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Wednesday

Bad Credit New Car Loan

Auto Loans : Top 5 Tips For The Best Rate
by Joseph Kenny


You've got your eye on that shiny new Lexus - okay, maybe it's a Kia, but it's perfect and you want it to be yours, all yours - as soon as possible. At the same time, you certainly don't want to be saddled with paying nearly double the car's value by the time you finish paying off the car loan. Here are five tips to help you get the best possible interest rate on an auto loan to put the car of your dreams in your driveway.

1. Check your credit rating.
If you don't already know what's in your credit report, this is a good time to find out. Before you apply for an auto loan, get a copy of your credit report to find out what surprises may be lurking in it. You may just find out that it contains erroneous information that should be corrected, or that there's something negative on it that can be either explained away or fixed easily with a couple of phone calls or letters. Either way, it always helps to know what the credit reporting agencies are saying about you before you start shopping around for a loan.

2. If you have good to excellent credit...
...then you may qualify for special incentive financing available through the car dealer. If the car dealer is offering a low, low finance rate, check all the terms and conditions carefully BEFOREHAND online to make sure that you qualify. Most often, that 1% financing rate is reserved for those who have excellent credit and can afford to do a 12 month financing plan. If that's you - then grab the deal. 1-2% financing is a bargain if you can handle the other terms and conditions attached.

3. If you need a longer term than 12 months or have spotty credit...
...arrange your financing yourself before setting foot on the car lot. Check with your usual bank for a new auto loan first, as they may have better interest rates for those who are already established customers, or who carry all their savings, checkings and loan accounts through one bank. It may save you a few percentage points in interest to do business with someone who already knows you.

4. Shop online for the best auto loan available.
At many online credit web sites, you can submit a request for multiple quotes from area finance agencies and lending firms. Simply submit your request for an auto loan quote through an online form, and the web site will submit it to up to four financing firms at once. A representative from each agency will contact you within a few hours to a day or two to discuss your request with you and give you a quote for an interest rate and monthly payment amount that they can offer you. Online shopping for credit makes it easy to compare and pick the best auto loan terms for you.

5. If your credit is bad but you need that car...
...one of your best and most often overlooked options is to find someone to cosign the loan for you. In most cases, when you have a cosigner, you'll get the interest rate that THEY qualify for, which means a lower monthly payment for you.


About the Author
Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the loan information sites http://www.selectloans.co.uk and also http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk.




Instant Car Loan - Get An Approval Online Quick
by Carrie Reeder


Your car loan is now less than an hour away from approval with an online car loan lender. You can have a check in hand to buy a car the next day once your online application is approved.

How It Works

Online car loan lenders work with several financing companies to offer car loans for all types of situations. Whether you have poor credit or a first time buyer, car loan lenders can find you financing.

The entire process just takes a matter of days to complete, but the application just takes minutes. The car loan application is completed online, which takes less than fifteen minutes to complete. You can expect an approval usually in less than an hour. Your car loan package will arrive as soon as the next day. You can complete the paperwork that day and buy your car.

Applying For A Car Loan Online

To apply for a car loan online, decide ahead of time the amount you are willing to spend on a car and the length of the loan. It is a good idea to apply for more than what you think you need, leaving you room add in sales tax and other fees.

Your online car loan application is a short form, requesting personal information, employment history, and mortgage payments if any. Once you complete the form, simply press the submit button. During regular business hours, you can expect a response within a few minutes. If approved, your check and paperwork will usually arrive the next day.

Buying A Car

With your check in hand, you can purchase your car. Your check allows you to buy your car from a dealership or an individual. You just enter the amount on the check and sign it over to them. You will also need to fill out some additional forms, which are including in the paperwork sent by your car loan lender.

With an online car loan, you are basically a pre-approved car buyer. You can shop anywhere and you have the money on hand, giving you added leverage in negotiations. Use this to your advantage when you sit down to make a deal regarding your car.



About the Author
Carrie Reeder is the owner of http://www.abcloanguide.com , an informational website about various types of loans. To view our list of recommended auto loan companies online, visit this page: http://www.abcloanguide.com/autoloans.shtml



Are You Buying a Car? Consider This Tip

by Dianne Goodman, CPA


Nothing upsets me more than when I see someone being taken advantage of because they didn’t understand finances and the salesman who takes advantage of them knows this. I have seen this with loan officers for financing of homes and car dealerships too many times. Unfortunately I find out about the deal after the client had already signed the papers or before they decide to contact their accountant for help. So I offer this information to you in hopes that you won’t make this same mistake. Here’s the story…..

Bob goes to Big3 Car Dealership and wants to buy a car. He picks out the car and then goes to the finance department to finalize the numbers. The finance department offers to save him 4 payments if he sets up a biweekly auto deduction from his checking account. This sounds like a pretty good idea to him since he does nothing and gets to reduce the total price paid for the car by 4 payments. But you will see in the finer details why this wasn’t such a good idea.

Here’s how it works. The biweekly payment comes out of your bank account biweekly and goes into an interest-free escrow account by a third-party payer. The third-party payer then writes a check once a month to the loan company. The fee that was paid to the third-party payer for this service out of these biweekly payments was $428.00. And if Bob realized what a bad deal this was and tried to cancel, he still had to pay the third-party payer the $428.00. The sad thing is that Bob’s bank couldn’t even tell him where the biweekly payments were going and the car loan company couldn’t tell him what the check number, bank account or name of the company paying his car loan was.

Now if the finance department wanted to truly help Bob they could have suggested to him that he could have biweekly payments made directly to the loan company from his bank and had the payments applied immediately to the car loan balance rather than have the third-party payer make the payments once per month. This would have allowed him to reduce his interest on the loan since the payments are applied when deducted from his checking account biweekly and received immediately thereby prepaying the loan. This would have eliminated the third-party payer and saved him the $428.00 he paid to them for their fee. If he had done this, he would have reduced his payments on the loan by much more than the 4 payments that he was saving going through the third-party payer.

Another way you can save if your loan company won’t apply the payment until its due is to set up a savings account with your bank. You can have the biweekly payments automatically withdrawn from your checking account and put into your savings account and then have the monthly payment automatically paid from your savings to the loan company. You reduce your payments by more than 4, you keep the $428.00 fee you would have paid to the third-party payer and you make the interest on the money when it is in your savings account.

The next time you finance your car and are asked if you want to do the biweekly payments to prepay your loan through a third-party payer, ask the finance department to help you set up the payments directly to the loan company or ask your bank to help you set up a savings account and have the payments made directly to the loan company from the savings account once per month. The fees for this should be minimal and very possibly free.

This is just one tip you should consider when buying a car. Go to http://www.dgoodmancpa.com/individuals.htm#FINANCEVEHICLE for more important tips when purchasing a vehicle. If you have a specific question about your particular situation, you can e-mail me at dianne@dgoodmancpa.com.

This article was intended to provide general information about buying a vehicle. It does not contain all the information needed to purchase a vehicle. If you have further questions, I can be reached at www.dgoodmancpa.com.

You have permission to reprint what you just read. Use it in your ezine, at your website or in your newsletter. The only requirement is to include the following footer...
Buying a Car? – Consider This Tip by Dianne Goodman, visit http://www.dgoodmancpa.com for more content like this.

About the Author

Dianne Goodman, CPA – Specializes in servicing Small Businesses and Individuals. Visit www.dgoodmancpa.com for relevant and current information on a variety of financial and tax issues focusing on small businesses and individuals or call at 1-888-851-1975.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Dianne Goodman, CPA
Comprehensive Small Business Solutions, PC
505 323-2307
1 888-851-1975 toll free
http://www.dgoodmancpa.com


Car Loans For People With Bad Credit
by Carrie Reeder


Car loans for people with bad credit are readily available online. After completing an online car loan application, you can expect an approval within a few minutes. By the next day, you can have check in hand to purchase your vehicle.

Car Loans With Bad Credit

If you have bad credit, then expect to pay higher interest rates for your car loan. Car loan interest rates are dependent on your credit score, not your entire credit history – unlike mortgage loans.

To lower your payments, consider extending the length of your loan. But remember, the longer the loan repayment plan, the more you will pay in overall interest.

Finding Car Loan Lenders

Online car loan lenders work with several financing partners in order to offer car loans regardless of your credit history. You just have to apply once, and they will sort through offers to find the best one for you.

Some online lenders just work through one financing company, but they will also offer car loans to people with bad credit. With both types of car loan lenders, you can request quotes to determine who offers the best financing rates and then make your decision.

Applying Online

Applying online just takes a matter of minutes to complete. You will need your personal information, employment history, and loan amount desired. A smart idea is to applying for a slightly higher amount than you expect to over any licensing fees or other costs.

After you submit your information over a secure server, your application is reviewed. During business hours, you can expect a reply in a matter of a few minutes through email or over the phone. At this point, you can decide if you want to proceed with the loan or not.

Buying Your Car

With an approved application, you will commonly receive your car loan package the next day. Your package will include a check, instructions, and a promissory note. Basically, you are a pre-approved car buyer and can start shopping for your car that day.

You can purchase your car either through a dealership or an individual. When the purchase price is settled, you enter the amount and seller’s name on the check. Once you have submitted the purchase information to your lender, you are done and can enjoy your new car.


About the Author
Carrie Reeder is the owner of http://www.abcloanguide.com , an informational website about various types of loans. To view our list of recommended auto loan companies online, visit this page: http://www.abcloanguide.com/autoloans.shtml




Bad Credit Loans For those who seek alternatives
for New or Old Car by James Marriott


You can still save money on a Bad Credit Loan by comparing rates, checking out multiple policies, and negotiating with lenders.

Getting a Bad Credit Loan doesn't have to be like basic training. Someone with bad credit will more than likely have a tough time buying a brand new car at an affordable rate. Lenders are not willing to take a greater risk on a high priced vehicle if your credit has some blemishes.

Find the car you are interested in and try to figure out approximate monthly payments.

It's a Serious Matter-Need to Resolve!
Yes, it is possible to dig your way out of debt if you know how to wield the shovel. Certainly, you are far from unique. Millions of people rely on credit to help them buy homes, cars, vacations and more. Inevitably, even the most conscientious can encounter job losses, medical emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances that make repayment difficult. Late payments or defaults will be noted on Bad Credit Loan reports that follow you for years, squeezing your standard of living; so, it's imperative to convince the world that you're a dependable, debt-paying customer.

Moreover, a negative Bad Credit Loan report can do more than impair your ability to get a loan or a line of credit--it can cost you your job.

You don't have to sit back and let your Bad Credit Loan report wreak havoc on your life. If you're straining against your credit lines, there are a few points that you, as a consumer should understand.

Be patient and don't expect miracles to happen. Once you've accrued debts, there's no simple way to make them disappear, no matter what you hear from companies that "guarantee" you relief from your obligations.

An Important Caveat

Take your time and do you research and even if you do have bad credit, you can save money. Don't jump into a deal you are not ready for. It's not worth it. Be prepared for the negotiations and everything will work out well for you and your car buying experience.

Here are some more tips on how to save money when buying a used car:
ַCheck out the car's repair record, maintenance costs, and safety and mileage ratings in consumer magazines or online. Look up the "blue book" value, and be prepared to negotiate the price.
ַBuying from a dealer? Look for the Buyers Guide. It's required by a federal regulation called the Used Car Rule.
ַMake sure all oral promises are written into the Buyers Guide.
ַYou have the right to see a copy of the dealer's warranty before you buy.
ַWarranties are included in the price of the product; service contracts cost extra and are sold separately.
ַAsk for the car's maintenance record from the owner, dealer, or repair shop.
ַTest-drive the car on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic.
ַHave the car inspected by a mechanic you hire.
ַCheck out the dealer with local consumer protection officials.
ַIf you buy a car "as is," you'll have to pay for anything that goes wrong after the sale.
ַThe Used Car Rule generally doesn't apply to private sales.

To Avail

There are three major credit bureaus most lenders rely on for Bad Credit Loan reports: EQUIFAX, EXPERIAN AND TRANS UNION. Upon request, each of these companies must tell you everything that's in your Bad Credit Loan report, along with the sources of information that they used. In addition, you must be given a list of everyone who has requested your Bad Credit Loan report within the past year (two years for job-related requests).

Each Bad Credit Loan report will include an "investigation request" form and instructions that you can use to question any items you believe to be in error. Once you submit this form, the credit bureau must investigate your claims and Bad Credit Loan report back within 30 days. If an inaccuracy has been found, it will be removed from the record. If the issue can't be resolved, you'll be allowed to prepare a short statement (up to 100 words) giving your side of the story, to be included in future Bad Credit Loan reports.

Communicate with your creditors once you've fallen behind. The procedures described above should help if your Bad Credit Loan report contains mistakes. If you've failed to make required payments on your debt, that information stays. Auto loan problems may require early warnings to creditors.

Cut your craving for credit completely. The less you charge, the smaller the chance you'll wind up overextended. "Now," says Harrison, "I have only one credit card, which I don't use--it's just for emergencies. If I want something, I pay with cash or with a debit card."


About the Author
James Marriott is a finance writer with more than 15 years of experience in writing financial content, including those related to credit cards, mortgages, stocks, investments, and funds.He is also a regular financial columnist with renowned business journals. For your comments on the article and further financial assistance, please contact our staff writer at info@rncos.com.



Auto Loan Options for People with Bad Credit
by Peter Lenkefi


Internet surfers with bad credit looking for an auto loan are bombarded with advertisements most days. Many of these ads are truthful in their bad credit auto loan options. However, there are many things to avoid, and this article will describe some of those.

Directly financed auto loans for people with good credit are a bit different than those with bad credit. People with bad credit are expected to pay more of a down payment as well as a higher interest rate on their auto loans. Many creditors won’t even extend an auto loan to those with bad credit. Depending on how bad someone’s credit is, auto loans can range from a 20 – 50% down payment requirement, interest rates from 5-26%, and amortization (the length of the loan) anywhere from 2-4 years.

This may sound like a lot of bad news for bad creditors looking for an auto loan. But with some good planning and foresight, these auto loans can actually help people with bad debts rebuild their credit history.

The worst situations in bad credit auto loans show up when car dealers artificially inflate the pricing or interest rates on their cars. Auto dealers who specialize in bad credit loans will take a car normally selling for $5,000, inflate the price to $8,000, take a $2,500 down payment and then finance the purchase at 24%. Now the bad creditor will be in debt to the auto loan company for an inflated price that isn’t indicative of the vehicle’s real value. A way to counteract these types of sneaky bad credit auto loan dealers is to check the value of the car you are looking at, first, and then only pay $200-500 extra then what’s listed. Only in exceptional circumstances would you ever pay more than this for a car.

Two different ways of selling a car have emerged recently with the new, Internet economy. The first is called the ‘dealer network system’. Auto purchasers can get a loan regardless of their bad credit history with this option. Essentially, a potential customer looks at a car on a website, and then answers some basic questions if interested in buying. This information is then passed along to a dealer specializing in bad credit auto loans. Since there are no fees involved, this can be a real boon for the bad creditor looking for a decent car loan. However, with this system, there is no way of researching the auto dealership you are about to do business with.

The other new option is called an application service. In this situation, a person with bad credit applies online for an auto loan, and the financial information is then sent to multiple lenders at the same time, with the hope that one or two will be willing to take the credit risk. If the system works, several dealerships with fight for the customer, using price and convenience as their selling points.


About the Author
For more more information about auto loan options please visit http://www.moneytipsdaily.com/Money-Tips/Financial-Advisor-Helps-People-Make-Money-Loaning-Themselves-Money.html

Hurricane Katrina Economic Impact

Hurricane Katrina's Impact Could Slow US Economy
By Greg Flakus

New Orleans inundated with water following Hurricane Katrina
As officials assess the damage from Hurricane Katrina in the central Gulf of Mexico coastline of the United States, economists are expressing concern the disaster could slow economic growth throughout the country. The southern Louisiana area, in particular, is an important center for oil and gas production as well as international grain shipping.

As Katrina approached the Gulf coast last week, oil and gas production companies shut down offshore platforms and moved people and equipment from many coastal sites as well. Now that the storm has passed, workers are having difficulty getting back into the affected areas to assess the damage.

Although not all offshore oil platforms were in the storm's direct path, companies shut down all but those farther west, on the Texas coastal area, as a precaution.

Bill Mintz, spokesman for the Houston-based Apache Corporation, says getting out over the water is difficult because normal airplane and helicopter services have been disrupted. Nonetheless, he says his company is working to restore operations as quickly as possible.

"At the present time, we are re-populating platforms in the area west of the storm track and we are starting to make damage assessments in the areas that were in the storm track and closer to the storm track," he said.

Mr. Mintz says even after workers can return to a closed down rig, they usually cannot get it back up and running right away.

"There are safety considerations and environmental considerations," he said. "It is not just a question of flying back out there and flipping a switch. There are procedures, there are things you need to do to get a field back in production, so it is going to take a while."


Frenzied oil trader at New York Mercantile Exchange yells during early trading, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005

Economists had been expecting a break in fuel prices as the summer holiday driving season comes to an end and demand slackens, but they now say prices are likely to move higher and stay high for at least several weeks. That could cut the economic growth rate by as much as three percent.

Dan Pickering, President of Houston's Pickering Energy Partners, says some big energy companies will see short-term gains from this disaster, but those directly affected by the storm may experience a setback.

"The financial impact for the producers is clearly a positive," he said. "We obviously have a run-up in both oil and gas prices. So, particularly for those companies that do not operate offshore, there is a nice windfall in higher commodity prices. In general, what it does, though, is put a strain on the whole energy infrastructure along the Gulf coast and that is going to take a number of weeks and, probably, months to recover from."

But Katrina's economic impact was not limited to energy production. Mr. Pickering says the closing of refineries in the area will have a big impact on transportation fuel costs.

"Gasoline prices are definitely headed higher," he said. "You have basically taken out about six percent of the U.S. refining capacity. There are about a million barrels a day in the New Orleans area that will probably be off for a couple of weeks from a combination of storm damage and power outages."

The Gulf of Mexico produces about two percent of the world's crude oil and accounts for about 25 percent of U.S.-produced crude. It is also a major production area for natural gas.

The closing of the port facilities in and around New Orleans will also have a negative impact on U.S. grain exports. Most of the grain from the American Midwest is transported down the Mississippi River to be loaded on ships for overseas delivery.

Spokesmen for large U.S. agricultural companies say it is still too early to assess how much impact the storm will have on their operations.

The port of southern Louisiana is considered the largest in the United States and fifth largest in the world, in terms of tonnage handled on a yearly basis.


US Hurricane Rescue Efforts Continue, Reports of Up to 80 Deaths
By VOA News

Bryan Vernon and Dorthy Bell are rescued from their rooftop after Hurricane Katrina hit, causing flooding in their New Orleans neighborhood

Authorities are continuing emergency rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour says the death toll could be as high as 80 in one Mississippi county alone.

The powerful storm cut a path of destruction through (the southern U.S. states of) Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, uprooting trees and destroying homes and buildings.

Rescuers used helicopters to pluck stranded residents from rooftops of houses submerged in flooding. The death toll is expected to rise.

Live power lines are down and gas lines ruptured, and authorities are warning residents not to return to their homes yet.

The storm came ashore early Monday and has cut power to more than one-million residents. Officials say it could be weeks before residents are allowed back into the area.

Forecasters say the storm is now centered in northern Mississippi, and moving northeast.


Rescuers Struggle to Save Hurricane Katrina Survivors
By VOA News

In this image provided by US Coast Guard, Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott D. Rady pulls a pregnant woman from her flooded apartment
Authorities are struggling to reach survivors and restore order along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coastline in the wake of devastating Hurricane Katrina.

The high winds and torrential rains from Monday's storm have left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, and thousands more in need of food and clean drinking water.

Some 80 percent of New Orleans remains flooded Wednesday, as engineers try to fix two key levees damaged in the storm. Authorities have told rescue teams to focus on saving survivors trapped on rooftops, and to bypass dead bodies seen floating in the water.

In drier areas, police are trying to contain widespread looting. The city's mayor says it may be months before evacuated residents can return.

In the state of Mississippi, Governor Haley Barbour said today that Katrina wiped out 90 percent of the buildings near the coast in the cities of Gulfport and Biloxi. Authorities say the unofficial death toll in the area is 110 and warn it is almost certain to go higher.

President Bush is cutting short his Texas vacation and will return to Washington today to oversee relief efforts.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.


World Oil Prices Hit New Record Highs
By VOA News

World oil prices soared to new record highs Tuesday as investors worried about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on oil production in the United States.

The price of a barrel of crude oil for future delivery went as high as $70.85 in New York trading.

The powerful hurricane tore through an area that produces about 25 percent of the crude oil used by the United States. It also shut down key refineries in the path of the storm.

Even before the hurricane, world oil prices were at high levels as strong demand from China, India, and the United States strained the ability of oil producers and refiners to get products to market.

Some information for this story provided by AFP and Reuters


President Cuts Short Vacation Due to Hurricane
By Paula Wolfson


President Bush will return to Washington D.C. Wednesday, ending his Texas ranch vacation to help oversee recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina.


Flood waters from Hurricane Katrina fill the streets near downtown New Orleans

The president will arrive back in Washington on Wednesday, two days ahead of schedule, to oversee recovery operations in the southern Gulf coast states hard hit by the hurricane.

He says America's prayers are with the victims.

"These are trying times for people in these communities," said Mr. Bush. "We know that many are anxious to return to their homes. It is not possible at this moment."

Mr. Bush says the priority now is on saving lives, noting search and rescue operations are underway. He says recovery teams and equipment are in place and they are moving in to help the victims.


George W. Bush
"The federal, state and local governments are working side by side to do all we can to help people get back on their feet and we have got a lot of work to do," added Mr. Bush.

The president made the comments in a speech to a military audience in San Diego, California. He had planned to return to his Texas ranch after the address for a few more days of vacation. Instead, a spokesman said he would go back to the ranch for one night, and then return to Washington.


US Business Publisher Predicts Huge Drop in Oil Prices
By VOA News

Steve Forbes
The publisher of a major U.S. business magazine is predicting oil prices will drop sharply in the next 12 months.

Steve Forbes says inflation and pure speculation has contributed to the current spike in oil prices, which he describes as "a huge bubble" that will eventually pop. Mr. Forbes says he thinks oil will return to a price of $35 to $40 a barrel.

The billionaire publisher of Forbes Magazine made his comments Tuesday in Sydney, Australia, one day after oil prices briefly hit a record $70.80 cents over concerns of the effect Hurricane Katrina was having on oil refineries based in the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Some information provided by AP and AFP.


New Orleans Inundated as Levees Break After Hurricane; Water Still Rising As much as 80 percent of New Orleans was under water after Hurricane Katrina's rampage over the Gulf Coast killed as many as 100 people and caused $25 billion in damage in three states.

Bush Will Seek Emergency Spending to Assist Victims of Hurricane Katrina President George W. Bush, after getting a bird's-eye view of Hurricane Katrina's destruction, plans to ask Congress for emergency relief and recovery funds, his spokesman said today.

Bush Administration to Draw on Oil Reserves After Katrina Cripples Output The U.S. will tap its emergency oil reserve after Hurricane Katrina shut down rigs and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, disrupting gasoline supplies and leading to record crude prices.

Gasoline Rises to Record as Gulf Refinery Closings Lead to Fuel Rationing Gasoline futures rose as much as 13 percent, the biggest fluctuation of any commodity today, after Hurricane Katrina shut oil refineries near the Gulf of Mexico, raising prospects for $3 a gallon at the pump across the U.S.

Economy Is Strong Enough to Withstand Oil Surge, Hurricane, Santomero Says The Federal Reserve can continue raising U.S. interest rates at a ``measured'' pace because the economy will withstand the effects of Hurricane Katrina, rising fuel costs and a slowdown in home prices, said Anthony Santomero, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

http://www.bloomberg.com/

Katrina's cost to insurers is estimated at $15 billion, but the total may rise to match or pass the $21 billion price tag attributed to Hurricane Andrew. Robert Hartwig of the Insurance Information Institute tells Renee Montagne how the costs are assessed.


Gas Futures Soar in Katrina's Wake

As fears of lasting storm damage to Gulf Coast refineries send the price of gasoline futures soaring, prices at the pump creep higher, too. Oil companies continue to assess damage.



Hurricane Katrina

* From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.



Hurricane Katrina was a major tropical cyclone that caused significant damage in the southeastern part of the United States and became one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit the United States.

Areas affected (so far) include southern Florida, Louisiana (especially the Greater New Orleans area), southern and central Mississippi, southern Alabama, the western Florida Panhandle, western Georgia and the Tennessee Valley region. So far there have been at least 157 deaths, a number which will rise as casualty reports come in from areas that are currently inaccessible. Two levees in New Orleans gave way, and eighty percent of the city is now under water, which in some places is twenty-five feet deep [2].

Disaster relief plans are in operation in the affected communities. Some experts predict one million people could become homeless as a result of the storm [3]. Currently five million people are without power in the Gulf Coast, and it may be two months before all power is restored [4].
Katrina is the deadliest hurricane in the United States of America since at least
Hurricane Camille in 1969, which killed 256 people.

It is also estimated to be the costliest natural disaster in United States history. Katrina is the eleventh named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Its minimum central pressure of 918 mb (27.108 inches Hg) at the time of its Louisiana landfall makes it the third most intense system to strike the United States in recorded history. The remnant of Katrina still remains as a powerful storm system as it moves northward across the eastern United States.

Katrina (at that time designated as "Tropical Depression Twelve") formed over the Bahamas on August 24, 2005 and first made landfall near North Miami, Florida, United States, as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing major flooding, loss of power to more than one million residents, and eleven deaths. An eye-restructuring event weakened it to a tropical storm as it moved offshore. However, the system regained strength much more quickly than anticipated in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a Category 5 hurricane and reaching a central pressure of 902 mb (26.63 inHg), the fourth most intense storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin, with maximum sustained windspeeds of 175 mph and wind gusts over 200 mph.

The system turned northward and weakened slightly just before making its second landfall on August 29, 2005, near Grand Isle, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph. This was quickly followed by a third landfall south of Buras-Triumph, Louisiana at approximately 6:10 a.m. CDT (1110 UTC), with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. A final landfall was made at the Louisiana-Mississippi border at 10 a.m. CDT (1500 UTC).


Links
Katrina:
New Orleans under Martial Law; total evacuation planned
Louisiana locked down; New Orleans now a "toxic soup"
At least 55 killed by Hurricane Katrina; serious flooding across affected region
Hurricane Katrina causes upwards of $12bn of damage; oil prices surge
Mandatory evacuation declared in New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina strikes Florida, kills seven
Tropical Storm Katrina threatens Florida, Bahamas

Total evacuation of New Orleans planned
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Hurricanes - 2005
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Louisiana locked down; New Orleans could become a "toxic soup"
Total evacuation of New Orleans planned
At least 55 killed by Hurricane Katrina; serious flooding across affected region
Hurricane Katrina causes upwards of $12bn of damage; oil prices surge
Mandatory evacuation declared in New Orleans, US
Hurricane Katrina strikes Florida, kills seven
List of hurricanes in 2005
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Emily
Hurricane Katrina as of August 26, 2005

External/Inter-wiki links
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
2005 Pacific hurricane season
List of notable tropical cyclones
Wikipedia's entry on Hurricanes
Wikitionary's definition of a hurricane



A state of emergency has been enacted in New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana today, after the devastating Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Monday. There were earlier erroneous reports by the news media that martial law had been imposed.

Looters are roaming the city and have already ransacked the city's upscale shopping district on Canal Street. They have been seen on news reports carrying huge bags of stolen goods. Governor Kathleen Blanco announced plans to completely shut down New Orleans and move everybody left there out of the area.


Louisiana locked down; New Orleans could become a "toxic soup

Ivor van Heerden, Deputy Director of the Louisiana State University Hurricane Center and director of the Center for the Study of Public Health Impacts of Hurricanes, is warning that floodwaters resulting from Hurricane Katrina could carry toxic waste from the "Industrial Canal" area in New Orleans - the site of many chemical plants. Van Heerden has, for four years, studied computer models about the impact of a powerful hurricane.

"These chemical plants [could] start flying apart, just as the other buildings do, so we have the potential for release of benzene, hydrochloric acid, chlorine and so on." said van Heerden; "we're looking at a bowl full of highly contaminated water with contaminated air flowing around and, literally, very few places for anybody to go where they'll be safe."

Van Heerden itemized problems people returning to the city would find: "no sewage, no drinking water, contamination, threat of rapid increase in mosquitoes, roads are impassible, downed power lines everywhere, trees, debris from houses in the roads, no way to go shopping, no gas." The water has also released fire ants and thousands of snakes, many being venomous, from their normal habitats.

"If you came back, you would be coming literally to a wilderness," van Heeden said. "Stay where you are, be comfortable; nothing's going to change. If your house is gone, it's gone. If you come back in a day or a week, it's not going to make any difference."

CNN is reporting "huge police roadblocks" leading into New Orleans and that their news truck was not allowed to enter the city. The CNN correspondent said the other side of the roadblock looked like "a scene out of hell".
Hurricane Katrina causes upwards of $12bn of damage; oil prices surge

Hurricane Katrina is now over the U.S. mainland and has caused more than US$12 billion of damage. Some estimates are as high as $30 billion.
New Orleans was spared the most intense winds as the hurricane weakened as it made landfall, and its track turned slightly east, away from the city. However, the area was still subjected to sustained winds of more than 100mph, and rainfall as heavy as six inches per hour.

Future prices of crude oil rose above $70/barrel in the U.S. on Monday in the wake of Katrina’s surge through oil and refinery processing facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm forced operators to shut down an estimated 1 million barrels of daily refining capacity in the region that accounts for nearly a quarter of total domestic production.

A U.S. spokesman for the Bush administration said the government will consider releasing crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve if requested by refiners. OPEC has pledged to blunt the impact by increasing production to compensate.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters that Michael Brown, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), briefed Mr. Bush before he left his Texas ranch for Arizona where he will deliver a speech on Medicare. Brown said it would take time before an assessment is possible for when refineries could resume activity.

President Bush authorized loans from the strategic reserve to help make up for missing supplies when Hurricane Ivan struck in 2004.

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