Still Horrendously Slow

(Reuters) - Louisiana's governor condemned the Federal Emergency Management Agency'on Tuesday for moving too slowly to recover the dead from New Orleans and said she has signed a contract directly on behalf of the state with the recovery company originally hired by FEMA.

"I have taken action today to resolve a matter that involves life, death and dignity," Gov. Kathleen Blanco told reporters, adding she expressed her "absolute frustration" with the pace of the recovery to federal authorities to no avail.

"I cannot stand by while this vital operation is not being handled appropriately," she said.
Authorities have confirmed 423 deaths in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina hit two weeks ago, though fears have begun to abate that New Orleans alone could hold 10,000 dead or more beneath its floodwaters.