Dismal reading on Katrina economics

UK Independent on the toxicity of New Orleans flood waters... The Standard & Poor's site, whence you can navigate to the company's extensive Katrina page... and three stories via BizNewOrleans:... The Fitch Ratings Katrina page... Swiss Re now estimating total insurance industry losses of $40 billion and its own claims at $1.2 billion... A rush to rent apartments for corporate employees transplanted to Houston... Also: the BBC on real estate boom times in Baton Rouge.