Evacuees head home

2005-09-05 16:15

New Orleans - Thousands of evacuated New Orleans residents jammed a highway into the city in a cavalcade of rental trucks, cars and vans on Monday after a local leader said they could return to their homes.

A tailback stretched 40km as residents of the western Jefferson Parish, parts of which escaped the worst flooding from Hurricane Katrina a week ago, disregarded warnings by Louisiana state to go home.

All manners of heavy equipment, including chainsaws, as well as cool boxes and other baggage could be seen in the packed cars.

Parish President Aaron Broussard told residents they could return to check on their homes from 06:00 to 18:00 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday but would not be able to stay.

State political leaders had dissuaded people from trying to get to the city, fearing huge traffic jams and a disruption to a relief and clean-up effort that is just getting under way.

They also warned people who did come in to bring drinking water and food, and said the parish had no electricity or basic services.

Many roads also remained impassable.

They have also been attempting to drain the city of New Orleans entirely of residents, to enforce an uneasy peace imposed by thousands of soldiers, and to start a mammoth clean-up and evaluation mission as floods recede.

- AFP