[StBernard] Entry to St. Bernard Suspended Due to T.S. Rita

[Westley Annis]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Henry "Junior" Rodriguez
Parish President
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
(504) 278-4200

 
September 19, 2005; 5:00 PM CST

State Orders Immediate Stop to Resident and Business Owner Return

The State of Louisiana, in conjunction with ground military forces, has
ordered St. Bernard Parish to immediately cease allowing residents and
business owners to return to their homes and businesses that are located in
St. Bernard Parish.  This is because Tropical Storm Rita is currently
gaining strength as it enters the gulf coast region, increasing the
likelihood that it will attain hurricane status. 

The current models predict that the storm will make landfall to the
Southwest of the New Orleans area; however the shifting high pressure area
holding the storm on its current path is moving and may alter the path to
the Northeast.   Given the current damage to the protective levee system,
the parish cannot withstand a prolonged storm of even this strength.

Thus, the previously announced return schedule is suspended immediately.
Anyone in route to St. Bernard should make arrangements to find safe lodging
or return to your temporary living area.

Depending on the impact of Rita, a decision regarding the resumption of the
return schedule will be made early next week.  Please watch our official
Parish website, http://www.stbernardparishgovernment.com for further
details.

We wish you well and apologize for any inconvenience that this temporary
setback may make in your return plans.

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