BLOGGING THE HURRICANE, Day 3: Updates All Day from the Scene as the Disaster Spreads

NEW YORK For the third day, E&P will provide material from and about newspapers in the stricken Gulf Coast cities, mainly the Times-Picayune in New Orleans and the Sun Herald in Biloxi, updated frequently.***1:00 PM ET. The vital Katrina blog at WWL-TV in New Orleans has just provided these chilling reports from the local emergency service director Walter Maestri:"Director Walter Maestri: We have no food or water for the evacuees. Says emergency workers have seized the food and water and drinks from Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and other groceries for evacuees, but he said that is all gone. Says water supply is gone. More water expected, but its not there right now. Says evacuees are getting upset and harried."Director Walter Maestri: FEMA and national agencies not delivering the help nearly as fast as it is needed."Director Walter Maestri: Evacuees from New Orleans and the east bank of Jefferson are flocking to the west bank, overwhelming the facilities. "***12:20 PM ET. From the Times-Picayune, a brief item titled "Floating the Dead":"WWL-TV reporter Karen Swensen related a particularly sad tale from a region overflowing with sad tales. One New Orleans woman waded through the streets of the city, trying to get her husband to Charity Hospital. He had died earlier and she floated his body through the inundated streets on a door that dome off their home." *** 12:10 PM ET. The Mobile Register's "Storm Central" blog has just posted 100 new "damage" photos, and has a full gallery from the past three days.The Sun Herald (Biloxi) blog, sadly, remains silent today.***12:05 PM ET. From a reader's forum at the Times-Picayune, a report from an evacuee:"We are stranded in Tallahassee. There is absolutely no compassion here whatsoever. The Hampton Inn in Tallahassee is pretty much throwing us out because of a football game. We are running out of money with no way of getting more out of the bank. We cannot use debit cards and our credit cards are maxed out."I thought I would encounter a little compassion and understanding here in Florida seeing they have been through similar situations. There is none. People here and the manager of this motel are very cold and uncaring. If anyone out there has any suggestions please email me asap. I cannot get in touch with red cross or fema. Cell phones don't work. Can't get hold of any family member for help. Please help!!!!"***11:25 AM ET. Latest items, both related to the media, from the Times-Picayune:"It's an emotional time for everyone in south Lousiana - the media included. During a reading of odds and ends on WWL-TV this morning, Eric Paulson noted that St. Bernard Parish is entirely 'gone.'' It brought a moment of almost stunned silence among him, Meg Farris, and Sally Ann Roberts - followed by a heavy, aubible sigh." --T-P teams continue reporting, taking pictures"Although The Times-Picayune has evacuated its newsroom, teams of reporters are still combing the metropolitan area gathering news and information. One team was stationed uptown and was preparing to fan out again this morning."Sports Editor David Meeks is one of those working in region right now and said team members will attempt to get deeper into the West End and Lakeview areas today."***10:35 AM ET. Stan Tiner, executive editor of the Sun Herald in Biloxi, has resurfaced with a column on the paper's Web site, recalling how locals for years have worried that a hurricane could come that was worse than Camille -- and now it has come true. His full column is available here.
HURRICANE COVERAGE
Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen?
Editor of Biloxi Paper Surfaces With a Column
'Times-Picayune' Finds New Home, Reports Looting
For 'St. Pete Times,' Katrina Coverage is a Test of Preparedness
Baton Rouge Paper Rides Out the Storm
Biloxi Paper Perseveres
Hurricane Blog, Day 2
Hurricane Blog, Day 1 ***10:20 AM ET. Word on the reaction of two of New Orleans' most famous native sons, Eli and Peyton Manning, courtesy of the Times-Picayune site:"Their parents, Archie and Olivia, evacuated to Philadelphia, Miss. And brother Cooper left with his family to Oxford, Miss.“'It’s pretty devastating, the pictures you see and the stories you hear,'” Peyton said. “'It’s hard to watch from a New Orleans standpoint and from a friends-and-family standpoint. … The Superdome is one thing, but I don’t need to see pictures. When I hear about certain areas, I know where they are. I used to play football in Buras and they’re not prepared for anything like a powerful hurricane.”"Said Eli: 'I talked to Mom last night, and she’s mad she didn’t put more things upstairs. … I know there’s going to be a whole lot of damage, so I keep it in my prayers and hopefully everybody will be alright.'”***9:55 AM ET. The Times-Picayune, which has relocated to Houma, published online only again today, this time with a 13-page PDF version. Unlike the Tuesday issue, which ran 28 pages, the paper this time did not provide an in-the-can Living section. The banner head reads: UNDER WATER.Latest update from the paper's Web site: "The catastrophic flooding that filled the bowl that is New Orleans on Monday and Tuesday will only get worse over the next few days because rainfall from Hurricane Katrina continues to flow into Lake Pontchartrain from north shore rivers and streams, and east winds and a 17.5-foot storm crest on the Pearl River block the outflow water through the Rigolets and Chef Menteur Pass. "
© AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Louis Deluca A wheelchair lies on the beach off Highway 90 in Gulfport, Miss., Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005.***7:30 AM ET. From the Times-Picayune:"Late Tuesday, Gov. Blanco spokeswoman Denise Bottcher described a disturbing scene unfolding in uptown New Orleans, where looters were trying to break into Children's Hospital."Bottcher said the director of the hospital fears for the safety of the staff and the 100 kids inside the hospital. The director said the hospital is locked, but that the looters were trying to break in and had gathered outside the facility. The director has sought help from the police, but, due to rising flood waters, police have not been able to respond."Bottcher said Blanco has been told of the situation and has informed the National Guard. However, Bottcher said, the National Guard has also been unable to respond."***11:30 PM ET (Tuesday). From the Sun Herald in Biloxi, after its blog had been down for quite awhile:"Communications to the Biloxi area are down--phone, e-mail, Internet .... These connectivity issues are what have kept Don Hammack and Geoff Pender from updating this blog."If you are from the area, please call 1-866-453-1925 to let someone know that you're OK. Even if you fled before the storm, friends and relatives might not know you're safe. We hope to share that information when we can."If you work for The Sun Herald, call 1-800-346-2472 to let us know where you are."As we know the news, we will post it to SunHerald.com. We're in this with you for the long haul."