All eyes are on the South tonight as the outer bands of Hurricane Gustav are making their way to land. I have several family members and friends on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I’m anxiously watching The Weather Channel and reading their blogs to check for updates. Coast Rat has been doing an excellent job giving updates when he can and I encourage you to go read his blog. He’s a volunteer worker who came to Mississippi after Katrina and has been helping with the recovery effort from that storm. Also, check out Four Weather Studs and A Babe. They’re also giving very informative updates from the Mississippi Gulf Coast as things are happening.
I thought I’d share a few pictures I took in 2006 when we visited the Coast after Hurricane Katrina came through. Keep in mind these were taken almost a full year after clean-ups had been done, and there was still so much to do. Those sites and everything that was missing from the Coast that I remember will forever be etched in my mind.
A souvenier shop is pretty much demolished.
Only the concrete slabs of most homes remained.
And if your home was still standing, it had probably been blown completely through like this one.
The beaches were closed.
And piles of rubble remained, like this collapsed parking garage of a casino.
My family and I have taken yearly trips to the coast since I was a very small child. Although much progress has been made since these photos were taken, it is still so strange and sad to me when we’ve gone back since Katrina. Many of the sites and places that were familiar to me are gone…Magic Golf, Wet Willy’s Water Slide, the Biloxi Flags, and Marine Life, just to name a few.
It is my fervent prayer that these coastal communities being threatened by Gustav will be spared and that no loss of life will be incurred. Please keep these people in your thoughts.
hey girl, I’ve got some pictures taken a few months after that storm. We went to Gulf Port for Steve’s brother’s commissioning. We were amazed. I’ll have to send you some of those pictures. How you doin’ today?
Its shocking, the pictures of Katrina. Being in the path of Gustav myself, I’m hoping for the best, and thankful its downgraded before hitting. I hope everyone fairs it well.
Every time I see pictures of Katrina I am stunned! Mother Nature does have a temper.
Thanks for checking on us! You’re a sweetheart
Still doing fine! So far just a little wind and rain. The eye is approaching us within the hour or so. Its going a LOT faster than they said it would, at least I think. But thus far, no damage, nothing *knocks on wood* 
I hope it passes without much (if any) damage to anyone.Katrina was horrible…..
These are some intense pictures. I am with you in hoping that we do not have to see any more like them.
Still so sad. I have been thinking about those in Gustav’s path daily and praying for everyone.
Mandy:As we all know, Gustav passed through us down here, with very little actual destruction, for which we are all so grateful and relieved. To you, my friend, thank you so very much for your thoughts and prayers during this time; it meant and means so very much! And this IKE guy, hopefully he will go to South America or somewhere, and not in the Gulf…Thanks again, beautiful lady!