OT: Hurricane Katrina - family, friends and prayers.

Hi, gang. I hope you're all doing well.

I don't know if any of you have family and/or friends in the hard hit areas, but if so, I do hope they're fine. I'll keep everyone in thought and prayer for safety and survival.

I have cousins in Biloxi, Miss., and I have no idea of how they are. From what I've seen on the news, the area where they live is basically gone...under water or blown away. I really don't know how to explain how I feel about it. I know everything in that area is gone and that several people there have been killed. I kinda feel worried/scared and not worried/scared at the same time. Make sense? Barbara (my cousin) had a full house too. Both her parents, (her mom is sickly) her four children (includes a set of triplets) and her boyfriend all lived together. I keep watching the news, trying to see if any of those survivors look like them.
Her ex-husband is in the military and just returned to Germany a couple of months ago. We keep in touch every now and then by email, so I'm going to send him one and ask if he's heard anything. I know the phones aren't working in Biloxi, but since he's in the military, maybe he can find out something in ways we civilians can't.
The people in the storm areas don't even have cell phone access, as their batteries have drained with no way to recharge, and I've heard that what little cell phone connection they had, the lines/satellite feeds were all tied up.

I have friends in Pensacola, FL too, and I can't get in touch with them either. I saw on the news that there's supposed to be a website for people check on family and friends in certain areas. I haven't been yet. I guess maybe I am kinda scared to find out what's what.

Keep them in your thoughts and prayers, please.

Thanks.