by Kevin Caruso

October 10, 2005

Of the 1,021 confirmed deaths in Louisiana, only about 200 bodies have been identified; and the remains of only 93 have been released to the families.

The identification process has been slowed because many of the bodies were found weeks after death, so significant decomposition had occurred. “The condition in which we're finding our individuals essentially eliminates any chance of a visual identification,” said Louis Cataldie, director of Louisiana’s emergency medical response.

So six weeks after Katrina made landfall, hundreds of families still await information about their loved ones.

“My heart goes out to the folks,” Cataldie said.