Ed,
I am evacuated along with most of New Orleans and SE Louisiana. The university computers and email are shut down for an indeterminate period so we are not receiving messages, and it is difficult to get phone calls connected to or from our area codes.
Although we are but a footnote to the devastation around us, here is where our situation stands. If you could help spread the word that as far as we can tell all of our students were evacuated safely (Saturday was move-in day for frosh, so "Welcome to Tulane--now run away as fast as you can"). The boathouse is certainly gone. Half of our boats were removed to campus storage and will be OK unless the flooding rises enough to put them into the I-beams ten feet up. Unfortunately, water is still rising in the city from the levees that broke last night and those repair operations have had to be suspended for the night.
There is no indication yet as to when the university (or the city) can resume operations, and the only web page TU is maintaining is http://emergency.tulane.edu
I know you're busy in Gifu, but if you could put a brief synopsis on the site to let people know we are alive if not fully well, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
Bob