Blaise Cordier has not heard from most of his family since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast early Monday morning.

“My mom and grandparents did not evacuate, and I haven’t been in contact with them,” said Cordier, senior in mechanical engineering from New Orleans. “All communications are down and my Louisiana cell phone can’t make calls.”

He said the hardest thing is not knowing if his family is all right. He has, however, been able to talk to his dad, who evacuated three hours north of New Orleans to Lake Charles, La. When speaking with his father, Cordier learned his house was completely submerged in water.

“Just pray and be aware,” said Cordier of the magnitude of the disaster.

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, is also from New Orleans and still has family there. Hill said he has four brothers living in New Orleans, but has only been able to contact three of them within the last 24 hours. He still has not heard from his other brother.

“The damage is extensive; two of my brothers’ houses are submerged,” he said. “A tree fell on the roof of one of my brothers’ house.”

Hill said he had been through several hurricanes when living in New Orleans.

“Hurricanes are a part of life in New Orleans and there have been several near misses in the past,” he said.

“You have to assume a big one was near.”

After Katrina’s 145-mph winds slammed the Gulf Coast, the local chapter of the American Red Cross is helping to prepare for the organization’s largest and most expensive disaster relief effort ever, said Doug Yetman, executive director of the Lincoln Way Chapter of the American Red Cross.

“The main thing we’re doing is encouraging donations, which is the best way for Iowans to contribute to the relief effort,” he said.

People can contribute money to the Red Cross by the phone, online or through the local chapter.

Yetman said the Red Cross is also offering a volunteer training course for those interested in learning to be a volunteer. The local chapter presently has two volunteers on call, who could soon be deployed to the disaster areas, he said. Yetman said the relief effort could last for months.

All Iowans are likely to feel the impact of Katrina’s effects on their bank account. Damage to oil refineries and offshore rigs will likely raise gas prices, said David Swenson, assistant scientist in the economics department.

Suppliers raised gas prices for stations by 25 cents Monday, said Rick Thompson, vice president of Gary Thompson Oil Company.

“I think we might see more increases in the next couple of days,” he said.

An additional problem is stations are trying to get a larger gas supply before prices rise. This leads to long lines at supply stations and there are not enough trucks to go around, he said. It is possible that gas stations could of run out of gas, Thompson said.

Rising fuel prices could also affect Iowa’s agricultural industry, Swenson said. He said it is likely to increase the per-acre cost of harvest because of operational expenses.

Swenson said because the Mississippi River links the Midwest to the world, the hurricane could affect the flow of grain and fertilizer.

“Any kind of disruption or slow movement has a dampening effect on commodities,” Swenson said.