US forecasting relays asking for evacuations from the predicted cyclone path and people responding to the calls when the zero hour ultimately struck. The trail of death, damage and destruction left by the hurricane makes the US experience worst in a century. We, in Bangladesh, a country which has seen some of the most destructive swipes of nature, are naturally empathetic towards the Katrina victims for the anguish and pain they must be going through. Our hearts go out in sympathy for the sufferers of the catastrophe.

But while the hurricane has been devastating what has followed it is a disaster upon a disaster. Stocks of drinking water, food, medicines, fuel are submerged in thickly sitting waters. The whole infrastructure along the coast comprising telecommunications installations and oil refineries has been washed away.

Many of the industries lost to the sea surge were not insured and on top of a countless numbers dying the lucky survivors have lost all their material belongings. Everything must begin from the scratch.

All this point to the cruciality of federal funding to bounce back.

But it is not only the economic might of the US that must come to the rescue of its citizens in the South-West coast, there is also another challenge of law and order nature that stares in face of administration: armed thugs plundering away deserted homes and service units, even swooping on relief supplies at many places.

The police presence has been quadrupled, but the irony in all such perilous situations anywhere in the world happens to be that while human compassion flows for the victims, wolves are not far away.