[StBernard] List of Missing Residents Down to 47, and More...

[Westley Annis]

List of Missing Residents Down to 47, and More... 

December 17 , 2005

By: Steve Cannizaro


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List of missing residents down to 47; sheriff prepares to search marsh


St. Bernard officials said a list of 200 residents allegedly missing since
Hurricane Katrina has been reduced to 47 names through investigations and
efforts are continuing to search their homes, and if they aren't found, to
try to locate them through other means.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Jack Stephens' department is preparing to begin searching
through rubble and debris in the vast marshes of the parish to determine if
any bodies swept there by flood waters from Hurricane Katrina.

More than 120 residents of the parish died in the storm. The death toll had
been at 127 since last week but on Friday it was reported that two Violet
men who died may have erroneously been listed by the state as being
residents of Orleans Parish, which would raise St. Bernard's toll to 129. 
But there wasn't any official verification of that on Friday.

Don Banks, who with Megan Griffiths operates Global Disaster Management
which has been in charge of body recovery in St. Bernard since immediately
after the hurricane, said Friday he believes there likely are other bodies
in the marsh.

But Banks said a list of 200 people allegedly missing has been reduced to 47
through investigations, saying military personnel have been re-checking all
homes where friends or relatives said people are still missing.

The bodies of several people on the list were fond in their residences,
including a 72-year-old Chalmette man found dead in his attic on Dauterive
Drive in Chalmette more than a week ago.

However, Banks said the 200 names came from "an old list'' and
investigations found many of them to be fine. Banks said he as "personally
spoken to 65-70 people on the list'' after finding them through records of
credit card use and information from others.

He said searchers continue to follow-up on calls about missing people,
adding he keeps receiving the names of others allegedly missing.

Banks can be reached at 1-727-687-7289.

Sheriff's officials said hey will start searching the marsh area next week,
using airboats to get a closer look. Deputies have been flying over the
marsh areas or weeks, preparing grids and noting debris.

Sheriff's personnel will be brought to do ground searches, Stephens said.