The harrowing images of Hurricane Katrina's devastation and rising death toll have been dominating the world's broadcast networks, many of which echoed the frustration expressed by numerous U.S. correspondents at the delays in getting aid into the disaster zones.

In Germany, the news focused mainly on the human side of the Katrina tragedy, but on-site correspondents reported the groundswell of criticism leveled at the U.S. response to the emergency and accusations of racism leveled at Washington by prominent black leaders like Jesse Jackson.

"For German viewers, the big question is, 'How could this happen in the richest, most powerful country in the world'?" said a spokeswoman for leading broadcaster ZDF.

Australian television viewers saw images of their countrymen being directed to safety by Australian TV crews in the absence of any official assistance for the tourists.

While French audiences had to tune in to 24-hour news channels such as the BBC and CNN to get round-the-clock coverage of the disaster, the international news coverage on the French channels daily afternoon and evening news bulletins was dominated by extensive coverage of Katrina's impact.

TF1 and France 2, which produce the country's most-watched news bulletins, are using a mix of live and recorded coverage from their own special correspondents on the scene. TF1 has four special correspondents, while France 2 has a team of two in Louisiana.

Both TF1 and France 2, which have been using a mix of footage from U.S. networks and their own teams, said showing bodies was not an issue on their channels.

"The pictures coming in are so dramatic, we don't need to show dead bodies to reveal the extent of the crisis to our viewers. But if there is footage that includes dead bodies, we have no problem using it," a spokesperson for TF1 said.

The story continues to dominate newscasts in the U.K., with news teams reporting live from the disaster for the networks there.

Said Sky News executive editor John Ryley: "In the U.K., we woke up to the news that 80% of New Orleans was under water on Wednesday. The lack of disaster relief and the chaos and looting became apparent on Thursday. Initially, on the Monday, the thought had been that New Orleans had escaped Katrina and it wasn't until the levees broke in our afternoon on Tuesday that we realized it was much worse than we had thought. The issue of the lack of disaster relief became the main issue Thursday morning.

"The U.S. is a very powerful economic force but it seemed unable to launch a rescue mission it its own back yard," Ryley added.

As with the U.S. and other foreign news outlets, the issue of sensitivity to the images of bodies was on Ryley's mind.

"On the issue of dead bodies, we have no hard and fast rules -- we treat every issue on its merits," he said. "We have shown a very few dead bodies but hopefully in a way that was not degrading to the individuals or their relatives."

A main focus of coverage in Australia has been the fate of Australian tourists in the disaster region.

As reports of the death toll, anarchy and a breakdown in law and order followed in the wake of the devastating hurricane, Australians in the past few days have expressed outrage at the Australian government's inability to help stranded nationals, mostly in New Orleans and surrounding areas.

The Australian government said that was because the U.S. government blocked access to all foreign aid until Monday, when foreign affairs officials finally arrived in New Orleans. However, the Australian media has had total access from the moment the hurricane struck.

All national networks -- most of which have bureaus in Los Angeles and Washington -- have had journalists reporting from the battered region while also drawing heavily on affiliated news services, which include CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC.

Prime Minister John Howard said Monday he "regretted" the delay in helping Australians.

It was thanks to the Australian media that many lost and frightened Australians were found and identities passed on to authorities and families.

One group bussed out of New Orleans was even directed to a hotel in Houston by a news crew in the absence of any other help -- and that was televised on almost all networks Sunday.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. labeled the disaster Monday night a "gothic horror story."

"It was living hell (in the Super Dome)," one Australian woman, just evacuated from New Orleans, told Network Ten on Monday. "It was the scariest place, with rapists and murderers in there."

At press time, 14 Australians were still missing.

Scott Roxborough in Cologne, Germany, and Shiraz Sidhva in Deauville, France, contributed to this report.