7:00 p.m. Helicopter Crashes; Pilots Walk Away

CNN is reporting that two pilots walked away from the wreckage of their rescue helicopter after it crashed in New Orleans.

4:25 p.m.
Louisiana’s emergency medical director confirms that 59 have died in the state, but officials are certain that number will go up. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin say the final toll may be 3,000 to 5,000.

3:50 p.m. Police Shoot 8, Kill 5 On Bridge
Police say they shot eight people carrying guns on a New Orleans bridge, killing five or six of them. Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley said the shootings took place on the Danziger Bridge. Riley said he has no other details.

1:40 p.m. Update From Plaquemines Parish

According to Maj. John Mary, nobody is being allowed inside Plaquemines Parish.

Mary said he has not seen a single member of the Red Cross and only one person from FEMA.

West Pointe a la Hache is gone. The East Bank is seriously damaged.

The parish is self-sufficient at this point, but there are no working services and it will likely remain that way for months.

Mary said he is seeing military members who are “clueless” about what is going on. He said his office is starting to get the military crews up to date.

When the parish does finally open, a deputy will escort people in so they can get their basics and then they will be escorted out.

10:15 a.m. 17th St. Canal Update
A news helicopter took this picture shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday:

The picture shows water draining into the 17th St. Canal. You can see the water’s movement by the lighter-colored silt in the water.

The picture also shows the progress of the work to repair the levee. The white build-up on the right-hand side of the breach is a growing pile of large sandbags. From the left-hand side, trucks are dumping gravel to fill the gap.

9:10 a.m.: Chertoff: It's as ugly as you can imagine
A grim warning from the nation's homeland security chief, who said once New Orleans is drained, it'll be "about as ugly a scene as I think you can imagine." Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said it's time to prepare the country for the kind of horrors not seen here since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. He warns dead people will be found in streets and houses, though he declined to speculate on what the death toll might be.

6:28 a.m.
The Louisiana State Department of Social Services has set up a help line for anyone needing help with any type of social services. The number is 1-888-LA-HELPU.

6:20 a.m. Update From St. John The Baptist Parish
St. John The Baptist Parish employees have been asked to return to work at their regular time on Sept. 6, including school principals, school administrators and school janitors. School will start on Sept. 12.

6:06 a.m. Hibernia Bank Opens Five Locations
The five locations now open are:

Destrehan, 13524 River Road

Boutte, 12269 Highway 90

Luling, 811 Paul Maillard Road

Larose, 14008 W. Main St.

Norco, 22 Apple St.

5:52 a.m. Saints To Play In San Antonio: No Refunds
The New Orleans Saints will play all home games and San Antonio and will not refund ticket holders, according to a high-ranking official with the team who contacted a WDSU sports reporter. An official announcement is expected in the next day or two.

5:15 a.m. President To Visit Again Monday
The president plans a second visit to the region Monday, saying, "In America, we do not abandon our fellow citizens in their hour of need." His administration has been taking considerable heat for what's seen as a sluggish response to a disaster that killed countless thousands and left tens of thousands stranded in abject misery.

5:15 a.m. Federal Government Promises More Help To Storm Victims
President Bush has ordered more than 7,000 active duty forces to the region. And another 10,000 National Guard troops are being added to 30,000 already there.

1:29 a.m. People Still Calling For Help
Emergency officials in Louisiana say they are still getting calls from people trapped and in need of rescue. Officials say they received about 1,000 such calls on Saturday, with some people saying they are still trapped in their attics. Authorities are using color-coded maps to locate anyone in need of rescue. They plan to go door-to-door if they have to, in order to find all remaining survivors.

1:25 a.m. No Immediate Cleanup Plans For Oil Spill On Mississippi River
There are no immediate plans to clean up a large oil spill spotted near the town of Venice, on the Mississippi River downstream from New Orleans. Department of Environmental Quality spokesman Darin Mann says a flyover shows the spill didn't appear to be growing. He says DEQ doesn't know how much oil was spilled since Hurricane Katrina came ashore, where the oil came from or when cleanup would begin. He notes the area is only reachable by boat.