By The Numbers: FEMA Recovery Update In Louisiana 

With an estimated 90,000 square miles impacted and 400,000 individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina, the storm is the single largest natural disaster in FEMA's 26-year history.

Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Louisiana. DRC's are one-stop information centers where victims can learn more about different types of state and federal disaster assistance, including loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and business owners.

States and the District of Columbia received Presidential emergency declarations after Hurricane Katrina. This total is the most declarations made for a single disaster in FEMA history.

FEMA has leased 2,772 units in cruise ships.

There are 2,997 federal housing units occupied. This consists of HUD- and USDA-approved housing.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved 5,046 businesses for disaster assistance loans. Total: $412.1 million.

For homeowners, renters and business owners, the SBA has approved a total of 29,800 disaster loans, totaling over $2.1 billion in Louisiana.

Approximately 33,703 travel trailers and manufactured housing units are temporary homes for hurricane victims. Louisiana has a significant number of such housing among impacted Gulf Coast states. In all, more than 62,800 units are temporary homes for Katrina victims – nearly triple the number of units used after all of last year’s Florida hurricanes and far exceeding any housing mission in FEMA’s history.

LA Swift, the free emergency bus system between Baton Rouge and New Orleans for displaced residents, has served 38,772 passengers in seven daily round trips.

FEMA’s Disaster Medical Assistance Teams worked around the clock at the New Orleans airport during the peak of patient movement operations, treating 49,000 patients. The team gave 65,000 immunizations and provided crisis counseling to 5,800 individuals, among other medical services.

There are more than 81,000 damaged roofs that have been temporarily covered under FEMA’s “Blue Roof” program, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The program allows families to remain in their homes as they rebuild.

More than 108,000 claimants have been approved for disaster unemployment assistance.

In Louisiana, 256,735 checks were issued for Other Needs Assistance. The program provides assistance for serious, disaster-related needs to impacted individuals.

FEMA has completed over 1 millionhousing inspections. The inspection process includes a complete overview for structural damage. The inspector will look at the foundation, roof, flooring, drywall and ceiling. Heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems are also reviewed. The inspector will record all disaster-related damages, and a survey of damaged personal property, clothing and vehicles may also be conducted.

FEMA has issued 1.4 million housing assistance checks, totaling: $3.2 billion.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has removed 32 million cubic yards of debris. FEMA has reimbursed the state at 100 percent for this expense and will continue to do so through June 30.

FEMA has obligated $130 million in unemployment assistance for eligible hurricane victims in Louisiana who signed up during the application period.

FEMA has paid or reimbursed more than $325 million for hotel and motel rooms for those without housing.

FEMA has approved $558 million in Community Disaster Loans in Louisiana to help keep essential services online in the hardest hit communities, including a $120-million loan to the City of New Orleans.

$1 billion has been approved to individuals for Other Needs Assistance.

More than $1.2 billion in federal dollars has been allocated for Public Assistance projects, such as debris removal and emergency services in Louisiana, equaling the amount allocated for PA grants in Florida in the eight months following the 2004 Hurricane Season.

The SBA has approved more than $2.1 billion in disaster assistance loans to business owners, homeowners and renters in Louisiana.

FEMA has paid out $3.2 billion in housing assistance.

FEMA has provided more than $4.5 billion directly to Katrina victims for financial and housing assistance through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP). This is more than the $1.2 billion used for IHP after last year’s Florida hurricanes. This amount is the most ever provided to victims by FEMA for any single natural disaster, nearly doubling the combined total of IHP dollars for the Northridge Earthquake in 1994 and 1992’s Hurricane Andrew.

FEMA projects a $7.7 billion payout for the individuals and households program.

FEMA projects $17 billion in payments under the National Flood Insurance Program to policyholders in Louisiana. To date, over $11 billion has been paid out in Louisiana.