joe suhayda, a coastal engineer explained.ince people that one is a category 3 or 4 or a 5 storm that they should evacuate for their own personal safety because their safety could not be guaranteed by any governmental agency. (vo)at 9.30 am on august 28th ray nagin, the mayor of new orleans, ordered a mass evacuation of the city. >>we are facing a storm that most of us has feared. every person is hereby ordered to evacuate the city of new orleans. (vo)the last minute notice to evacuate caught many by surprise and meant they could leave only with what they could carry. but more than 100,000 people - mainly the old, the sick and the poor - had no means of escape. so they were told to assemble at the louisiana superdome in the city's central business district where they would be cared for and protected from the coming storm. the authorities had provided enough food and water to last 15,000 people three days. but around twice this number turned up and the superdome soon overflowed with a huddled mass of frightened people. meanwhil