Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 7

Wednesday, August 26, 1992 Hattiesburg AMERICAN 7 A NATION no re wo Bayou Dozens hurt in People flee, seek shelter from storm tornado I 1 W. I ft 'i i ii i iiiT mm. ii i i i mi'wunjgi mmmmmm. mmmm By MARY FOSTER Associated Press Writer BELLE CHASSE, La. Rain pounded the deserted streets, lashing the plywood covered windows and doors of houses and businesses.

Wind gusts ripped leaves from the giant oak trees lining the highway and flattened the fields of peppers and eggplants. At Belle Chase High School families lay on cots in the crowded classrooms and children ran laughing down the halls. "The waiting's the worst," said Hershey Holmes. "Waiting and worrying. That's what hurricanes are about.

When I'm at home, I worry my family won't be safe, so I come here and worry my house will blow away." Throughout southern Louisiana, thousands fled the threat of Hurricane Andrew. By late Tuesday those who left were waiting it out, while a new group from farther west ran from the storm. Judy and Bill Halprin, with their two, young children, left Cocodrie Tuesday morning as the wind picked up and the rain began lashing the narrow highway north. "We just want to get somewhere we can get out of the storm. That's all we're trying to do," Mrs.

Halprin said. In Westwego, where trailer homes stood dark on patches of oily water and muddy grass, fast-food restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets were all closed Tuesday. The gymnasium at Stella Worley Junior High School filled rapidly with families. "I'm 74 and I stayed at home for every hurricane before this," said Mary Tice. "Betsy, that was a bad.

We lost just about everything but the walls, but we stayed. Now I'm afraid. I live in a new house and it floods so I came with my daughter to be safe." With rain lashing the low-lying A homeless New Orleans woman with her sleeping bag and clothes awaits word from Hurricane Andrew. The historic city on the Mississippi River was spared the brunt of the storm. The sign in the background refers to England's Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York Floridlaps learoing to live with supplies shortages Storms spawned by Andy damage New Orleans suburban area By MARY FOSTER Associated Press Writer LAPLACE, La.

A tornado spun off the advancing winds of Hurricane Andrew and tore through houses near New Orleans. Trailers and a block of doctors' offices also were hit when the tornado was born from the hurricane clouds Tuesday night. Dozens of people were injured. "We had everybody we could get working on them. We had our obstetrician stitching up wounds.

We had injured people all over the hospital," said Pat Babin, the director of plant operations at River Parishes Hospital. Thirty two people were injured, two seriously, hospital officials said. Patients filled the emergency room at the little hospital, lay on stretchers in the halls, sat wrapped in blankets in the waiting room and huddled under the entry-way roof outside. "It was the scariest thing that ever happened in LaPlace," said Charles Rafier, 38. "I've been through hurricanes all my life and believe me, they're nothing compared to a tornado." Lucille Perilloux, 46, shivered in the humid night as she waited for her husband and son, still in the emergency room.

The blood soaked sheets that covered her husband, Larry Anderson, 46, scared her almost as much as the roaring wind that reduced her house to splinters. "He's hurt bad; He's got a hole in his head and blood all over him," she said. "All I heard was a loud, loud noise. I turned to go into the house and it just picked my up and threw me. It rolled me across the ground, almost to the, street." The tornado did slight damage to the hospital and knocked out power throughout the town.

The blackout was broken only at the hospital, where emergency generators supplied power. "I was going down the road and all of a sudden there was a big dark cloud," said Rick Meche. ''There was a noise and then the lights went out every where. I mean every where. The street lights, the traffic lights, every thing," he said.

"Some bodies are caught In the wreckage and they have had to be left for the time being," said Jay Eaker, a Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman. JAY EAKER Spokesman, Federal Emergency Management Agency Aid rushing in from all over to help effort in Dade Co. By TRACY FIELDS Associated Press Writer MIAMI Dogs trained to sniff out bodies were sent into wrecked shopping centers in search of more victims of Hurricane Andrew. Survivors struggled to find drinkable water and food that hadn't spoiled in the heat. "It's Campbell's soup and Chef Boy-Ar-Dee" for the Sarlat family, Anna Maria Sarlat said Tuesday.

Two days after Hurricane Andrew smashed through South Florida, leaving an estimated 50,000 people homeless, some 2 million people remained without electricity. Authorities warned that it could be weeks before water and power are completely restored. Fourteen people were reported dead, and the toll was expected to rise. On Tuesday, dogs were sent into the rubble of shopping centers in Cutler Ridge, a Miami suburb. "Some bodies are caught in the wreckage and they have had to be left for the time being," said Jay Eaker, a Federal Emergency Miami, 500 people lined up for free bottled water.

"We've got nothing," said Alma Sawyer. "We're the only house with a roof on our street. I'm housing three families. I have six babies on water bottles." Aileen Martinez said her Coral Gables neighborhood had only minor damage, including downed power lines and fallen trees. "God was merciful here," she said.

"Still, we're taking little sips of water every three hours." The few markets and gas stations that were able to reopen by Tuesday had long lines out front, as did cash machines, many of which were out of money. As lines formed for necessities, some arguments and fights broke out, but generally people got along. Looters and people ignoring Dade County's dusk-to-dawn curfew posed a greater problem for police, who arrested more than 200. Early Tuesday, the National Guard about in South Florida took back the Cutler Ridge Mall from looters. "Before we got here, it was a picnic," said Sgt.

Rick Bailey. "We can't arrest them. All we can do is stop them." As some stores reopened Tuesday, employees let shoppers in a few at a time to avoid mob scenes at the shelves. Aetna Life and Casualty spokesman Tom Greaney said long lines were expected at insurance agents' offices today. "The first day is really predicated on survival," he said.

"The second day is devoted to trying to get over the sense of loss. The third day is when they get around to thinking about rebuilding." In the meantime, help poured in from all over. The Salvation Army sent 13 mobile canteens from Georgia and the Carolinas, and the Pentagon said it would ship 134,000 military rations. Red Cross trucks moved in and the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened an office to direct relief efforts. More than 84,000 people stayed in Red Cross shelters Monday night, and more than 34,000 were housed in 61 shelters Tuesday.

Dozens of nurses came from cities around the state to help out, and companies provided bottled water and trash collection services. Officials in nearby Palm Beach County jumped in to help. "We know Dade would have supported us," said Palm Beach County Commission chairwoman Karen Marcus. "But for 50 miles, this would have been us." streets and roads south of New Orleans, many were glad they had left home with Monday's early calls for evacuation. Others headed to shelters Tuesday.

Sonia Garcia arrived at the O. Perry Walker High School in Algiers with 12 members of her family, bedding, food, coolers of soft drinks, games and toys and plenty of worries. "It's my first hurricane," she said in broken English. "I don't want any danger around my family." In south Plaquemines Parish, Bill Patrick and a small group of pickers worked in the heavy rain to harvest a field of green peppers. "I know we won't get them in," he acknowledged.

"My workers want to get out of here. It'll be a loss for me and it comes after a string of losses. What can you do?" Gilbert and Evelyn Watkins also faced loss. The 72-year-old couple sat in an Orleans Parish shelter watching the rain. Mrs.

Watkins cried softly. "We've done this so many times," she said. "I don't even want to go back this time if things are wrecked and scattered. I'm too tired and I've done it too often." "Now, now, Evey. Those are just material things," her husband said.

Management Agency spokesman. Kate Hale, Dade County emergency management director, estimated damage to the region at a preliminary $15 billion to $20 billion. Her figures, if borne out, would make Andrew the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Officials feared that food rotting in Florida's August heat, polluted water and sewage backups could lead to outbreaks of salmonella and hepatitis.

"When food gets hot, that means bacteria. And then the garbage leads to rats and vermin and disease," said Walter Livingstone, environmental administrator for the county Public Health Department. Dade County residents who still had running water were ordered to boil it or treat it with chemicals before drinking it. In one hard-hit neighborhood south of James Powell, 62, his 53-year-old wife Margie and 18-year-old son Steven, lay on the floor of their house trailer while the tornado shook it apart, then they climbed from the wreckage. "I guess I'm OK," Mrs.

Powell said. "I don't have anywhere to live. I'm scratched and I'm scared, but at least I'm alive." Northwest Louisiana glad to be out of Andrew's way The lowest home loan rates in years at i 1 ti 1 1 Fixed Rate FNMAFHLMC Rate Discount APR 7.50 0.00 7.663 0.00 8.736 Fixed Rate'FHA 7.50 7.50 Adjustable Rate Low rates available with 26 caps "I've been through a little tornado (in Vivian), but other than that, no real bad weather. When the tornado came, we had to lie down in the bathtub." MARIE WHITE Louisiana resident Across the Gulf of Mexico, Florida residents were glad Andrew past quickly through the Sunshine State. Before Hurricane Andrew, three hurricanes in this century struck both Florida's Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 1926: Hurricane struck Miami and Miami Beach on Sept.

18, Alabama coast two days later. Sustained winds of 96 mph recorded in Miami; gusts reached 132 mph at Miami Beach. Very severe damage in Miami area and from Pensacola, into southern Alabama; 243 deaths. 1947: Very large and intense hurricane smashed into southern Florida on Sept. 17, Louisiana two days later.

Sustained wind of 121 mph and gust of 155 mph recorded at lighthouse at Hillsboro Beach, Fla. Heavy wind and water damage on Florida east coast and in Louisiana and Mississippi; 51 deaths. 1965: Hurricane: Betsy clipped southernmost Florida on Sept. 8, struck Louisiana the next day. Sustained wind of 136 mph at Port Sulphur, La.

Flooding caused much of the damage, especially in Louisiana; 75 By The Associated Press While residents of northwest Louisiana were glad to be out of harms way from Hurricane Andrew, others took the opportunity to compare the storm to others they have weathered. "When you hear about it and see pictures from the (Louisiana) coast, it seems strange," said Jon House, who said he spent Tuesday on the job at the Pierre-Bossier Mall as Hurricane Andrew's winds and water marched ashore. "Here, it's normal. It's back-to-school, House said. The Shreveport-Bossier area enjoyed partly cloudy, but non-threatening skies, Tuesday and Denise Skillestad spent part of the morning outside with her sons Christopher, 3, and Garrett, 2, at the city park on East Kings Highway.

"They've got a grandmother living down there (in New Orleans)," she said. "We talked to her yesterday; she's not leaving." Skillestad said being a native of Baton Rouge she had experienced hurricane weather and storm warnings. She was 4 years old in 1965 when Hurricane Betsy ravaged the coast. "The thing I remember about Betsy is my swing-set being blown over the backyard fence, she said. Marie White, Ethel Nation and Dorothy Scott said they spent Tuesday doing normal chores, hauling children to school and washing clothes.

Each was glad to be in North Louisiana and out of harm's wav. "I'd be scared to death," Nation said. "I've been through a little tornado (in Vivian), but other than that, no real bad weather said White. "When the tornado came, we had to lie down in the bathtub." With today's low loan rites, the time to buy is now. Callus.

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