10/23/06

Hurricane Katrina visited the Hattiesburg, MS area on 29 August.  Fortunately we were not at home when she came calling as we were still on our way home from a family visit in the Seattle area.  The storm had a devastating effect on the MS Gulf Coast and New Orleans and vicinity.  Hattiesburg was in the Northeast quadrant of the storm (always the worst place to be) and, even though 80 or so miles from the coast, experienced 100+ mph winds and several tornadoes spawned by the storm also hit the Forrest County MS where Hattiesburg is located.

While the major damage in the area was wind damage as opposed to the tidal surge and flooding damage suffered in other areas affected by the storm, the damage was still heavy.  We were truly protected by something as we had minor damage to a detached garage/workshop and one tree on the roof which resulted in 3 holes and some water into the house.  Our neighbors, who were watching the house for us, were not so fortunate as they had a pine tree hit their house and its branches are inside their family room.  They moved their family to our house and saved our personal belongings by moving furniture out of the room with water leaking into it, wiped up water with towels, and placed pans, etc, to catch any water continuing to drip into the house.  In return, our house gave them a dry, safe place to spend the night after the storm.