Tuesday, September 6 2005 10:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Under fire for his administration's delayed response in sending relief supplies and dispatching troops to areas stricken by Hurricane Katrina, President George W Bush yesterday (Sept 5, 2005) visited the affected areas for the second time and said the Government was 'doing the best it can.'

Bush lauded the volunteers and churches who have been working to take care of storm refugees. "The response of the country has been amazing all levels of the government are doing the best they can and so long as any life is in danger, we've got work to do," he told reporters after visiting a shelter in Baton Rouge in Louisiana.

"Where it's not going right, we're going to make it right," he told a gathering.

Bush, on his second visit in four days to devastated areas of the US Gulf Coast, also visited a prayer centre in Louisiana. Absent from his schedule was a stop in the flooded city of New Orleans which has now been mostly evacuated. Bush visited the city on Friday.

The official death toll in Louisiana stood at 59 but the state Government said that was just the current known dead and the number would perhaps increase to thousands. Over a 100 deaths have been confirmed in Mississippi.

"I think it's evident it's in thousands," Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said.

The Red Cross said 75,000 names were on its 'family links registry' for disaster victims and their relatives.

Also, thousands of New Orleans residents who fled the Hurricane returned for the first time to see what was left of their homes.

The Superintendent of the New Orleans police department Eddie Compass warned people remaining in the city to leave. "Our officers are basically telling people there is absolutely no reason to stay here, we advise people that this city has been destroyed."

The complete evacuation of the city was necessary, officials said and cited the dangers of disease caused by rotting bodies and polluted waters.

The search for storm victims continued as rescuers in boats, helicopters and military vehicles went from house to house looking for people still stranded.

Fewer than 10,000 people remain in the city of New Orleans, an Army estimate based on aerial reconnaissance said.

Thousands of regular troops and National Guards were on the streets to quell further outbreaks of looting and violence in Louisiana City.

At two of New Orleans' damaged levees, engineers continued making repairs that would allow pumps to begin draining the floodwaters.

Bush has ordered the US flag to be flown at half-mast till September 20 as a mark of respect for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The order, issued yesterday, applies to wherever the US flag is flown officially, including the White House and all public buildings and grounds, all military posts and naval stations, and all naval vessels throughout the United States until sunset on September 20.