Breached levee closed
2005-09-05 16:49
Baton Rouge - Construction crews and army engineers have closed the deadly breach in a levee which sent floodwaters surging into New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina stuck a week ago.
"Work was completed on repairing the breach on the 17th Street canal on Sunday night," Cleo Allen, spokesperson for Louisiana's department of transportation and development told AFP.
"They are now pumping water out of the canal and into the lake."
Closing the breach marks a significant turning point for New Orleans, 80% of which was submerged by floods in a murderous surge, sending residents who had not evacuated scrambling for safety on their roofs.
- AFP