| Having averted disaster from Hurricane | | | | free floating small tugs will do the job |
| Gustav, New Orleans and the southern Gulf | | | | easily," he said.Cleanup crews are working |
| coast are cleaning up from the category two | | | | around the clock to restore downed |
| storm that ripped across the Louisiana shore | | | | electricity lines and clear fallen trees from |
| on Monday. VOA's Barry Wood reports from New | | | | streets and roads. The city and region are |
| Orleans that while fewer than ten people died | | | | largely absent of residents. Police and |
| in the storm, more than one million people | | | | national guard are patrolling to assure |
| are still without power.Driver surveys damage | | | | against vandalism and looting.The people who |
| to Conoco gas station after Hurricane Gustav | | | | remained behind and rode out the storm say |
| hit HoustonThe nearly two million people who | | | | Gustav was minor compared to the devastation |
| fled their homes in advance of the storm are | | | | of Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of New |
| clamoring to come home. But Louisiana | | | | Orleans. Robert Stewart is one of only a few |
| Governor Bobby Jindal says it is still too | | | | people who refused to leave his home in the |
| dangerous and that the return will take place | | | | city's eighth ward (district). "I stayed all |
| in stages. Local and national officials are | | | | through the storm. It was mostly wind and |
| expressing relief at the relatively low level | | | | rain. I didn't realize that the fence (in |
| of damage. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says | | | | front of my house) had blew down until I |
| his city, which was devastated by Hurricane | | | | peeked outside the door and saw it. I heard a |
| Katrina three years ago, dodged a bullet with | | | | lot of noise and garbage cans blowing around |
| Gustav. The city's levees and flood walls | | | | but aside from that it was OK," he said.Also |
| have withstood the onrush of rising waters. | | | | spared destruction were the dozens of |
| Near New Orleans Industrial Canal, salvage | | | | off-shore oil rigs that produce up to 25 |
| expert Joel Dupre says it will take some time | | | | percent of all US oil production. World oil |
| to remove two vessels that broke free during | | | | prices fell sharply on Tuesday.The fast and |
| the hurricane and came ashore dangerously | | | | efficient cleanup effort has won praise for a |
| close to a major highway. "We should be able | | | | region that was overwhelmed by the sheer |
| to get them out in the next three to four | | | | scale of Katrina three years ago. The major |
| days. ..It depends on where they're aground | | | | challenge now is getting people back to their |
| and where they're beached. The one that is | | | | homes in a timely manner. |