There's always an eerie silence from the epicenter of a major hurricane right after the storm hits

[Tommy_Carcetti]

It almost lulls you into a false sense of security because you immediately think you'll see pictures of devastation right away, and when you don't, you think maybe it wasn't bad as everyone thought.

But the reality is that the places that get the very worst of the storm were too unsafe to have media ride out the storm, so it isn't until hours later that you finally start getting pictures of the damages and how horrific everything is.

I looked up Mexico Beach in Florida on Google Maps, which was Ground Zero for Hurricane Michael in 2018. Much of that town is still in ruins. (Thankfully, most people wisely evacuated before hand, so loss of life wasn't as devastating as it could have been.)

Brace ourselves for some really awful pictures from Cameron, Louisiana and Lake Charles.

[Phoenix61]

1. What's amazing is how much is still standing

in Mexico Beach. They never should have allowed building between Hwy 98 and the water but they are putting it all back. Absolutely nuts.

[GusBob]

2. There are many bad things that come with the "bowling ball"

The eye is like a bowling ball of destruction to me

But hands down the biggest issue in recovery is communication, lack thereof. During Katrina this was huge. Nobody knew what was going on. you cant get help if noone can hear you shouting

In this day and age of being plugged in, its hard to imagine

I think the cell companies are working on it though, hot spots of wi-fi or somesuch

[GusBob]

3. I remember Katrina

Early on, a post on DU, to paraphrase "looks like they made it thru!, thank god" then the levees broke and all hell with it

and nobody knew what was going down in East NO, because there was just no news

[fleur-de-lisa]

4. High tide is later today, so it may get worse.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Not to mention the petrochemical plants in the area.

Which could trigger a non-nuclear Fukishima type situation.