Army sued for quadrillions over Katrina

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Various interests in Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Katrina filed claims against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for damages surpassing the federal budget.

The corps, which constructed the levee system overwhelmed during Hurricane Katrina, received 247 claims and faces nearly 500,000 more for damages and deaths that occurred in the hurricane's aftermath, USA Today reported Monday.

One personal injury claim seeks $3 quadrillion, about 250 times the U.S. gross domestic product, and another resident in the heavily damaged New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward is seeking $6 trillion.

The Louisiana Recovery Authority estimates total physical damages in the state total about $100 billion.