Katrina aftermath: Personal stories from ground zero
By Craig Guillot • Bankrate.com

For the people in the path of Hurricane Katrina, the aftereffects of the cataclysmic storm now rule their lives. Even those far removed remain stunned by the unthinkable tragedy. The news coming out of the area is so awful it's mind-numbing.

At Bankrate, the professional reaction is to provide readers with how the disaster will affect the financial lives of victims -- directly and indirectly. How can they pay bills with no job, no mail or phones, no Internet, no banks and, in fact, no one to pay? What about insurance? What about mortgage payments on a home still under water? The list is endless.

Those questions and concerns aren't for spreadsheets -- they're about people, their lives and lifestyles.

Bankrate correspondent Craig Guillot was displaced from his suburban, New Orleans home after the storm and spoke with other survivors about their personal and financial plights.

Marica Mackenroth
It's hard enough suffering the financial blow of a natural disaster such as Katrina, but it can seem even harder when you're just getting on your feet. Recent Loyola graduate Marica Mackenroth, 23, landed her first job as a client service coordinator just a few months ago. She had a great starting salary and was in line for a promotion until the hurricane struck.

"I don't know if I have a job or not, and I don't know if I should try to set up camp here in Baton Rouge or go back and salvage what I can," she says. "I'm so worried about my loans, about $70,000, and I don't even have a job anymore."

The first few days of the disaster Marica couldn't access her bank account from an ATM, but the hefty debt is a load upon her shoulders. She doesn't even know what has happened to her Garden District apartment and assumes that it has been looted.

"All of my school loan stuff, all my consolidation and insurance documents are back home. You just never think it's going to happen to you. My college diploma, I'm sure it's all floating around in toxic waste."

Vanessa Hammons
Vanessa Hammons, 24, a dental assistant from Kenner, La., thought she was just leaving town for a few days when she evacuated the city. She, her mother and 1-year-old son headed for a campground in Southwestern Louisiana where they stayed until they started running low on funds.

"I only brought three pairs of clothes, because I didn't expect to be gone for so long," she says. "I couldn't access my account until the day after Labor Day. I had two dollars to my name. I couldn't do anything. All the ATM machines were out. All the credit cards weren't working."

The trio has since moved into an apartment with the first month rent waived due to the generosity of others. They have been fed and cared for by their hosts, but private free rent and food can only last so long. Her savings have dwindled down to $200, and she can no longer afford her health-care premiums.