<P> By 11: 00 p.m. August 29, Mayor Nagin described the loss of life as "significant" with reports of bodies floating on the water throughout the city, though primarily in the eastern portions . Some hotels and hospitals reported diesel fuel shortages . The National Guard began setting up temporary morgues in select locations . </P> <P> Coordination of rescue efforts August 29 and August 30 were made difficult by disruption of the communications infrastructure . Many telephones, including most cell phones, and Internet access were inoperable because of line breaks, destruction of base stations, or power failures, even though some base stations had their own back - up generators . In a number of cases, reporters were asked to brief public officials on the conditions in areas where information was not reaching them any other way . </P> <P> All local television stations were disrupted . Local television stations, and newspapers, moved quickly to sister locations in nearby cities . New Orleans CBS - affiliate WWL - TV was the only local station to remain on the air during and after the storm, broadcasting from Baton Rouge . Broadcasting and publishing on the Internet became an important means of distributing information to evacuees and the rest of the world, with news networks citing blogs like Interdictor and Gulfsails for reports of what was happening in the city . Amateur radio provided tactical and emergency communications and handled health - and - welfare enquiries . By September 4, a temporary communications hub was set up at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown New Orleans . </P> <P> The first television pictures out of New Orleans shown on national TV were from Houston's ABC owned and operated KTRK which flew its helicopter to New Orleans in the days after the storm . </P>

Part of new orleans worst hit by katrina