The reason they aren't pumping it out right now is that the pumps put the water into the lake. The levee on the lake has a huge hole in it. If they don't repair the hole first, the water will just flow right back into the city.
My heart goes out to all those affected by this storm and the flooding. I have a cousin in MS who's house was completely destroyed. I hope the rebuilding can start soon, but I also second the call to only rebuild to Florida building code standards. I have seen some of these houses under construction and it is obvious that a few simple things can make a house much stronger.
