Is This a Fair Comparison?

As I look at the devestation in New Orleans and the pictures on the news of the aftermath I can't help but compare the situation to that of Niger. Please don't get me wrong, I feel awful for the thousands affected by the hurricane, especially those who couldn't get out in time but (you knew the 'but' was coming didn't you) there's an element of this that I'm disturbed by. I suppose it's just that this situation highlights the imbalance in the world to me. For example, when giving 'aid' to the people of New Orleans, will it be in the form of rice/millet/porridge/formula? Does the red cross really expect me to give money to help the 'refugees' of New Orleans when they live in the world's richest country? President Bush just declared a 13 Billion dollar bill to aid New Orleans, why is it that the amount needed to get Niger out of their current crisis is in the millions and yet they are only half way in raising the funds??
Why is the world so blinded to what's going on EVERY DAY in Africa (not just Niger but Zimbabwe, Sudan etc..) and other parts of the world and when it happens in the USA we're glued to the TV? I know that people have died and I know that people are suffering terribly in New Orleans but isn't it interesting that in a matter of hours, one of the more wealthy parts of the world can be levelled to that of the same as one of the poorest? I would hope that both situations could be assisted and quickly.