The photographs tell much of the story. People stuck on top of roofs. People inside a damaged Superdome watching the water rise. People looking for loved ones. People with little hope.
Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury onto New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in a show of power seldom seen. While many breathed a sigh of relief that the damage was not as bad as initially expected, the aftermath and its toll on the people there is becoming increasingly clear.
There is no way to comprehend what the damage does to a community's psyche or to an individual's spirit. For one man, the situation was so bad, he jumped to his death inside the once-mighty Superdome.
The photographs remind us of the tsunami that struck the Far East the day after Christmas 2004. There too, we saw people with little hope. That damage was great, and with international help, the reconstruction is beginning and there is a renewed sense of hope. Yet still, a great number of people grieve.
The physical damage from the tsunami was tremendous but it does not compare to the psychological damage that continues to reverberate throughout the region and indeed, the world.
The damage from Hurricane Katrina hits closer to home. Many of us have been to New Orleans and even think of its character as a source of pride that it belongs to us. Visitors come from around the world to celebrate during Mardi Gras or to see the garden district. It's laissez-faire attitude is often admired.
Now, it is a city in turmoil with much work ahead.
We in the Bay Area can empathize. We don't get hit with hurricanes but we know too well the dangers of natural disasters. In 1989, the nation stopped while nature struck San Francisco. Soon after, people from all over came to assist. We benefited from that national attention and it is only right to give it back now.
The Menlo Park Urban Search and Rescue Team left here yesterday to assist and many local members of the Red Cross are already there to help out. It may sound like a cliche, but we can all do our part today. The Big Easy is going through much hardship, let's help bring it back.
To donate to the American Red Cross, go to www.bayarea-redcross.org or call (800) 435-7669. A contribution can also be mailed to 85 Second St., Eighth Floor, San Francisco, Ca, 94105.
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