Hurricane claims first political casualty

Michael Brown, director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, is being removed from his role managing relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and is returning to Washington.

Brown, who has been under fire for the Bush administration’s slow response to the hurricane, will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm Thad Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief and rescue efforts. The scope of Brown’s new assignment was not immediately known.