National Geographic: Cyclone! Page #5

---

above sea level

keep river and lake at bay.

Massive floodgates fill the gaps.

New Orleans has one of the best

drainage systems in the world,

powered by 21 colossal pumps.

The city has known hurricanes in

this century,

but not a direct hit from a storm

like Andrew

- and not with up to a million

people to evacuate

over narrow bridges and causeways.

Former Meteorologist-In-Charge

of the New Orleans National

Weather Service office,

Bill Crouch fears the levee system

provides a false sense of security.

It's a two-edged sword,

because it protects the people's

homes most of the time.

But if water ever comes over

the levees,

it's going to get as deep as

the levees are tall.

And the lake would be 19

or 20 feet deep.

This means that in parts of New

Orleans that are below sea level,

the water could be 30 feet deep.

That is you would not be safe

even in a three-story house.

So, those are the scenarios

we look at,

which would force people to go

upward in the buildings down town,

and even using that refuge,

it's my belief there would

still be a great loss of life.

One day, five, perhaps fifty

years from now,

a hurricane like Andrew might

descend on New Orleans.

The city might be jammed with

tens of thousands of tourists

- oblivious to the dangers of

hurricanes.

Evacuation would be ordered,

and many would heed the call.

But advance weather could move

in quickly

and flood the causeway,

knocking out bridges.

A hurricane approaching

from the southeast

could fill Lake Pontchartrain

with its storm surge.

Water would rush over hurricane

protection levees.

Pumping stations would be

overwhelmed.

This grim scenario may be imaginary,

but the threat is not.

A hundred thousand might be stranded

in the heart of the city.

The city of New Orleans has

enlisted federal, state

and local emergency management

agencies

to prepare for

just such a nightmare.

There are many other potential

disasters along the U.S. coastline.

It is only a matter of time before

another great storm exacts its toll.

Nature has given us fair warning.

A gossamer veil of atmosphere is all

that protects us

from the sterile reaches of space.

What we call 'weather' is simply

the Earth's attempt

to balance heat and moisture

around the globe.

Swirling winds may spawn

tornadoes and hurricanes,

but they can also breed whimsy.

A hay devil on a summer

afternoon...

Our home is a planet perpetually

in the making, forever new.

The same awesome powers that sustain

life can also wreak destruction.

It is up to us to be prepared.

There lies the challenge,

and the delight,

of living on this dynamic Earth.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes