Quintessential Me

Rita claims lives before she even reaches land.

It would seem that the first casualties are 24 people who boarded a bus evacuating a nursing home. Reports are that the bus caught fire which caused the senior citizens oxygen tanks to rupture creating an inferno. It is one of those events that is so sad, the shock of it makes you give a nervous laugh because it seems like a caricature. Sadly it isn't.

[Update 10-7-2005: I've discovered that I have a work acqaintance whose mother died in this fire. They are planning on legal action. I don't blame them; I would too. ]

On the good news front is the Rita seems to have weakened to a Category 3 storm. Most sites are now predicting her being a category 2 storm or very close to being a 2. Landfall as a 2 would lighten the stress of many. One of the explanations I read was that drier air around the landmass is being mixed in with a weakening effect. Any chance the Arizona drink company can bottle their air and import it over here? Texas is hardly known for dry air.

posted by mokru @ 5:05 PM