About 500 missing children not reunited

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- About 500 children reported missing in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath may still be awaiting reunion with their families four months after the disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, citing federal privacy laws, has refused to share its evacuee database with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, The Washington Post reports, quoting investigators tracking the cases.

The Post said officials believe it is likely many of the 500 children are safe, perhaps even in the care of a family member. But a case is not closed until the relative who reported the child missing learns the youngster's whereabouts and is assured the child is unharmed, it said.

"We are deeply disappointed by the low priority FEMA assigned to the cases of missing children," Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., said in a letter to FEMA Acting Director R. David Paulison.

"And while FEMA may not have sole responsibility to investigate cases of missing children, it should do what is in its power to assist other agencies in completing the investigations."

Under U.S. privacy laws, FEMA cannot release information such as names and Social Security numbers to anyone.