We have several Vietnamese sisters whose families emigrated to New Orleans as "boat people" after the fall of Saigon. Here is some news about one portion of the Vietnamese community in New Orleans
8-31-2005: 300+ Vietnamese people stranded at the church in waist-deep water. Rescue helicopters came by but was unable to pick up people because they were always too full already by the time they get out to Versailles. Told the people they should head to higher ground so many people who could, then moved to Alcee Fortier by the VN stores. Some of the sicker people stayed behind at the church. The rescue team said they would be back soon with food and water.
9-1-2005: People waited all night for the rescue teams who didn't return until the next day to give them food and water.
~9:30am - An 18-wheeler arrived and took about 50 people.
~11:30am - A second one arrived but was threatened with guns. It left with about 50 more people. Five hours later and no more trucks have arrived. People fear that the gunmen have scared away all rescue attempts. There are still about 200 people left. The VN people had been taking shifts by the phone at (504) 254-2407. Only cell phones with the (504) area code can get through. A woman reported on the phone that things were getting bad, one of the men
had a gun to her husband's face!
~9pm - 2 more trucks arrive. Things looked to have calm down and no one was reported having been shot.
9-1-2005: People waited all night for the rescue teams who didn't return until the next day to give them food and water.
~9:30am - An 18-wheeler arrived and took about 50 people.
~11:30am - A second one arrived but was threatened with guns. It left with about 50 more people. Five hours later and no more trucks have arrived. People fear that the gunmen have scared away all rescue attempts. There are still about 200 people left. The VN people had been taking shifts by the phone at (504) 254-2407. Only cell phones with the (504) area code can get through. A woman reported on the phone that things were getting bad, one of the men
had a gun to her husband's face!
~9pm - 2 more trucks arrive. Things looked to have calm down and no one was reported having been shot.
Then a translation of a report sent in Vietnamese:
I can briefly summarizes for those of us who can't read vietnamese very well. It basically says that the people in the church have been saved by the Coast Guard, they ahve been removed to the Superdome, then of course
as we all know they will be moved to the Astrodome. There is however, one family left because one of the family member is on oxygen and have a generator and the coast guard do not allow generator on their boat? (i'm
hoping i'm translating this right) So the priest stayed behind because he won't leave until the very last person leave, which is him. The coast guard promised that they will have a helicopter comes to pick up the family.
as we all know they will be moved to the Astrodome. There is however, one family left because one of the family member is on oxygen and have a generator and the coast guard do not allow generator on their boat? (i'm
hoping i'm translating this right) So the priest stayed behind because he won't leave until the very last person leave, which is him. The coast guard promised that they will have a helicopter comes to pick up the family.
No comments:
Post a Comment