The
Louisiana State flag has a brown pelican feeding her siblings with her own blood, a symbol that suggests Christian charity. Does the official
state flag portend something? Or it is just coincidental that the state happens to be the area mostly devastated by hurricanes, that is why it need the attention of the nation on its plight.
The recent past had New Orleans (the most populous city in Louisiana) taking the brunt of hurricane Katrina, and is now just recovering from the effects because the government was ill prepared in its attempt to provide the necessary assistance in the aftermath of the devastation. Many died in the process, thousands were rendered homeless and damage to infrastructures had been estimated in the hundreds of millions.
And now, hurricane Gustav is poised to hit Louisiana and the low-lying areas of Southern Texas once again, after it manifested its fury in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba with gustiness of around 340 kilometers per hour. Although for the moment, Gustav is shown to have weakened to 200kph and classified as category 3, still it could gather enough strength as it hit Louisiana. Will Gustav be a Katrina? Are we now prepared for the worst?
So far, a little less than two million (1.9 million) people have been moved to safer havens. As railway and bus line have been jammed by riding commuters trying to evade hurricane Gustav. The mayor of New Orleans have issued pleas for residents to evacuate with the assurance that their properties will be safe, and likewise ordered that looters will be prosecuted as state troopers and national guards are on the prowl for any eventualities.
Our prayer goes to the residents and hopes that Gustav will spare them.
by:
The Flagman
