New Orleans in a State of Chaos; Looting Widespread

New Orleans appeared to be in total chaos in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The water level continues to rise and the governor of Louisiana has plans to evacuate everybody remaining in the city. Meanwhile, looters continue to take anything they can find from ruined stores while doctors struggle to get supplies to the sick and injured.

The major said that roughly 80 percent of the city is still flooded. Many residents remained on rooftops waiting to be evacuated.

Mitch Handrich, a registered nurse manager working at Charity Hospital told the Associated Press, 'It's like being in a Third World country. We're just trying to stay alive.'

Governor Kathleen Blanco wants the entire city evacuated. She wanted the Superdome, which had held thousands of people during the storm, evacuated within two days. At last count, there were between 15,000 and 20,000 people at the Superdome awaiting help.

Nearly the entire city had no electricity or clean running water, not to mention no air conditioning which the wounded, ill and infirm require.

Perhaps most disturbing is the widespread looting as people steal whatever items they can find in the French Quarter and the surrounding parts of the city.

'The looting is out of control. The French Quarter has been attacked,' Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said. 'We're using exhausted, scarce police to control looting when they should be used for search and rescue while we still have people on rooftops.'

The rescue operation is presently understaffed and overwhelmed. According to Mayor C. Ray Nagin, police and rescue workers are trying to reach so many people stranded on rooftops that they are completely ignoring scores of dead bodies as they try to help the living.