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Katrina scatters a grim diaspora
By Will Walden BBC News, in Baton Rouge, La & Memphis, Tn

The only certainty here now is uncertainty.

Across the south hundreds of thousands of Americans have been unceremoniously dumped: displaced by Katrina in rest stops and hotel lobbies; among strangers in shelters and in hospitals.
And for most there is no going back, for weeks, and more probably, months.

Many families who made it out have no place to stay.

They sleep where they can.
The lucky ones, and they are indeed the lucky ones, have hotel rooms.
Entire families crowd into one room with little information, power that comes and goes, and no air conditioning.
For some, who thought initially Katrina wasn't as bad as the authorities had predicted, fate has dealt them a cruel hand.
Having checked out for the long journey home, they now find themselves back in hotel lobbies across the state pleading to have their rooms back.
The rooms of course have been filled with others seeking refuge......

At this point most reach for the cellphone in the hope that those who stayed are safe.
But there is no dialing tone, just a recorded message that says "Sorry - all circuits are busy - please try again later".
It is the new norm. These people have nowhere to go...............