1:19 P.M. - (AP) Mayor Ray Nagin says at least hundreds of people are dead -- maybe thousands -- in New Orleans.
1:12 P.M. - WWL-TV's Josh McElveen describes the stench coming from the bathrooms in the Superdome as horrific.
1:03 P.M. - Mayor Nagin: Medical ship on the way to New Orleans.
12:56 P.M. - Governor Blanco - Time is not on our side for stopping the levee break. There were two breaches, when we thought there was only one. Communicatiion, or lack of same caused the problem.
12:55 P.M. - MIAMI (AP) -- Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines says it is considering a federal request that the company use some of its cruise ships as emergency shelters or help in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in some other way.
12:53 P.M. - Governor Blanco - thousands still need to be rescued.
12:52 P.M. - Governor Blanco: We will rebuild.
12:51 P.M. - Governor Blanco: The magnitude of this is overwhelming.
12:15 P.M. - Army Corps: 1,200 sandbags that are 20,000 pounds each are being brought in to bridge gap...water level is no longer rising.
12:11 P.M. - Army Corps: Water has become level with the Lake in the city so no more water should flow into the city, except at high tide.
12:10 P.M. - Engineers and construction experts are at the 17th Street Canal. They've filled 100, 3,000 pound sandbags and are trying to drop the bags and concrete barriers into the area.
11:49 A.M. - (AP) AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas is opening its doors to hurricane refugees from neighboring Louisiana.
Texas Governor Rick Perry says he expects evacuees to start arriving within the next 24 hours at the Houston Astrodome. He says Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco asked him this morning if the Astrodome could house the 23-thousand people currently being sheltered at the Superdome in Louisiana, and he quickly agreed. He says even before the request, Texas officials had been talking about using the Astrodome as a long-term shelter for people already stranded in Texas because of the storm.
Perry says the hurricane survivors are welcome in Texas for "as long as they want to stay." Children who are sheltered at the Astrodome will be able to attend public schools in Houston. Perry says the Astrodome schedule has been cleared through December.
11:46 A.M. - WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal emergency officials are looking for two-thousand Homeland Security Department workers to volunteer for hurricane relief efforts. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has told Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff a-thousand people are needed within 48 hours and two-thousand within a week.
11:40 - (AP) Roving bands of looters are breaking into stores in Carrollton area to get food and supplies. They've also stolen guns and armed themselves.
11:33 A.M. - Director Walter Maestri: We have no food or water for the evacuees. Says emergency workers have seized the food and water and drinks from Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and other groceries for evacuees, but he said that is all gone. Says water supply is gone. More water expected, but its not there right now. Says evacuees are getting upset and harried.
11:32 A.M. - Director Walter Maestri: FEMA and national agencies not delivering the help nearly as fast as it is needed.
11:30 A.M. - Emergency Operations Director Walter Maestri: Evacuees from New Orleans and the east bank of Jefferson are flocking to the west bank, overwhelming the facilities.
10:58 A.M. - (AP) The New Orleans International Airport has reopened to allow humanitarian flights in and out, officials said Wednesday.
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