Bush Asks For $7.1 Billion As Jeanne Rages Inland

ATLANTA -- President George W. Bush has asked Congress for more than $7 billion to help Florida and other Southeastern states recover from hurricane damage.

It was Bush's third request for supplemental storm aid.

Congress has already approved Bush's first request of $2 billion and is considering his second $3.1 billion proposal. That would bring the pricetag for all three hurricanes to $12.2 billion.

The government will have to borrow money to pay for the packages, adding to already huge federal deficits.

Jeanne Drenches Georgia, Spawns S.C. Tornadoes

Five people have been injured, one seriously, when a tornado touched down in South Carolina.

The tropical system that was Hurricane Jeanne has been cutting across the Southeast where tornadoes and flooding remain a threat.

Officials said Monday's tornado destroyed three mobile homes and damaged five others. Winds also damaged mobile homes in two other nearby communities.

South Carolina's Midlands area and the eastern part of the state was under tornado warnings on Monday. A flash flood watch and a wind advisory has been posted for inland areas.

Jeanne's winds are losing their strength, but its rains still remain a force to deal with.

Jeanne killed at least six people as it churned across Florida. The deaths include two people who apparently drowned when a sport utility vehicle plunged into a lake northwest of Fort Lauderdale. Another person was electrocuted in Miami after touching a downed power line.

Five people have been injured, one seriously, when a tornado touched down in South Carolina.

State officials said search and rescue teams would be deployed as soon as the storm passes to look for people who were injured in the hurricane. Thousands of residents chose to ride out the storm in shelters.

The storm could drop 6 inches of rain on parts of Georgia, where rising waters forced about 100 people in Valdosta to leave their homes.

Officials in the state are also concerned about sewage spills that could contaminate rivers and streams. Past storms this year have already caused 10 million gallons of sewage to spill across the state.

At 2 p.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Depression Jeanne was located near latitude 32.2 north, longitude 83.7 west or about 35 miles south of Macon, Ga. Jeanne is moving toward the north-northeast near 14 mph, and a turn to the northeast is expected during the next 24 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph, with higher gusts. Additional slow weakening is forecast over the next 24 hours.

Storm surge flooding along the gulf and atlantic coasts should continue to gradually subside Monday, but additional rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated higher amounts, are possible. Isolated tornadoes are possible from extreme eastern Georgia northeastward through southern North Carolina.

Fla. Officials Urge Extra Vigilance

Florida officials are urging citizens to take extra precautions as they begin cleaning up after Hurricane Jeanne.

They say the worst of the storm has passed, but that it's still dumping rain on some parts of the state. Flood warnings are in effect through Monday afternoon for parts of Florida saturated by past storms.

State officials say 2.6 million homes and businesses across 54 counties are without power. They say trucks loaded with water, ice and other supplies are on the way to the hardest-hit areas.

Officials also urge everyone to be careful when they see standing water or downed power lines.

Floridians Count Blessings Despite Storm 'Double Whammy'

Residents of the twice-stricken section of Florida called the Treasure Coast are treasuring their lives Monday morning, as they repeat the drill of dealing with disaster.

Many homeowners wrapping up repair work from Hurricane Frances earlier this month are back at square one -- gazing at damaged roofs, fractured fences and life without electricity.

Mobile home resident Bill Bailey is trying to keep a sense of humor, saying now that he's had a "double whammy" of storms, he's got hurricanes out of his system. Jensen Beach resident Vicky Westfall is counting on a close-knit street of neighbors to get by. Extension cords crisscross her street, where residents with generators are supplying power to keep refrigerators running.

Meanwhile, President George W. Bush has declared Florida a major disaster area.

A White House spokesman said the president's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in 19 Florida counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the hurricane.

The storm piled on destruction in already ravaged areas. It sliced across the state with howling wind that rocketed debris from earlier storms and torrents of rain that turned streets into rivers.

Jeanne was a cruel rerun for many still trying to recover from earlier hurricanes, coming ashore with 120 mph winds in the same area hit three weeks ago by Hurricane Frances.

More than 1.5 million homes and businesses have been left without power. Many school and government offices caught in its path will be closed at least through Monday.

Gov. Jeb Bush sought to reassure weary Floridians.

"This does come to an end, and when it does we can probably use the term 'normal' again," the governor said.

Florida Relief Will Be FEMA's Largest Effort Ever

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said his agency is in the midst of its largest deployment ever, thanks to Jeanne and its three predecessors.

No state has faced four hurricanes in one season since 1886, when Texas was the target. FEMA chief Michael Brown said his agency has responded with the largest deployment in its history, eclipsing response for the 1994 California earthquake and the 2001 terrorist attacks. He said the hurricanes and their remnants have forced FEMA to deploy thousands of workers from Louisiana to Vermont.

Georgians Brace For Heavy Rain, Tornadoes

Georgians are being told to be on the watch for tornadoes Monday as Tropical Storm Jeanne leaves Florida behind and moves north.

Much of the southern half of Georgia is under a tornado watch. Forecasters say the storm could also dump up to 8 inches of rain on parts of the state.

Georgia emergency officials are calling for voluntary evacuations in 20 counties, however it appears that few are heading the call. While the storm is likely to bring high winds and lots of rain some say the biggest threat lies in potential sewage spills.

So far there have been dozens of such incidents this hurricane season, spilling millions of gallons of sewage across the state. Those spills contaminate rivers and streams and may cause illnesses.

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Amid Storm's Devastation, Haitians Dress Up For Church

Despite still being mired in sludge and desperate for food and water, Haitians were polishing their shoes and beautifying themselves for church Sunday.

"We don't have anything, but we're doing our best," one woman said. "We have to be respectful and we have to thank God for saving us."

The skies over Haiti were sunny and bright, a blessing after thunderstorms Saturday drenched those who are living on sidewalks or on rooftops of flooded homes.

Haiti's interim prime minister said at least 1,500 people were killed by Jeanne, which ravaged the country's northwestern province last week. Nearly 1,300 people are missing. Many are thought to have washed out to sea or been buried in debris in still inaccessible areas. About 300,000 people are homeless.

Haiti's government is drawing up plans to move some of the homeless to a tent camp to allow a cleanup of neighborhoods coated with contaminated sludge and debris.

A boy was struck and killed by a truck delivering relief aid in Haiti, where crowds of hungry flood victims pressed against fences, increasingly desperate for help, in the wake of Jeanne.

The United Nations has sent reinforcements for peacekeepers trying to restore order. Aid groups are ready to send some goods, but are reluctant to send it now.

A spokesman said workers fear the supplies would be looted by the strongest.