[My Favorite Headache]

He just got in from a nearly 24-hour shift...pulling out bodies left and right out of trees,cars,homes,buildings,rivers,the coastline....everywhere...medics are marking the numbers of dead on their arms in marker to keep count.

[lastchance]

I think the numbered dead if accurate would be the highest death toll from a hurricane since the 1928 hurricane that hit Okeechobee in Florida. I am not sure of how many died in the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 but it may be close to that. The other very deadly storm was the 1902 ( I may be wrong on the date) Galveston storm.
The high death tolls are usually a result of flooding.

[singfreedom]

Oh no, this really bodes ill for New Orleans. They haven't even started trying to tally the dead there.

[ChocChipCookie]

I'm starting to feel sick. A dear friend of mine was headed to Alabama to celebrate her parents' 50th wedding anniversary. I believe they owned a beach home. Oh my God.

[YoungBlackRepublican]

"He just got in from a nearly 24-hour shift...pulling out bodies left and right out of trees,cars,homes,buildings,rivers,the coastline....everywhere...medics are marking the numbers of dead on their arms in marker to keep count."

I hate to say this but, excluding the people who couldn't afford it or had some other extenuating circumstances, everybody else that didn't listen and stayed trying to "tough it out or ride it out" are idiots. I'm sorry. Crucify me if you must but to stay around when a Cat 5 storm is heading towards you is insane. Especially if you live in a city thats below sea level like New Orleans.

[tutstar]

This is absolutely terrible. It's hard to even imagine.

[Publius6961]

I really get angry when I see disasters like this and people disappear like trash.
Absolutely, one of the "essential" supplies, for spiritual repair, as well as physical well being are digital cameras and memory cards.

People should never cease to exist unknown, unmourned and anonymous. Families and friends have a basic human need to know that their loved ones really died, were identified to the extent possible (photo) and buried.

Next to saving the living, this should be job one.

But then, the "government" in that area seems to be known primarily for its absolute and classic corruption and incompetence.

[all4one]

Thanks for this report My Favorite. It is with a heavy heart I am reading your report from your friend. May he and all those who are involved in the rescue and recovery efforts in this area, be blessed with prayers. I pray for those who have perished, their families and all involved. May the power of the Holy Spirit keep the rescuers and those who survived safe.

[EverOnward]

Thank you for your update. Grateful for people like your friend who are giving so much of themselves now. Prayers for him and all the others who are there doing what they can as well as to all those who have lost so much. It's awful - so sorry -- so sad.

[savedbygrace]

Clarification: Marking on the arms of the dead so they're not counted more than once? Right?

[EverOnward]

"medics are marking the numbers of dead on their arms in marker to keep count."

True. They've been doing that for a couple of days now...