New Orleans The lesson of Katrina became a lesson

Over the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico yesterday raging cyclone Isaac pounding Southeastern Louisiana with torrential rains and winds that exceeded a speed of 130 km per hour and the threat of catastrophic flooding continues to frighten the residents of the state as meteorologists predict that rains continue for several days yet. As the cyclone continues to move slowly the more pressure exerted on levees and other flood control projects along the coast of Louisiana, and remain threatened by flooding dozens of cities in the states of Mississippi and Alabama. Plakminz in Paris, 150 miles from New Orleans, where Hurricane Isaac moved for the first time on land, the waters topped the height of one of the existing levees causing widespread flooding, as reported by the National Weather Service. However yesterday, and given that the hurricane was located on the outskirts of New Orleans, local officials were quick to emphasize that the modern flood system cost 11 billion euros, which was built after the devastating passage of the infamous Hurricane Katrina showed no crack and no from dams not overflowed.The information was confirmed by the mayor with Mitchell Landry Speaking to a local radio station. WALL PROTECTION. As last 7 years ago, on 29 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and claimed the lives of at least 1,800 people, with a tidal wave that could not hold any of the flood protection systems that were available at that time. Yesterday, New Orleans was in the eye of the cyclone Isaac but rather residents would feel more secure and to protect them from extreme weather depending, the federal government took over and completed the construction of a new modern network flood defenses which the locals called "The Great Wall» (The Great Wall). Two days ago, the Engineer of the U.S. Army moved the giant door in the position to be located in case of widespread flooding in the upper part of the lake Borgkin by excluding from the devastating passage of water a length range of 3.2 km.The Great Wall of New Orleans is the largest dam of its kind in the world. Includes network giant pumps 563 km length, network bilge network of dams designed in such a way that the overflow to be almost impossible, 73 gates in five different areas and according to the manufacturers can withstand hurricane category 3 as much was the power Hurricane Katrina. The 24 pump stations operated in New Orleans and have the ability to raise 110 billion liters of water a day (volume greater than the Ohio River, which is the fifth largest in the U.S.), are another means of avoiding unpleasant situations. COORDINATION. But according to the governor of Louisiana Bobby Tzintal, the most critical factor in protecting the town is not so much the flood system itself as the proper coordination of the parts. "With the high rainfall, it is important to see that all these pumps can be operated in parallel," he said. Late last night, and although the power of Cyclone Isaac fell so downgraded to a tropical storm, the mayor of New Orleans imposed a curfew in the city from west to sunrise. At the same time, it was announced that men of the National Guard will patrol the streets to prevent looting incidents similar to those that had occurred in the wake of Katrina.