Unfortunately the looting will only get worse. In Miami and Homestead Fla (after Andrew) people were looting, fighting, killing, etc...over goods, supplies, water, ice, you name it. I live on the west coast and everyday for some time after the storm they had live reports from that area and i gotta tell ya - it was chaos. The national guard was there and helped setup the now infamous "tent city". After a while the looting and price gouging stopped, but not until the national guard stepped in. You think it's bad now with the flooded streets, wait until the water recedes and the looters have full access. Soon, if not already, they (the looters) will venture into homes and start carrying out peoples priceless possesions, clothes, anything of use and or value. This is how it went in Fla in 1992 for the first week or two after Andrew. I agree with most on here that right now the authorities main concern should be to save the living and recover the dead. The looters will meet their doom one way or another. As i read articles about the looting, i find it funny that law enforcement said looters would be treated "ruthlessly" - perhaps that was propaganda to disuade people from doing it. Obviously that was their initial intention because they are not doing anything about it - they are stealing stuff right under their nose.