WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is ending its distribution of $2,000 debit cards to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The agency said the card distribution, started Thursday in Texas, would end over the weekend there. Remaining hurricane victims there, as well as those in other states, would have to apply for the cash assistance through the agency's Web site and would receive the money in their bank accounts.
The debit cards were a way to help cut through bureaucratic red tape to quickly get initial relief money -- $2,000 per family - to those needing cash for personal items, food and clothing.
Officials later began distributing the cards to those who had completed the proper paperwork at large evacuation shelters in Texas.
