Hurricane Katrina Web Resources – News, Missing Persons, Publications

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Since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, I have been absolutely shocked by the magnitude of destruction left in her wake. In California, we’ve experienced our share of natural disasters, including the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. While the damage from that earthquake was extensive, it did not force the evacuation of a major American city or disperse countless families into neighboring states away from their homes, possessions and careers. The manpower, resources and infrastructure needed to handle such a mass migration is unfathomable.

Hurricane Katrina also demonstrated the limitations of our current technologies. Once the power shuts down, the cellular phones go down as well. And, without a communication system in place, the process of contacting family members or coordinating relief efforts proves to be exponentially more challenging.

Fortunately, many Web sites have emerged in the past few days to help survivors reconnect with their family members. Let me share with you some Web sites that I’ve visited to keep up with Hurricane Katrina news.

Charities

  • American Red Cross. The American Red Cross is one of the organizations leading relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims. You can make an online donation from their web site. The Red Cross also features an RSS Feed of current news and press releases.
  • Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. Established by former Presidents Bush and Clinton to provide relief and rebuilding resources to help the victims of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
  • GuideStar.org. Provides a database of nonprofit organizations, including program descriptions and income tax returns. Free registration required.
  • Habitat for Humanity. Raising funds to help low-income families recover and rebuild.
  • The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is providing services to storm survivors and first responders in the Gulf Coast states and is also accepting online donations online.
  • Second Harvest. Distributes food and grocery products. Online donation available.
  • Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund. Serves as the state’s central clearinghouse for corporations, organizations, and individuals to donate money, equipment, goods, services, volunteers, and time to Mississippians recovering and rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina.

Missing Persons

National News

Regional News

  • 2theadvocate.com. Baton Rouge news. Powered by The Advocate and WBRZ News 2.
  • ABC26.com – WGNO-TV. New Orleans news. Includes live video news from ABC26 and ABC2.
  • al.com. Features Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile news.
  • Fox 8 Live WVUE-TV. New Orleans news.
  • HoustonChronicle.com – Hurricane Katrina RSS Feed.
  • NOLA.com. New Orleans news.
  • Shreveport Times. Includes Hurricane Katrina evacuee list.
  • Sun Herald. Local news for South Mississippi, Biloxi and Gulfport.
  • WDSU.com New Orleans news. Features live coverage.
  • WWLTV.com. New Orleans news. Includes live news broadcast and low-bandwith audio.

Maps and Aerial / Satellite Photos

Federal Government

State and Local Government

Courts

  • U.S. Courts – Federal Judiciary Court Links. Links to Fifth Circuit and U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts in Louisiana.
  • Louisiana Supreme Court.

Bar Associations

Publications

  • Alabama Unemployment Compensation: Benefit Rights and Responsibilities. From the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations.
  • Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness. Provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness, including a section on natural hazards, such as floods and hurricanes.
  • Catastrophe Risk: U.S. and European Approaches to Insure Natural Catastrophe and Terrorism Risks. From the General Accounting Office. (February 28, 2005).
  • Daily Report on Hurricane Katrina’s Impact on U.S. Energy. From the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration.
  • Disaster Assistance: Information On Federal Costs and Approaches to Reducing Them. [PDF] Discusses several approaches for
    lowering the costs of federal disaster assistance. From the General Accounting Office. (March 26, 1998).
  • Disaster Management: Improving the Nation’s Response to Catastrophic Disasters. [PDF] The government’s response to Hurricane Andrew, in particular, raised doubts about whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency was capable of responding to such catastrophes and whether it had learned any lessons from Hurricane Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake. This report summarizes GAO’s analyses, conclusions, and recommendations. From the General Accounting Office. (July 23, 1993).
  • Emergency Disaster Training Manual for Louisiana Lawyers. From the Louisiana State Bar Association.
  • Hurricane Evacuation Guide. From the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
  • Improved Planning Needed by the Corps of Engineers to Resolve Environmental, Technical, and Financial Issues on the Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project. [PDF] GAO reviewed the status of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project which is intended to provide hurricane protection to the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. Because of environmental and other issues, the Project, which was to be completed in 1978, is only half finished. From the General Accounting Office. (August 17, 1982).
  • In Case of Emergency. Article on tabletop exercise to develop a recovery plan for the 13 parishes in the New Orleans area in the event of a catastrophic hurricane. From the Louisiana Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness.
    • Hurricane Pam Exercise Concludes. From FEMA.
  • Louisiana Citizen Awareness & Disaster Evacuation Guide. From the Louisiana Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness.
  • National Flood Insurance Program: Oversight of Policy Issuance and Claims. [PDF] As a result of policy limits, restrictions, and exclusions, insurance payments to claimants for flood damage may not cover all of the costs of repairing or replacing damaged property. From the General Accounting Office. (April 14, 2005).
  • Strategic Petroleum Reserve. [PDF] CRS Issue Brief for Congress. From the Federation of American Scientists.
  • Surviving the Storm: A Guide to Hurricane Preparedness. Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  • Unemployment Insurance Benefit Rights Handbook. From Louisiana Works, Department of Labor.

Animal Rescue

. Features animal rescue photos, videos and stories. Online donation available.

Additional Resources