NEW ORLEANS (LOUISIANA): Hurricane Andrew was born in the Atlantic Ocean, with an eye of 30 miles many times bigger than the total eye area of all human beings on Earth Andrew moved south of Miami, where, at 5 a.m. on Monday, he raked Homestead Air Force Base, and the neighboring areas of the southern tip of Florida. Damage to the region was estimated at $30 billion and 63,000 homes were destroyed leaving 180,000 people homeless. At least 20 people died when Andrew pounded with winds that topped 160 mph, Andrew then whirled across the Gulf of Mexico towards coastal Louisiana.
At 7 p.m. on Monday, while Andrew was 400 miles away from New Orleans, it was feared that he might come to New Orleans. Most New Orleans residents were busy filling gas tanks while waiting in long lines at the gas pumps. While the city was praying for safety, shopkeepers were busy boarding their glass windows. On Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter, a 12 x12 sign showed a little humor, about the Royal family in England saying: “Andrew! This is no way to get back at Fergie!”
While many New Orleans area residents were busy bottling water in preparation, Vernon Guichard was busy designing waterproof plastic protection for his automobiles. “My cars are worth over $40,000,” said Guichard. “Once water gets into the engine and under the hood, you are going to have problems.” He made a lantern by connecting loose wires from an extension cord to those of a car flood light. Preparation was something Guichard and his family knew little about 27 years ago, when Hurricane Betsy ravaged the city in 1965, causing more than $1 billion in damage and killing more than 70 people. With 20 feet of water in and around his home, all he could think about was saving his 55-yr-old aunt whose house was nearly under water a few blocks away. “Where my brother and I got to the house my aunt was up in the attic,” hi said. “That was the only dry place in the house!” New Orleans is 6 feet below the sea-level What would have happened had Andrew come to New Orleans Readers can well imagine.
I just want all this mess t hurry up and get over with so | can go check on my boats, Bobby Harris, 58, a fisherman said about 4 p.m. Tuesday a: news spread that Andrew was moving west. At 10 p.m. Tues. day, Andrew reached Morgar City about 85 miles south west of New Orleans and 100 mile: southeast of Lafayette, Louisiana. “I was thinking I should go downstairs because it was blowing so hard,” Smith, : Morgan City resident, said. “4 opened myself a Michelob and climbed in bed. The next thing I knew the roof was coming down on top of me and the beer flew, out of my hand. I grabbed the mattress and climbed under it.” This area, unlike New Orleans is not densely populated and thus only one death was reported in Louisiana. In addition to the tremendous damage to property Andrew affected more than 300,000 people and carved through the center of the state: $330 million sugar cane industry. In New Iberia, The night was terrifying for many families as fierce winds peeled off roofs, overturned trailer homes, knocked out power and leveled 100-yr-old oak trees. Many people in this part of Louisiana have bitter memories of Hurricane Audrey, which swept through south west Louisiana in 1957 and killed 500 people.
If you wish to help, please make a check Payable to: City of New Iberia Disaster Relief Fund, and mail to: 457 E. Main, Room 300, New Iberia, LA 70560.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992
