By Prensa Latina
Washington : US victims of Hurricane Katrina in shelters provided by the government are exposed to high levels of toxicity, and must leave them immediately, local health authorities affirmed Thursday.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) found dangerous formaldehyde concentrations in 519 trailers in Louisiana, and Mississippi, two states severely pounded by the hurricane that in August 2005 left 1,800 people dead, and over 100,000 homeless.
In several cases, contamination levels detected were 40 times higher than the amount humans can assimilate, according to the report by the Atlanta-based scientific entity.
For that reason, risks to suffer respiratory disorders increase considerably, experts from the institution explained, and urged the government to evacuate the people immediately.
CDC manager Mike McGeehin called upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency to organize the evacuation, giving priority to children, the elderly and chronic sick people.
In 2006, dozens of occupants in the nearly 120,000 trailers supplied by the White House began suffering from headaches, respiratory problems, and nasal secretions.