Google demolishes New Orleans - again • The Register

Google demolishes New Orleans - again

Swift Google Earth update restores post-Katrina images

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Science, 2nd April 2007 18:07 GMT

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Google has moved with something approaching lightning speed to replace images of New Orleans on Google Earth which had apparently airbrushed the effects of hurricane Katrina from history.

The good burghers of the Big Easy were none too happy with a recent Google Earth and Google Maps update replacing previous candid images of the city's destruction.

Back in 2005, two alternative views of the city were available: pre- and post-apocalypse, as demonstrated below with grabs of the Galvez Street Wharf (left) and Lower 9th Ward (right):

Galvez Street Wharf before Katrina

Galvez Street Wharf after Katrina

Last week, however, these options had disappeared, and Google was offering a rather more happy picture:

New Orleans as seen last week on Google Earth

This piece of apparent skullduggery prompted Ruston Henry, president of the economic development association in the city's Lower 9th Ward, to decry: "Come on. Just put in big bold this: 'Google, don't pull the wool over the world's eyes. Let the truth shine'."

Henry added: "Is Google part of the conspiracy? Why these images of pre-Katrina? Seems mighty curious."

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