01 September 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastates southern US
Emergency teams in Mississippi and the Louisiana city of New Orleans are struggling to cope in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The hurricane is one of the most devastating storms ever to strike the US and is expected to have taken the lives of hundreds of people.
It struck Louisiana on Monday with wind speeds of up to 140mph, as well as battering the coastline of neighbouring Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida.
It is believed that 90 per cent of the buildings along the coastline at Biloxi and Gulfport, in Mississippi, have been destroyed.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin estimates that 80 per cent of the city is flooded, with thousands of homes up to their roofs in water.
Some 20,000 people are taking shelter at the Superdome stadium, but will now have to be evacuated as there is no power and toilets are overflowing.
The tourist attraction of the historic French Quarter is five feet above sea level so it is hoped that it will escape severe flooding.
The floods cut off electricity, polluted the city's water supply and closed down most roads into New Orleans.
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