Hurricane Katrina

(New Orleans, Louisiana) Hurricane Katrina is now rated as a Category 5 with wind speeds of 160 MPH. Southeastern Louisiana is under evacuation orders, mandatory or voluntary. President Bush has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, authorizing federal emergency management officials to release federal aid and coordinate disaster relief efforts.

From The Times-Picayune:

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin followed at 5 p.m., issuing a voluntary evacuation.

Nagin said late Saturday that he's having his legal staff look into whether he can order a mandatory evacuation of the city, a step he's been hesitant to do because of potential liability on the part of the city for closing hotels and other businesses.

"Come the first break of light in the morning, you may have the first mandatory evacuation of New Orleans," Nagin told WWL-TV.

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State Police activated the state's redesigned contraflow plan Saturday at 4 p.m., allowing traffic to use both sides of Interstates 55, 59 and 10 to evacuate New Orleans to the north, east and west after early afternoon traffic left westbound lanes of I-10 backed up bumper-to-bumper for miles in the 93-degree heat. Within hours, however, the contraflow system seemed to have alleviated much of the logjam.

The Crescent City Connection and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway suspended toll collections to move traffic more quickly.

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"This is a day that will demand your full attention and cooperation," Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard warned at mid-afternoon.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a test. This is the real deal," Nagin said at his news conference a little later.

Nagin said the city would open the Superdome as a special-needs shelter today at 8 a.m.

[ ... ]

Though no curfew had been issued by Saturday evening, New Orleans Police Chief Eddie Compass said he and Nagin likely will call a curfew and station police officers at local shopping centers to prevent looting.

"Looters will be dealt with severely and harshly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said.

Entergy Corp. officials said the company has geared up for disaster with about 7,500 lineman and tree-trimmers ready to mobilize.

No more planning, it's time to act. Leave now.