Evacuating New Orleans  

The SMH reports that New Orleans Ray Nagin has ordered the city to be evacuated as Hurricane Gustav approaches - Evacuation order as Gustav approaches.

New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has ordered the city emptied tomorrow in the face of "the storm of the century", warning anyone that stays behind that they are on their own. "I am announcing today mandatory evacuation of New Orleans starting 8am Sunday (2300 Sunday AEST) on the West bank," Nagin said at a press conference. "We want everybody... we want 100 per cent evacuation. If you decide to stay, you are on your own." "This is the mother of all storms," Nagin said. "This storm is so powerful and growing more powerful every day that I'm not sure we've seen anything like it."

Nagin estimated that less than half of the city's population has left despite days of dire warnings. "This is the real deal," Nagin said. "Riding this storm out would be one of the biggest mistakes you could make in your life." Nagin said police, fire and other emergency personnel are being pulled from the city to safer areas. A "skeleton crew" of fewer than 50 city workers will be left behind, according to officials.

Hurricane Gustav is on course to crash ashore near New Orleans. Nagin told anyone planning to stay behind to "make sure you have an axe because you will be busting your way out to get on your roof with waters surrounding you."

As usual, The Oil Drum is keeping a 24 hour watch on progress - Hurricane Gustav, Energy Infrastructure, and Updated Damage Models - Thread #3.

Rigs/Platforms: Blue: evacuated only; Yellow will require inspection before restart; Red: damage requiring repair.

Refineries: Black: operational impact (partial shutdown) Green: Operational impact (full shutdown)
Red: Damage likely

Ports: standard hurricane flags for wind

Hopefully the storm ends up causing a lot less damage than Katrina did - and the Bush administration doesn't repeat its disastrous mishandling of any destruction that does occur.

TOD also has a good graphic from Ace showing GOM oil production - it won't look good cropped so click the linkt o see the full size one.

AccuWeather.com has some great satellite images showing the September hurricane lineup traversing the Atlantic too.