Red Cross warns against fake Katrina websites

The New Zealand Red Cross (NZRC) is alerting the public to the presence of fake websites which siphon off donations to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Acting director general Graham Wrigley said fraudsters were sending emails that linked to bogus American Red Cross websites.

The emails strongly resemble the American Red Cross website donation page, but donation information is sent to a completely unrelated third party.

So far, the public has donated nearly $40,000 to NZRC to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Meanwhile, officials in New Orleans have said perhaps 10,000 people remain in the below-sea level city.

With a national recovery effort that may cost taxpayers US$150 billion ($215.7 billion) and a death toll that may rise into the thousands, there was unrelenting criticism of the US government's response to the disaster.

President George W Bush ordered more tours of the region by top aides, including Vice President Dick Cheney, who was due on Thursday in hard-hit Mississippi as well as New Orleans.

It emerged a Canadian search-and-rescue team had made it to the flooded New Orleans suburb of St Bernard Parish five days before the US military, Louisiana state Senator Walter Boasso said.

"We've got Canadian flags flying everywhere," he said.

Bush's response to the crisis was rated "bad" or "terrible" by 42 per cent of Americans surveyed for a CNN/USA Today Gallup poll released on Wednesday, compared with 35 per cent who said it was "good" or "great."

Health officials said three people in the region had died from bacterial infections -- one of them an evacuee from Louisiana who died in Texas. They said tests had confirmed the floodwater in New Orleans was a witch's brew of sewage-borne bacteria.

* New Zealanders can donate by calling 0900 31 100 to make a $20 donation, or by visiting www.redcross.org.nz (link below).

- NZPA, REUTERS