For those perhaps not in the US, it looks like Katrina is growing up to be the Real Deal (link to CNN).

"The city's main public hospital, Charity Hospital, was no longer functioning and was being evacuated," Blanco said - This includes many who are on life support.

There are two levees (essentially long, earthen/concrete dams) that have breached. The National Guard has since stopped a futile sandbagging effort and have essentially left Lake Ponchartain to fill New Oleans to sea level: "Mayor Ray Nagin said 80 percent of the city was under water, which was 20 feet deep in some places."

I scoffed earlier today when Katrina was frequently compared to the Asian Tsunami, but now, on a realitive scale, and in a coutnry that can afford to rebuild, its looking to be comparable: "As many as 30,000 people were being housed in the Louisiana Superdome, where toilets were overflowing and there was no air conditioning to provide relief from 90-degree heat."

Well, the US has lost one of its few, treasured cities: Welcome to the New, New Port of Orleans, oil refineries and cruiseship docks.