The official in charge of the emergency response to Hurricane Katrina has blamed a pre-occupation with terrorism for the US government's slow initial response to the disaster.
Micheal Brown, the former head of the Federal disaster agency, FEMA, told senators in Washington that his pleas for more money to prepare for natural disasters were not listened to.
He says US President George W Bush was warned about the flooding of New Orleans earlier than the White House had admitted.
Meanwhile, US homeland security officials have criticised Mr Brown for failing to give sufficient warning that floodwater had entered New Orleans.
