The morning after the storm, thousands crawled from beneath the wreckage in southern Mississippi, wandering zombie-like through the blasted landscape. In the first few days after the storm, normal society ceased to function. Immediately 15,000 people were homeless, there was no water, food, or fuel. The storm had wiped out all means of communication, and roads, bridges, airports, and even railways were impassable or destroyed. The Gulfport Hospital closed - and evacuated all 800 patients to hospitals in the center of the State. Adding to the devastated landscape, was a serious and growing vermin control problem.
Immediately after President Nixon sent 1,000 federal troops into the area, Governor John Williams declared martial law. Using federal troops and state police, all roads leading into the area where the eye had crossed the coast were sealed off. Military and local police imposed a curfew. The first problem to overcome was the thousands of dead farm animals, pets, and wildlife. Camille's incredible storm surge had drowned thousands of animals. Heavy equipment was brought in to bury thousands of dead cows, horses and pets. Next, insects and rodents had quickly overrun the stricken area - feeding on dead animal carcasses and rotting food. Rattlesnakes, fire ants, and rats bit dozens of victims as they sifted through the rubble. In an attempt to control fire ants, low flying spray planes roared up and down the Mississippi coast, dropping 100,000 pounds of mirex.
His mom and dad live in NOLA, his gram lives in Biloxi. I hope they have homes to go back to when this is over.
