US President, George W Bush, has said he is sending an additional 7,000 soldiers to the Gulf Coast regions devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
In a speech in Washington, Mr Bush acknowledged that the initial relief effort was unacceptable, but that the priority was now to restore and maintain law and order and assist in recovery and evacuation efforts.
Mr Bush toured the region yesterday, four days after the catastrophe. He plans to return to the disaster-hit region on Monday.
There has been growing criticism, particularly among black leaders, of the slow response of the US administration to Hurricane Katrina.
Some black congressional leaders have said the black and poor populations of Louisiana have suffered unduly because of the slow response from Washington.
Fear and bitterness have been the dominant emotions in New Orleans after nearly a week of deprivation.
Aid operations have begun to ease the plight of the tens of thousands of flood victims still stranded in the city, while rescue services are attempting to restore law and order in the area after the recent violence and looting.
Meanwhile, three luxury cruise liners are to serve as temporary housing for victims of the hurricane for the next six months. Two will be based in Galveston, Texas and the other will be docked in Mobile, Alabama.
A $10.5 billion relief package has been promised for Gulf Coast areas hit by Katrina, with lawmakers planning to allocate more money in the coming weeks.
The Pentagon is also to send an additional 10,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana and Mississippi in the coming days. This brings the total number of military personnel in the region to 54,000.
More than 200,000 people left homeless by the hurricane have now been moved to Texas. Several other states are also taking in refugees.
The United States Senate will open an investigation next week into the federal response to the disaster.
