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[Midas]

I would bet that this building is still standing as most buildings in New Orleans seemed to handle the hurricane winds, but since the city is below sea level, it could not handle the rising waters surrounding it. The New Orleans mint was built tough. Most of this building was built with "bulky and solid' materials...right from the US mint website. I am sure it is standing, but water is another issue.

After the earthquake of 1906, the San Francisco mint was one of the very few structures standing that survived the impending fires that pretty much destroyed the city. It too was built solid.

The question for most of New Orleans is to actually rebuild in a location that everybody was certain of doom and flood? I have traveled to the city multiple times and I remember asking what was that "hill" in the back of some people's backyards?? It was explained to me that it was a levee, holding in Lake Ponchartrain...which were ABOVE 1000's of homes and businesses. Once I saw this and upon further discussion, I realized how much the city was below sea level, I thought...this is insane!

I feel for the people along the gulf coast. I went through 3 hurricanes last year myself but fortunately, my house wasn't destroyed, but it did suffer over $40,000 worth of damge and repairs from hurricanes 2 and 3. The big differance was that after the storms passed on by, I could at least return to my home. I had no power for almost a week, but I had water (though it had to be boilded) and phone service. There was some flooding, but nothing like you see in New Orleans.

Unfortunately for the people of New Orleans, water will always find its way to the lowest point and that point for them is below Lake Ponchantrain to the north and the Mississippi river to the south. That lowest point is the city itself...which is another disaster waiting to happen unless they build the levees 75 feet tall and 40 feet wide. I'm no engineer, but if you live in a "soup bowl" below sea level, then you have to prepare for the worst of all flooding and/or hurricanes!!

Anybody you talk to knew it was just a matter of time of not IF a hurricane with flooding rains would hit, but WHEN!!