Unemployment claims related to Katrina rise by 103,000

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005 | 9:50 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans thrown out of work by Hurricane Katrina shot up by 103,000 last week, bringing the total seeking jobless benefits because of the storm to 214,000, the government reported today.

The latest weekly jobless claims figure showed that the adverse economic impact from the country's most expensive natural disaster continues to rise as more evacuees are able to make it to state unemployment offices to file claims.

The 214,000 total number of applications for unemployment benefits related to the hurricane included 91,000 claims for two weeks ago, a figure that had originally been put at 68,000, and 20,000 claims for the week ending Sept. 3.

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