The number of Americans who are behind on mortgage payments or in foreclosure continued to soar in the second quarter of 2009.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that 9.24% of mortgages were at least 30 days overdue, and 4.3% were in the foreclosure process. The combined total of more than 13% was the highest ever recorded by the association's quarterly survey.

But what's most alarming about the most recent survey is that the number of loans 90 days or more past due continued to climb to record levels.

Those loans undoubtedly will enter foreclosure if President Obama's foreclosure prevention program and a number of bank initiatives aren't successful.

While there was a major drop in the number of subprime loans falling into foreclosure, the association says that was offset by an increase in the number of prime, fixed-rate loans in foreclosure. Those loans accounted for one in three new foreclosure starts, up from one in five in 2008.

Economists attribute the a new wave of defaults to more workers losing their jobs because of the recession and being unable to keep up with their mortgage payments. But experts also say the economic turnaround has begun.

The mortgage crisis continues to be focused in five states -- Nevada, Florida, Arizona, California and Michigan -- where subprime lending was particularly prevalent.

If you're worried about losing your home, here's our best advice on how to avoid foreclosure.