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Most bodies not identified
29/09/2005 07:32 - (SA)
Washington - Only 340 of the 896 people known killed in the United States state of Louisiana by Hurricane Katrina have been identified, state authorities said.
Of the 340, 32 have been released to their families, Louis Cataldie, the state's emergency response medical director, said on Wednesday. The other bodies are being held until relatives can be contacted.
Authorities are collecting data on the other bodies recovered in the hopes of identifying them as well, he said.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the August 29 storm increased to 1 132 as 11 more fatalities were confirmed in Louisiana, authorities said.
Officials in Mississippi said 220 people had died in that state. Another 14 people were killed in Florida and two in Alabama, according to officials.
Rescuers are continuing to search for Katrina victims. The death toll from its successor, Hurricane Rita, which struck on Saturday, currently stands at 10.
- AFP
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