U.S. Government Continues Relief Efforts
Federal support to state and local officials and volunteer organizations continues around the clock in an effort to save lives, sustain life, and assist with law enforcement operations in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The following facts provide an update to some of the important activities and approximate numbers as of 2 p.m. EDT today:
? Households Funded 430,000
Type of Payment
? Direct Deposit (EBT) ? $510.4 million
? Check ? $434.8 million
? Debit Card ? $20.6 million
? Total Assistance Provided ? $965.8 million
? Lives Saved (rescues performed) ? 49,800
? People housed in shelters ? 129,000*
? MREs provided (meals) ? 23.3 million
? Water provided (liters) ? 58.8 million
* The number of people housed in shelters is expected to decrease as people are provided long-term housing.
Schools and districts nationwide are opening their doors to the hundreds of thousands of children without schools. The Department of Education launched a website, Hurricane Help for Schools, at www.ed.gov/katrina. The site helps match schools with displaced students with companies, organizations, other schools and individuals willing to donate.
Work on repairing the Twin Spans Bridge that carries traffic on Interstate-10 between New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana has started, following Friday's award of a $31 million contract to Boh Brothers Construction of New Orleans. The eastbound span will be repaired first, providing one lane of traffic in each direction.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has more than 100 crews responding to more than 6,400 requests in Operation Blue Roof in Mississippi. The operation provided repairs to more than 200 roofs over the last 24 hours and estimates that 23,000 roof repairs will be required. Operation Blue Roof sign-up centers are now open in Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, Forrest, Stone, Lamar, Marion, Jefferson Davis, and Pearl River counties in Mississippi.