New Orleans - More than 4 500 hurricane victims moved out of shelters at the weekend, lowering the total remaining to just over 11 000.

The federal government had set Saturday as its unofficial deadline for moving everyone out and into more permanent housing, although vast numbers are still also in hotels awaiting Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) trailers or apartments as temporary housing until they can return to neighbourhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

There were 11 239 people living in shelters in 11 states late on Sunday afternoon, said James McIntyre, a spokesperson for Fema.

Louisiana remained home to the greatest number, housing 6 747 people in sports centres, convention halls and other arenas.

Texas and Mississippi each had more than one thousand people in shelters. Shelters were also still housing people in Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Alabama and Kentucky. - Sapa-AP