New Orleans prays, parades to open storm season

NEW ORLEANS, June 1 (Reuters) New Orleans greeted the first day of hurricane season today with prayers and a parade for the mayor who led the city through devastating storms last year.

Mayor Ray Nagin swept through the historic narrow streets of the French Quarter in a white horse-drawn carriage surrounded by brass bands and dancing costumed Mardi Gras ''Indians'' on his way to inauguration for a second term.

The timing of the swearing in was symbolic for many -- June 1 is the beginning of the hurricane season, and forecasters say New Orleans, still full of wastelands of houses twisted and destroyed by Katrina last year, is the most likely major U.S.

city to suffer a direct hit by a major storm.

Tens of thousands of people who were New Orleans residents before Katrina have not yet returned, and some of those left in the city voiced a mix of hope and fear about the months ahead.

''God is not going to be mean enough to give us another one,'' said fortune teller Bruce Wilson, 58, sitting in a white straw hat outside St. Louis Cathedral before the parade.

Inside, religious leaders asked for divine support for Nagin's second term and called the disasters behind and possibly ahead a test of leadership and faith.

''We are a great city and a great people,'' boomed Rev.

Michael Jacques to a crowd that yelled back in approval. ''We are not God's forgotten people.'' On the streets as the parade gathered, Nagin was confident.

''We are ready. I am really comfortable. It looks like we met all the critical deadlines,'' he said, referring to work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore the levees protecting New Orleans to pre-Katrina levels or better.

The Corps was heavily criticized after the storm, which killed more that 1,500 in Louisiana, although city leaders have been more complimentary of late of the engineers' dash to complete repairs.

Antique salesman John Hmurcik, 55, said he was not so confident in the Corps. ''It all boils down to the levees,'' he said. ''We're all kind of tense, of course.'' But he said the parade showed the Mississippi river city's nature. ''It is not unusual for New Orleans to celebrate, even in hard times,'' he said.

Many the problems of Katrina linger, and the memories and difficulties will affect people's decisions on whether to evacuate if another storm heads their way. Nagin, in remarks prepared for the inauguration, said New Orleans could see several evacuations over the summer Chef Nathedra White, 35, lives in a trailer while rebuilding her home. She might not come back to her native New Orleans if it takes another direct hit. ''I don't know if I'm going to stay here or leave forever,'' she said.

Some types of jobs appear plentiful in New Orleans, with bonuses offered for signing up even at fast-food restaurants, but housing is tight. Nearly every neighborhood has storm-battered properties strewn with debris.

Watching the parade, Hillary Pierre, 65, was focused on that reality rather than the festivities. ''People are trying to find a place to stay. They got nowhere to go,'' he said.

All along the Gulf Coast officials are urging people to prepare to evacuate cities if storms head toward them.

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, this morning urged residents to use common sense.

In Florida, Max Mayfield, Miami-based National Hurricane Center director, told yesterday evening hurricane preparation meeting that people should be humble in the face of storms.

''The big lesson learned is that experience is not always a good teacher. For people who think they've seen everything they can see, it's not true. It can cost you your life,'' he said.

Reuters PDS VP0122