Elderly bore brunt of Katrina fallout

A majority of people killed by Hurricane Katrina were older residents unable or unwilling to evacuate in the rising floodwaters, according to a study of almost half the bodies recovered in Louisiana.

About 60 per cent of the nearly 500 victims identified so far were aged 61 or older, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reported. More than 215 bodies out of 1048 recovered statewide were found in or around hospitals and nursing homes.

Large numbers were in neighbourhoods devastated by water rising from levee breaks. People also died in affluent areas where residents had means to evacuate. Between 21 and 30 bodies were found in Lakeview, while a ZIP code that includes parts of Uptown that didn't flood had between 11 and 20 bodies.

Forty-two per cent of the identified victims were black, 37 per cent white and 3 per cent Hispanic. The remaining 18 per cent weren't identified by race or ethnicity.