From Algiers – New Aurora

At last, we have eyes into the rest of Algiers. We’ve had quite a few comments and posts reporting from there, and I just had a long phone conversation with someone in New Aurora.
The scenes described today have been consistent from everyone. There is an astounding amount of debris in the streets, and so many trees are down that one cannot judge the damage to a house without passing through them. Entire streets are totally impassable.
The police and military are present, and for the last three days, security has improved (according to someone who talked to the police). Yes, the Breaux Mart is pretty much gutted, but there are regular patrols now.
Entergy is heavily represented in Algiers, today, concentrating on the major thoroughfares. There are so many lines down, entangled in the debris, that it is going to be a monumental task to restore power.
So – for the most part, this is all pretty good news! Many folks have been able to enter Algiers with the Jefferson Parish returnees. Since there have been one or two posts from people who came back out, I gather the parish line is less rigid than it was.
Even better – for those of you who have been so very concerned about loved ones who stayed behind – there are people there now who will try to go and check on them. Use the New Aurora topic to post your queries, and we’ll pass them through.
More later…