HOUSTON - The storm surges from hurricanes Katrina and Rita submerged 100 square miles of southeastern Louisiana marshes, according to satellite data compiled by US scientists.
The US Geological Survey, which conducted the study, said it could not yet determine how much of the marsh land would re-emerge from the flooding.
"Indications are that much of the loss may be permanent. Some of the new areas of open water will likely become new lakes," the USGS said in a statement this week.
Katrina, which struck the coast Aug. 29, brought a storm surge of more than 30 feet to some areas, turning 39 square miles of marsh on Breton Sound east of New Orleans into open water.
Another 47 square miles of marsh were lost in nearby parishes, while 14 square miles of the Mississippi Delta basin were sunk.
More than 1,200 people were killed by the storm, and tens of thousands of coastal residents in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama remain displaced from their homes.
Three weeks later, Hurricane Rita hit the western part of the state, but its wide storm surge further damaged the marshes in the southeastern part of the state.
Rita's worst toll was to the marshes along the western Louisiana coastline, and the USGS' National Wetlands Research Center was studying satellite imagery to try to quantify the amount lost there.
The satellite analysis of southeastern Louisiana was conducted by comparing images of the area from Nov. 11, 2004, with images collected in September and October.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
