WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The overall death toll from Hurricane Katrina rose to 708 on Wednesday, after Louisiana confirmed another 51 deaths.

    As of Wednesday, there were 474 confirmed deaths in Louisiana, 218 in Mississippi, two in Alabama and 14 in Florida, news reportssaid, quoting officials in the different states.

    Louisiana confirmed 144 additional deaths on Tuesday.

    As floodwaters receded, rescue workers were able to get into more areas in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and discovered more bodies.

    New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin estimated in the early days after the city was hit by Katrina that there might be as many as 10,000 deaths in the city alone, as over 80 percent of the city proper was under floodwater.

    Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were hit by Hurricane Katrina in late August, causing heavy human and economiclosses.

    New Orleans was inundated by floodwater after levees protecting the city were breached by the hurricane, leaving many people stranded there. Enditem