Recovery will take years - Bush
2005-09-01 08:10
Washington - United States President George W Bush said on Wednesday it would take "years" to recover from Hurricane Katrina, which he called one of the worst national disasters in US history.
Bush made his remarks after cutting short his Texas holiday and returning to Washington to direct recovery efforts after Karina pounded the Gulf Coast on Monday, with hundreds feared dead.
"We're dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history," he told reporters in the White House Rose Garden. "This recovery will take a long time. This recovery will take years."
The president laid down three priorities: saving lives and
evacuating endangered survivors, providing adequate food, water and shelter for dislocated people and launching a comprehensive
recovery effort.
"We're focused on restoring power and lines of communication that
have been knocked out during the storm. We will be repairing major roads and bridges and other essential means of transportation as quickly as possible," Bush said.
Bush, who flew over the stricken areas in Air Force One, said he
had called for a cabinet-level task force chaired by Homeland
Security chief Michael Chertoff to co-ordinate assistance from
Washington.
He said Michael Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, to would direct all federal response and recovery efforts
in the field. Both would work closely with state and local
officials.
"The challenges that we face on the ground are unprecedented.
But there's no doubt in my mind we're going to succeed," Bush said.
"Right now the days seem awfully dark for those affected, I
understand that," he told hurricane victims. "But I'm confident
that with time you will get your life back in order."
- AFP