Headline 2006: Level Four hurricane hits Western Long Island and Manhattan, hundreds of thousands dead. Think it can't happen, read below. The warming of the ocean and increasing more powerful storms make this increasingly likely. (more below)
This is answer to blaming the locals in New Orleans. There are many places that can not be evacuated in a short time. And no place has a plan for dealing with those without cars. Infact this area has even less highways out for the size of the population.
The New England Hurricane (also known as the Long Island Express) hit Long Island on September 21, 1938 as a Category 3 (winds 111-130 mph) and devastated the coast of Long Island with storm surges of 10 to 12 feet and was responsible for, in total, 700 deaths, $308 million in damage, and 63,000 people homeless between Long Island and New England. The LI Express was so powerful that it created the Shinnecock Inlet and widened the Moriches Inlet in Suffolk County.
The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 was a Category 3 (winds 111-130 mph)
Hurricanes Carol and Edna of 1954 were both Category 3 hurricanes when they hit Long Island and Connecticut.
Hurricane Donna of 1960 started as a Category 4 and hit Nassau County as a Category 3 (winds 111-130 mph).
[...]Being Prepared
Although we cannot prevent hurricanes, we can certainly prepare for them. Creating an emergency plan ahead of time for you and your family will help you stay organized if a hurricane strikes. Your emergency plan should include a communication system, disaster supply kit, and an alternate meeting place if your home is unsafe.
http://www.co.nassau.ny.us/OEM/hurricane.html
Notice that the hurricane evacuation system set up for hurricanes depends on individuals, with no provision for those without cars. This is the answer to blaming the locals in New Orleans. There are many places that cannot be evacuated in a short time. Long Island is one of them. This inability to evacuate quickly was used in the fight against the Shoreham nuclear plant.
While opposing Shoreham I had an idea. Because one of the issues we used to fight Shoreham legally was the evacuation of Long Island it occurred to me that the best way for people to understand the real problems about evacuation was to show them what it was really like. Let them experience it themselves! Any other way was an abstraction.
http://www.greens.org/s-r/12/12-11.html