches, three years after the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina. Gustav is expected to make landfall by Monday.

This time around, the evacuation has been proceeding in a more organized fashion, according to news reports. The New York Times writes, "The buses arrived promptly at 8 a.m. — a sharp contrast to the disorganization of three years ago, when the only plan was to jam thousands of people without cars into the Superdome and let others fend for themselves."

Nevertheless, there are significant concerns about any people who may be left behind, not to mention the enormous property loss if Hurricane Gustav maintains intensity as it approaches the coast. Seven thousand members of the Louisiana National Guard have been mobilized. Weather analysts do not know for certain where the center of the story will hit or how strong a force it will carry. Residents of New Orleans are being advised to leave the city as soon as possible and not rely on any assistance from emergency services.


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