Scenes from an evacuated city

photos by Contessa Brewer, MSNBC correspondent and anchor

New Orleans is a ghost town. Normally, the French Quarter is bustling with tourist activity. Today, ahead of the storm, Canal Street is empty, save for a large police presence, journalists from around the world and National Guard troops in Humvees. I've been here as a tourist and as a journalist. After Katrina, the place bustled with reconstruction activity. It seems so strange to see this city emptied out, to be so quiet it verges on desolate.

 

In the Garden District of New Orleans, a misspelled "Thank You" sign on a boarded up restaurant, meant for the National Guard.

Below is a photo of the National Guard from New Iberia. They're in New Orleans to establish a security presence for the local street evacuations and to help move the local traffic.

 

Last minute boarding up on St. Charles Avenue.

 

A bus convoy traveling through Kenner

 

Click here for Contessa's report on MSNBC cable on the status of the evacuation efforts.