Gulf Barrier Islands Now More Vulnerable

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2005/sep/04/090403045.html

Hurricane Katrina swamped barrier islands along the Gulf Coast, further gnawing away at the dunes and beaches that act as hurricane speed bumps and leaving the coastal area even more vulnerable to big storms.

Among the hardest-hit were the fragile Chandeleur Islands off the southeast coast of Louisiana. Known as a nesting ground for pelicans and rest stop for migrating songbirds, the string of islands was made famous by a visit from Theodore Roosevelt and from the naturalist paintings of Walter Anderson.

Even before Katrina, these islands in Breton Sound was under stress. The storm inundated them, leaving only a small section visible during fly-overs in recent days.

It has been difficult to get a complete picture of damage to all the barrier islands, including Mississippi's, because boat and air traffic has been restricted by search and rescue efforts.

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