NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Water from Lake Pontchartrain threatened New Orleans' historic French Quarter Tuesday after the tourist mecca was spared the brunt of Hurricane Katrina.
A breach in the 17th Street Canal levee Monday widened sending salt water into Lakeview, Mid-City, Carrollton, Gentily, City Park and other neighborhoods, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.
Flooding was reported downtown and covered some 80 percent of the "Big Easy" as pumps failed. Rescuers plucked people from rooftops by boat. The newspaper was forced to evacuate its building Tuesday morning but vowed to continue to publish an online edition.
With no electricity, sanitation or fresh water, citizens were not being allowed to enter New Orleans. Both airports were under water and power could be out four to six weeks, Mayor Ray Nagin told WWL-TV. Nagin said bodies were floating in the water.
The Southern Yacht Club burned to the ground because firefighters were unable to get to the building surrounded by floodwater.
