Grim find in hospital as airport set to reopen

NEW Orleans awaited the reopening of its airport and waterfront yesterday for the first time since Hurricane Katrina hit, as the coroner planned autopsies on at least 44 patients found dead at a flooded hospital.

The new acting director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pledged to intensify efforts to find more permanent housing for the tens of thousands of Katrina survivors now in shelters.

“We’re going to get people out of the shelters. We’re going to move on and get them the help they need,” R David Paulison said in his first comments since he was named to replace Michael Brown. Mr Brown resigned under fire over the US government’s response to the disaster.