|
Impressions of Mississippi’s Katrina Coastal Mississippi was an area rich in history, and economically and ethnically diverse. There were small homes and million dollar mansions. Miles of beaches and backwaters, with many piers for fishing, pleasure craft and commercial charter boats were not only beautiful, but added to the economic strength of the area as well. In addition to the military base, there were casinos, hotels, shrimp and fishing boats, seafood processing plants, a major deep-water port, several research facilities and a major VA hospital. Except for the base, all of these jobs and more are gone. As typical in any scenic and hospitable military area, a large number of retires returned to settle amid the long time locals and other sun seekers. Local restaurants abounded, along with national chains, as did souvenir shops, local stores, art galleries, shopping malls, historic homes, landmarks, and museums. Overnight this changed forever as the sustained wind from Hurricane Katrina pushed water inland, raising the level of the ocean as much as 30 plus feet along the coast, through the bays, bayous, rivers and streams. No natural or manmade structure was exempt as 70% of the homes and businesses in Biloxi, 80% in Gulf Port, and 90% in Waveland were destroyed. 100 year old oak trees, huge casinos on barges, old and new structures – large and small, steel, concrete, brick and wood – were pounded, filled, broken apart, toppled over, torn off pilings, filled with muck and mud, flushed empty and thrown inland, or swept out to sea. Commercial boats, pleasure craft, cars, furnishings, money, garbage, signs, building materials, lifetimes of memories, clothing, personal and legal papers – trash and treasure alike – merged into impersonal heaps, stirred together and were piled willy-nilly in mounds, blown away, swept out to sea, or left hanging in the trees. There was no city hall, no jail, no potable water, no transportation, no-where to go to the bathroom, shower, or get a hot meal. Life was inside out, upside down, and piled randomly for the 78 miles of Mississippi’s coast, extending far inland. Any house or business that was near any body of water, no matter how small, was affected by the surge of water along the coast, and wind damage was found hundreds of miles inland. The frustration of dealing with housing, services, employment, insurance and FEMA, combined with the daily visual reminders of the magnitude of the destruction, and the loss of huge numbers of family, friends and neighbors who have left the area is causing emotional upheaval. As one resident said, “Imagine that you have been put into a room where everything you own is taken away, and on the way out, you’re asked for your wallet as well. “ In spite of this, the people are dealing with their lives with patience and grace. You don’t hear them complain – rather, you hear them say how fortunate they are. “My house is gone, but my family is safe,” or “I don’t have a job, but I have a place to live.” It’s estimated that it will take eight to ten years to rebuild the Mississippi coast, but the residents all seem to feel confident that the area will be rebuilt. There is a fatalistic acceptance of what seems to be the certainty of a dramatic change to the Biloxi profile, to include an increase of high density coastal high rise hotels and condominiums to accompany the already approved on shore casinos. This is the expected result as many people who owned waterfront property that was destroyed are forced to sell to land developers, speculators, and large corporations because they can’t afford to rebuild because they were underinsured, or will be unable to obtain insurance on new construction. There is no way to differentiate between the needs of the people. Without regard to age, gender, race, or economic status, EVERYONE along the Mississippi coast is a victim. The resulting loss of home, business, job, personal property, memorabilia of a life time, family members, friends and neighbors, has caused a widespread impact on everyone, and YOU can make a difference. One evening at the volunteer camp a young woman, who was wearing an Ameri-corps T-shirt, talking on her cell phone was overhear saying, “We’re not just rebuilding houses, we’re rebuilding lives.” There are volunteers who came for a week, went home to get their lives in order, and returned to stay and work. There are some who have been back several times. There have been pharmacists, doctors, nurses, counselors, contractors, ministers, and “unskilled labor” from every walk of life. There have been students, senior citizens, and everything in between. There are people who traveled hundreds of miles, used personal vacation, worked 10 hour days, slept on a bunk in a tent, used portable showers and port-a-potties, paid $20 a day for the privilege, and said that they were grateful to have been there. You can be one of these volunteers.
Last Updated: November 12, 2006 |
|
For comments, suggestions, or information, please contact the Site Administrator |