CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Walking with his belongings, Palmer Adam of Lafitte, walks through Gretna to catch a bus which will then take him to the Alario Center in Westwego to go he says "where ever they ship me to." He was evacuating early Saturday morning because of Hurricane Gustav.
RUSTY COSTANZA / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Early morning traffic on west bound Interstate 10 is heavy headed away from New Orleans. Many had decided not to wait until a mandatory evacuation order was given to leave.
MICHAEL DeMOCKER / The Times-Picayune At a public evacuation point at 4300 St. Claude Avenue in the Ninth Ward, a New Orleans police officer helps load a disabled woman onto a bus. Residents complained they had been waiting in the mid-day sun for over three hours before city councilman James Carter arrived and was able to get several buses to pick up dozens of people for transport to the Union Passenger Station for evacuation.
Dianne Coleman with her child at an abandoned outlet mall in Shreveport, La., that was transformed into a storm shelter.
Henrietta Wildsmith/Shreveport Times, via Associated Press
While still powerful, the storm was downgraded later Monday morning from category 3 to category 2, because its winds slowed to 110 miles an hour, according to the National Weather Service. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press
A Louisiana Army National Guard soldier works near the industrial canal in New Orleans Monday. Photo: Tyler Hicks/The New York Times
An empty Bourbon Street in the French Quarter received heavy rain and gusty winds early in the morning. Photo: Richard Perry/The New York Times
Several patrons slept on the floor of Kajun's Bar as the storm raged outside.Photo: Stephen Morton/Getty Images
Men walk in the rain and wind in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Monday afternoon.Photo: Tyler Hicks/The New York Times
John McCusker / The Times-Picayune
Water pours over the Industrial Canal levee at Florida Avenue in New Orleans. Storm surge spilled over the wall in numerous places along the lower ninth ward side. Shot Monday, Sept. 1, 2008
Bob Warren / The Times-Picayune
Bob Warren / The Times-Picayune
Mark Colwart takes a makeshift bath in the floodwaters from Hurricane Gustav in front of his home September 2, 2008 in Chauvin, Louisiana. Colwart said running water wasn't functioning in the area due to the storm. Chauvin is located just north of Cocodrie near where the eye of Hurricane Gustav made landfall. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
JIM WATSON / AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Flood water covers a rail road crossing as floodwaters caused by Hurricane Gustav surged over the side of a levee on the Industrial Canal in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 1, 2008. Ferocious rain and wind gusts unleashed by Hurricane Gustav pushed water cascading over protective works in New Orleans Monday three years after Katrina swamped the fabled jazz city. Wave surges washed over a levee wall lining a portion of the city's Ninth Ward -- ground zero of the disaster in 2005 -- and water had reached as high as road signs around the Industrial Canal in the ward's north.
President Bush thanks emergency workers following a briefing on the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, September 3, 2008.(Jason Reed/Reuters)
ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 1: A group gathers to rally support for American troops near the Xcel Energy Center during the Republican National Convention (RNC) September 1, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The RNC is scheduled to run through September 4. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 1: A protester (R) confronts a group of people gathered to rally support for American troops near the Xcel Energy Center during the Republican National Convention (RNC) September 1, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The RNC is scheduled to run through September 4. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
A protester dressed as a hooded detainee kneels in front of a fence surrounding the venue of the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 2, 2008. (Reuters)
Republican presidential candidate John McCain helps pack relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Gustav with Dr Linda A. Green (2ndR) and other members of ISOH/IMPACT, a local charitable organization, on September 1, 2008 in Waterville, Ohio. AFP PHOTO Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
Todd Heisler/The New York Times
Members of the Texas delegation watched as President George W. Bush addressed the convention over a video link from the White House.
Republican U.S vice-presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks on day three of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Xcel Energy Center on September 3, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will accept the GOP nomination for U.S. President Thursday night. Getty Images
Sarah Palin at the GOP Convention (Getty Images)
A police horse runs into a man, as police patrol and detain people near the Xcel Center, the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention Sept. 1, 2008, in St. Paul, Minn. Getty Images
Track Palin, Bristol Palin, her boyfriend Levi Johnston, Willow Palin, Piper Palin, husband Todd Palin and Republican U.S vice-presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin holding Trig Palin stand on stage during day three of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Xcel Energy Center on September 3, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will accept The GOP nomination for U.S. President Thursday night. Getty Images
A protester interrupts a speech by Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 4, 2008.(Jim Young/Reuters)
Retired U.S. Army nurse Anne Lucas holds a shirt reading "Pitbulls for Palin" at a campaign rally with U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in Colorado Springs, Colorado September 6, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Bradie Ewing dives in for a one-yard touchdown for Wisconsin against Marshall. UW won, 51-14.
Journal Sentinel photo, Joe Koshollek
