2005 Press Releases
Update on Hurricane Katrina Relief, Rebuilding Efforts
September 14, 2005
On August 29-31, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast of the United States, devastating three Southern states – Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The destruction spanned 90,000 square miles, an area about half the size of France.
International Assistance
The international community was quick to offer its help, and offers of assistance of all kinds continue to come in. As of today, 118 foreign governments and 12 international organizations have offered to help, including relief efforts on the ground, money, helicopters, pumps and water purification equipment, tents and transportation.
French Assistance
France’s government, NGOs, private businesses, and ordinary citizens acted swiftly to offer help. The French Government so far has sent almost 20 tons of emergency supplies, including tents, tarps and food rations, hygiene kits and cooking kits. French military divers have already gone to work with U.S. counterparts off the Mississippi coast. The Government of France has offered additional assistance as we continue the process of matching offers with needs.
The French Red Cross has made 12 logistical experts available to the American Red Cross. The NGO Telecom Sans Frontiers has sent a team to Houston to help restore telephone and communication links.
Private French assistance also has been substantial. Air France is prepared to make cargo capacity available for French humanitarian relief shipments to the U.S. The Total company has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross.
The Embassy and our consulates in France have received an outpouring of phone calls and letters from ordinary citizens expressing solidarity and offering money and other forms of help, including education opportunities in France for displaced students.
Hurricane Katrina – the Response in Statistics
- More than 47,000 people have been rescued.
- 235,400 people have been evacuated and safely housed in 750 shelters nationwide.
- 7,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency responders are on the ground.
- 70,000 Active duty and National Guard personnel are on the ground or aboard ships supporting relief operations.
- They have provided nearly 21 million liters of clean water and have distributed almost 17 million Meals Ready to Eat.
- 12 Disaster Recover Centers are open in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and 85 National Disaster Medical System Teams are engaged in the Gulf Region.
- 32,000 trained relief workers have been sent from all 50 states.
- The Department of Labor has provided $191 million in National Emergency Grants to create 40,000 temporary jobs.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $170 million in assistance to agricultural producers affected by Katrina.
- The Department of Energy has released 30 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in October.
- The Port of Gulfport, Mississippi, is re-opened to vessel traffic.
- Work continues on the canals in New Orleans. The 17th Street Canal is sealed and the water pumps are working.
The storm threatened the lives and destroyed the property of rich and poor alike, but the plight of the less fortunate has been particularly stark. Americans are generous towards one another, as Americans are generous towards others in need around the world. We are seeing that generosity all around our country now.
We also deeply appreciate the international community’s response to this unprecedented natural disaster.