New Katrina death tally: Half of victims 75 and up CHICAGO (AP) (wrkf) - As New Orleans residents warily track another threatening storm, a new report presents the clearest picture yet of deaths from Katrina in Louisiana.

It says nearly 1,000 people died in the city, and nearly half were at least 75 years old.

Most died on the day of the storm August 29, 2005. And drowning was the leading cause. ore than one-third died in homes.

It's based on death certificates listing Katrina as the main or contributing cause and data from a federal disaster response team. The researchers counted 971 Katrina-related deaths in Louisiana, mostly in New Orleans, and 15 deaths among residents who fled out of state.

Authors include Dr. Raoult Ratard, Louisiana's state epidemiologist.

It says elderly residents who may have thought the warnings were a false alarm, feared their homes might be looted if they left, or just didn't want to leave for the unknown.

In addition, it says, older people were more vulnerable and frail and unable to fight the catastrophic storm.

The study was published online Thursday and will appear in the October print edition of the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.

It covers the period from two days before the hurricane struck until October 31st, 2005. It includes deaths in car crashes on evacuation routes and from injuries suffered during the storm.

The previously reported death toll for all Katrina victims has been put at 1,698. That includes bodies collected in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and Louisiana residents who died in other states in the month after Katrina. © Copyright 2009, wrkf