Hurricane Katrina.

Pictures courtesy of the BBC and NASA.

In the devastating wake of one of the fiercest storms to hit the US, scientists are warning of the urgency to formulate more effective emergency strategies to cope with predicted more frequent and severe storms due to global warming.

The total evacution of New Orleans and the surrounding afected areas has been ordered and is under way.

New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin has declared Martial Law in the city amid more intense looting and other crimes. He has instructed the police to do 'whatever it takes' to regain order.

Today, officials fear that the death toll could be in the thousands with already over a 100 deaths confirmed in Mississippi County alone.

80% of New Orleans is under water (see pictures courtesy of NASA above) and major efforts to repair the damaged levees are being carried out.

President George W Bush returned to Washington yesterday to co-ordinate the disaster strategies and addressed the country saying "we are dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history...", " ...this recovery will take years...", and to the victims he said " the country stands with you, we'll do all in our power to help you..."

President Bush has also asked that people give much needed cash to charities of thier choice but to indicate when giving that the money is for hurricane relief.

The almost total destruction of the area and infrastructure will take years and billions of dollars to repair, and the human cost will be high, but, hopefully lessons will be learned from this natural tradgedy and any future impact of such storms will be markedly less severe on damage and loss of life.