The eyes of the world will soon be focussed on New Orleans, on the Gulf Coast of Louisianna, in America, where a monster class 5 Hurricane (the highest) packing 175 mile per hour winds, and creating 28 foot waves, will unleash itself on an urban centre and surrounding landscape that is largely below sea level.
The president has given the order for an evacuation. That's a mandatory evacuation, not optional. Local authorities have been given permission to commandeer vehicles if necessary. People unable to leave are being housed in a stadium that can seat 70 000. Those without a car, and unable to get a place in the stadium, and unable to leave (the airport and local rail stations are currently abandoned) face an unknown peril advancing on them by the hour.
To make matters worse, this is oil and natural gas country, and significant flood damage will make the area toxic if fuel and other reservoirs (suich as septic tanks) are destroyed.
The oil price going above $70 now, in August, is a virtual certainty. This is because at least a quarter of America's fuel output is pumped out of this part of the Gulf.
At least 42 percent of daily Gulf oil production, 20 percent of daily Gulf natural gas output and 8.5 percent of national refining capacity was shut on Sunday, producers and refiners said.
Prices at the pump have already reached another record in America (up 83 cents in since January, to an average of $2.65).
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