Katrina Death Toll Innumerable

The death toll from Hurricane Katrina, which ripped through parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama this week, may be in the hundreds as rescue efforts continue after what U.S. and state officials say may be the nation's worst natural disaster.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued thousands yesterday in the New Orleans area, which remained flooded in water as deep as 20 feet, after rescuing about 1,200 Tuesday, the agency said on its Web site.

At least 50 people died in Harrison County, Mississippi, including as many as 30 in a Biloxi apartment building that collapsed, Mississippi Emergency Management spokesman Jim Pollard said in an interview Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.

Hospitals were running out of power and scrambling to find places to take their patients. At one clinic, broken glass littered some areas and patients and staff had fallen on floors slick with floodwaters, the AP says.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that everyone still in the city, now huddled in the Superdome and other rescue centers, needs to leave. She said late Tuesday she wanted the Superdome with no electricity or air conditioning to be evacuated within two days.

Rescue teams were still picking up people throughout the city Tuesday, leaving them on island-like highway overpasses and on a levee to wait to be moved again. Eventually, they will end up in the Superdome, where 15,000 to 20,000 people have taken refuge, said Louisiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau. One person died at the Superdome attempting to jump from one level to a lower one.

Katrina, which slammed ashore in Mississippi at daybreak Monday with winds as high as 140 mph (225 kph), is now a tropical depression with winds of about 30 mph and is forecast to head through parts of upstate New York, New England and Canada by Sept. 2.

Thought it may be interesting to note what is being said about Hurricane Katrina in other parts of the world. From what I've been hearing the death toll estimates will most likely be in the thousands, not hundreds as the article states above.

Prayers for those lost
and everyone affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Unfortunately, I think you're right about the death toll. And one of the reasons for the high death toll is looting that has happened in previous disasters. I'm sure many residents took their chances and tried to ride out the hurricane because they didn't want to leave behind any possessions that would almost certainly be looted.

Because of this, I certainly hope the authorities eventualy do everything possible to prosecute all serious looters to the fullest extent of the law. They can start by making wanted posters out of the images we're seeing in media coverage. The desperate people who are stealing candy bars, bottled water and diapers can certainly be overlooked. Their conduct is understandable. However, the hard-core criminals who are taking electronics and other high-priced goods in massive quantities need to be put away for a long, long time. They have blood on their hands for future disasters when undoubtedly new batches of law-abiding citizens will once again be afraid to leave their homes unattended.

Absolutely, rotinhell. IMO this is a natural disaster compounded by a social problem - to whit, "I know the Dem Governor won't keep the looters spawned by decades of welfare entitlement off my stuff, so I will have to stay and do it myself".

From what I've been hearing the death toll estimates will most likely be in the thousands, not hundreds as the article states above.

That would be a good assumption, especially after reading My favorite headache's post:

Here

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