The news from the US Gulf Coast is not good. Martial law reported (but not confirmed) and 80 percent of New Orleans is flooded. The main artery across Lake Pontchartrain has collapsed. Hundreds dead is the estimate from Biloxi. Parts of Alabama Mississippi and Louisiana declared "major disaster" areas.

At least one underwriter has stopped offering business interruption insurance. The cost of the hurricane may exceed Andrew, currently our most expensive hurricane (> $36 billion, 2005 dollars); it may also price future insurance premiums out of reach. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) : "This is going to be the most expensive natural disaster that's hit the United States in history." Emergency legislation is expected when Congress returns from its August recess.

What does this mean? Here's a look at the alphabet soup that accompanies a disaster, natural or otherwise:

Martial Law:
About Guide to Civil Liberties, Andrew Somers, notes that martial law "means a military authority has taken control of the normal administration of justice." And USConstitution.net explores the history of martial law in the United States.

Three New Orleans TV stations report martial law has been imposed; however, no story attributes this to an official (one says "state officials"). Neither the governor's web site nor the mayor's web site indicate a state of martial law. However, the Jefferson Parish web site is not responding. (Note: all parish government units appear to have Flash-driven web sites! Maybe Katrina will strike a blow for web site accessibility?)

State of Emergency:
States of emergency may be declared by Presidents, Governors or Mayors. For example, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin used emergency powers to call for mandatory evacuation of the city.

A federal emergency declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security) to assist states with emergency situations -- including funding, loans, personnel. For example, according to FEMA:

... the President's emergency declaration of August 27 ... released federal resources to help meet immediate life-saving and life-sustaining human needs and [to protect] property in addition to other emergency protective measures. Debris removal and emergency services to assist law enforcement with evacuations and establishment of shelters are also eligible costs covered by the federal funding.

Federal disaster assistance is now possible for parts of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. The first disaster declaration dealt with Florida.

However, a state of emergency also means that governments can override normal administrative processes. Review state-specific emergency declarations, rules and responses for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

More as the story develops. Of course.

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Hurrican, Katrina, Politics