Jackson Free Press

Clarion-Ledger is reporting:

Some state officials said Monday they fear the death toll in Mississippi could top 1,000 as refrigerated trucks serve as makeshift morgues. Lt. Rusty Pittman of the Mississippi Bureau of Marine Resources, involved in the search effort, said he worries the death toll "could reach 4,000, maybe 5,000, if not more." The official number of confirmed dead in Mississippi remained at 170, but Biloxi spokesman Vincent Creel said Monday he thinks there will be several hundred dead just in Biloxi.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans mayor has predicted the death toll there could reach 10,000 — a number almost equal to the entire population of Oxford. [...]

Barbour defended the response time, saying the Highway Patrol, Department of Transportation and the National Guard were all pushing into the area before the storm had abated. "I'm grateful for all the federal government has done."

He blamed the national media for criticism of timing. "It's pretty easy for vultures to fly in after the fact."

Lott said federal help could have come faster, but he doesn't want to "bite the hand" that will feed Coast residents for the next few years. "Thanks to the federal government, more than anyone else, the Gulf Coast will be bigger and stronger than ever."

Previous Comments

ID

134324

Comment

Wonder if Bush will decide to ban the media from the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well. Unbelievable.

Author

Tim Kynerd

Date

2005-09-07T15:55:53-06:00

ID

134325

Comment

That link isn't working. And he didn't ban me today, I'm happy to report. Actually, "happy" is not the right word. I'm shellshocked. But don't ask me to talk about it, yet.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2005-09-08T00:40:22-06:00

ID

134326

Comment

Try this link. Best, Tim

Author

Tim Kynerd

Date

2005-09-08T01:25:47-06:00