Saket Vora

Over the past two days I have been trying to follow as best I can the developing situation that is going on in New Orleans and Biloxi. I have no TV coverage, just Internet. The damage that this hurricane has caused is simply staggering. I have always known that New Orleans has been a highly susceptible city, and now it is experiencing what many have thought of as a “worst case scenario”. I’m sure there will be plenty of finger pointing going on soon.

This damage has affected hundreds of thousands of lives not just in New Orleans and Biloxi, but family members and even businesses for these cities are industrial and commericial centers. It could take maybe two months before even rebuilding is possible, and surely years before the area has recovered.

In the short term, the region is turning into a humanitarian crisis. Lack of water, food, electricity; increase of illnesses and disease due to standing swamp water; and sadly looting by despicable people who shame the very idea of ‘citizen’. There is a special place in hell waiting for those who would use this terrible event to engage in criminal acts for mere personal material gain.

Even though I am far away now, my thoughts are on those who have suffered and those who are trying to help tackle to this incalculable catastrophe.