EXPLOSIONS ROCK CITY
A series of massive explosions have rocked New Orleans riverfront, according to reports.
At about 4.35am local time the huge blasts jolted residents awake. The extent of any possible damage, or the cause of the blasts, were not immediately known.
An initial explosion sent flames of red and orange shooting into the pre-dawn sky. A series of smaller blasts followed, and then acrid, black smoke could be seen.
The vibrations were felt all the way downtown. The explosions appeared to originate close to the east bank of the Mississippi River, near a residential area and rail tracks. At least two police boats were at the scene.
The blasts came on the day President George Bush is to visit the devastated city.
President Bush will inspect the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina as anarchy reigns in New Orleans and survivors stuggle to fight dehydration, starvation and armed looters.
Mr Bush wants to see for himself the extent of the destruction across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Anger is mounting at the President because of the lack of aid and the amount of time it is taking to evacuate the stranded.
Conditions in the city are deteriorating with possibly thousands of bodies rotting in the floodwaters, which in some areas are 20ft deep.
Those on dry ground - mostly raised roadways and rooftops - have had no food or water for days and there are reports of many dying.
Millions of people are without power and hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. Some 80% of New Orleans is under water.
Looting is continuing across the region and there have been many violent scenes. Armed carjackers have attacked trucks carrying aid and medical supplies.
The head of the city's emergency services said the federal response so far had been a "national disgrace".
And New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a "desperate SOS" plea for help.
Doctors at two crippled hospitals even called an international news agency pleading to be rescued.
They said they were nearly out of food and power and had been forced to move patients to higher floors to escape looters.
"Please help us," said Dr Norman McSwain, chief of trauma surgery at Charity hospital, one of two public hospitals.
He said patients at Charity and nearby University hospital, desperately needed to be evacuated.
Dr McSwain pointed out that nearly all the patients from a nearby private hospital had already been moved to a safer location.
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