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Katrina takes heavy toll

Conditions in New Orleans will force authorities to evacuate thousands of people at city shelters, including the Louisiana Superdome, where police said unrest was escalating. Officials could not provide accurate estimates for fatalities or time needed for recovery in the area and are focusing on widespread search-and-rescue operations.

Police expressed concern that the situation could worsen overnight after three shootings, looting and a number of attempted carjackings during the afternoon. The death toll from the storm so far is estimated at 70 - mostly in Mississippi. Officials stressed that the number is uncertain and likely to be much higher.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said in one interview regarding rescue efforts in his city, which at one point was estimated to be 80% under water, "There are dead bodies floating in some of the water, and the rescuers would basically push them aside as they were trying to save individuals."