One of the most powerful hurricanes in recent memory makes its way past New Orleans, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials raced to put disaster response plans into action. Authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama were placed on their highest state of alert. Medical teams, army troops and rescue squads arrived in large numbers as the storm struck. Although initial estimates are that the damage from Katrina may not be quite as severe as some worst-case scenarios had predicted, flooding continues to remain a serious concern, particularly for the city of New Orleans, which includes several major medical centers.
- see this story from the AP