Katrina: Bush accepts blame

14 Sep 2005, 12:00 am
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Flooded streets in New Orleans Louisiana. (pic: AAP)

Flooded streets in New Orleans Louisiana. (pic: AAP)

US President George W Bush has for the first time taken responsibility for the widely-criticised federal response to the disaster that followed Hurricane Katrina that devastated the US Gulf Coast.

US President George W Bush has for the first time taken responsibility for the widely-criticised federal response to the disaster that followed Hurricane Katrina that devastated the US Gulf Coast.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government. And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility," said Mr Bush.

The US president is facing his worst-ever showing in opinion polls and growing scepticism about his crisis management skills.

Mr Bush was to give what aides called a major speech to the nation from battered Louisiana on Thursday to address charges he mishandled Katrina.

He will lay out his administration's role in the recovery operation as well as the longer-term efforts to rebuild after the hurricane left New Orleans flooded and flattened other parts of Louisiana.

The speech will also encompass the areas of Alabama and
Mississippi, said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

In a joint public appearance with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Mr Bush said he is worried about what Katrina reveals about the US ability to respond to another natural disaster or a terrorist attack.

"I want to know what went right and what went wrong. I want to know how to better cooperate with state and local government, to be able to answer that very question that you asked: Are we capable of dealing with a severe attack or another severe storm?" he said.

Mr Bush's comments come after fierce attacks described his administration's response as sluggish and inept, as well as criticisms of his personal leadership after the massive storm ravaged the US Gulf Coast.

Mr Bush built his successful re-election campaign last year on promises that he was better suited to keep Americans safe from catastrophes, such as another attack like the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes.

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco angrily accused the federal government of not moving fast enough to recover bodies of Hurricane Katrina's victims, and said the state would hire the private contractor doing the work to keep the job going.

"No one, it seems, even those at the highest level, seems to be able to break through the bureaucracy ... I'm angry and outraged by this situation," Governor Blanco said as she met with Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu and other statewide elected officials.

Governor Blanco's comments are the latest round of finger-pointing among local, state and federal officials as hurricane victims complain about the slow pace of relief efforts.

Search teams ignored the dead in the days after the hurricane to concentrate on finding survivors.

Now the focus of the recovery has switched to those killed, many of whom may never be identified.

Meanwhile, the owners of a nursing home where 34 people were found dead have been arrested and charged with 34 counts of negligent homicide for not evacuating their patients.

The Louisiana attorney general's office said Mable Mangano and Salvador Mangano Sr declined an offer from authorities of buses to evacuate the residents of their facility.

Flood waters are now receding swiftly in New Orleans, revealing a landscape of ruined homes, wrecked cars and thick foul-smelling sludge.

Military experts had estimated it would take up to three months to drain the city, but now say it should be dry by early October.

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