As the Gulf Coast begins to dig out in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, emergency organizations are executing cleanup and rescue plans, seeking donations and setting up outlets to provide information on the storm and its victims.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is taking the lead role in coordinating relief efforts. The agency is posting information about the storm on its Web site at http://www.fema.gov/.
State responses are being coordinated by the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness; the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (site down as of Wednesday morning). The Louisiana Governor's Office and the City of New Orleans also posted emergency information on Katrina on their Web sites.
The relief effort is still being hampered by flooding in some areas. Up-to-date information can be found at these Web sites: The National Weather Service and the Hydrologic Information Center (river flooding only).
The American Red Cross opened a telephone hotline on Sunday to receive for donations from citizens. The number is 1-800-435-7669. Other information on Red Cross emergency programs is available at the Red Cross Web site. And Red Cross shelter information for Louisiana is available by calling 1-800-469-4828.
Other relief organizations soliciting donations included:
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- United Methodist Committee on Relief
- Salvation Army
- Catholic Charities
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
- Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Salvation Army's Team Emergency Radio Network was taking requests for information on the welfare and status of loved ones in the hurricane area at its Web site.
As of 9 a.m. ET, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that airports had been closed in New Orleans; Baton Rouge; Mobile, Ala.; Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.; and Pensacola, Fla. Major delays were expected at other airports in the Southeast and the domino effect from them could spread all the way across the country. Further information was available at http://www.faa.gov/.
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