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{{Short description|Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 2005}} | |||
: ''This article is about the 2005 hurricane. For other storms with this name, see ].'' | |||
{{ |
{{Distinguish|Hurricane Catarina|Hurricane Karina}} | ||
{{Other hurricanes|List of storms named Katrina}} | |||
| image location=Katrina2005-colorIR.GIF | |||
{{Pp-semi-indef}} | |||
| image name=Hurricane Katrina had winds of 160 mph (255 km/h) on ], ] at 0045 ]. | |||
{{Pp-move}} | |||
| duration=] - ], ] | |||
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}} | |||
| highest winds=175 mph (280 km/h) | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} | |||
| total damages (USD)=Total damages estimated as high as $200 billion (Costliest tropical cyclone of all time) | |||
{{Infobox weather event | |||
| total fatalities=Minimum 1,242 | |||
| image = Katrina 2005-08-28 1700Z.jpg | |||
| areas affected=], ], ], ], ], ], most of eastern ] | |||
| caption = Katrina at peak intensity in the ] on August 28 | |||
| hurricane season=] | |||
| formed = August 23, 2005 | |||
| extratropical = August 30, 2005 | |||
| dissipated = August 31, 2005 | |||
}}{{Infobox weather event/NWS | |||
| winds = 150 | |||
| pressure = 902 | |||
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects | |||
| year = 2005 | |||
| fatalities = 1,392 total | |||
| missing = 652 | |||
| damage = 125000000000 | |||
| damage-suffix = <br/>(]) | |||
| areas = {{flatlist| | |||
* ] | |||
* ] (especially ], ], and ]) | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| refs = | |||
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer | |||
| season = ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Hurricane Katrina''' was the eleventh named tropical storm, fourth ], third major hurricane, and first ] hurricane of the ]. It first made ] as a Category 1 hurricane just north of ] on ], ], then again on ] along the Central Gulf Coast near ], ], as a Category 4 storm. Katrina resulted in ]es of the ] system that protected New Orleans from ], and most of the city was subsequently ]ed by the lake's waters. This and other major damage to the ] regions of ], ], and ] made Katrina the most destructive and costly ] in the history of the ]. | |||
The official ] now stands at 1,242 and the ] higher than $200 billion, topping ] as the costliest ] in U.S. history. Over a million people were displaced — a ] on a scale unseen in the U.S. since the ]. | |||
In Louisiana, the hurricane's eye made landfall at 6:10am CDT on Monday, ]. After 11:00am CDT, several sections of the ] system in New Orleans collapsed. Mandatory evacuation of New Orleans had been ordered by ] ] before the hurricane struck, on ]. The order was repeated on ]. By early September, people were being forcibly evacuated, mostly by ] to neighboring states. | |||
] ] declarations blanketed 90,000 square miles (]) of the United States, an area almost as large as the United Kingdom. The hurricane left an estimated five million people without power, and it may take up to two months for all power to be restored. On ], ] Secretary ] described the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as "probably the worst catastrophe, or set of catastrophes" in the country's history, referring to the hurricane itself plus the flooding of New Orleans. | |||
==Timeline== | |||
{{see|Timeline of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
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==Storm History== | |||
] ]s snapped this picture of Katrina's eye on ], ], before the storm made landfall.]] | |||
].]] | |||
{{Katrina}} | {{Katrina}} | ||
'''Hurricane Katrina''' was a powerful and devastating ] that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of ] and its surrounding area. It is tied with ] as being the ] in the ]. Katrina was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third ] of the ]. It was also the fourth-most intense ] to make landfall in the ], gauged by barometric pressure. | |||
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The U.S. ] (NHC) reported on ] that Tropical Depression Twelve had formed over the ]. The numbering of the system was debated, as Tropical Depression Twelve formed partially from the remains of Tropical Depression Ten. The naming and numbering rules at the NHC require a system to keep the same identity if it dies, then regenerates, which would normally have caused this storm to remain numbered Ten. However, the NHC gave this storm a new number because a second disturbance merged with the remains of Tropical Depression Ten on ], and there is no way to tell whether the remnants of Tropical Depression Ten should be credited with this storm. (This is different from ] in the ], when the NHC ruled that Ivan did indeed reform; the remnant of Ivan that regenerated in the ] was a distinct system from the moment Ivan originally dissipated to the moment it regained ] strength.) | |||
The system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Katrina on the morning of ]. Katrina became the fourth hurricane of the ] on ] and made landfall later that day around 6:30 p.m. between ] and ], ]. | |||
Katrina formed on August 23, 2005, with the merger of a ] and the remnants of ]. Early the following day, the depression intensified into a ] and headed generally westward toward Florida. On August 25, two hours before making landfall at ], it strengthened into a hurricane. After briefly weakening to tropical storm strength over southern Florida, Katrina entered the ] on August 26 and ]. The storm strengthened into a ] over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before weakening to a high-end ] at its second landfall on August 29 over southeast ] and ]. | |||
Katrina weakened over land on ], becoming a tropical storm before growing to a ] hurricane with winds of 100 mph. It became clear the storm was headed for Mississippi and Louisiana. | |||
The largest loss of life in Hurricane Katrina was due to flooding caused by engineering flaws in the flood protection system, particularly the ]s around the city of New Orleans. 80% of the city, as well as large areas in neighboring ], were flooded for weeks. The flooding destroyed most of New Orleans's transportation and communication facilities, leaving tens of thousands of people who did or could not evacuate the city before landfall with little access to food, shelter, and other necessities. The ] prompted a massive national and international response effort, including federal, local, and private rescue operations to evacuate those displaced from the city in the following weeks. After the storm, multiple investigations concluded that the ], which had designed and built the region's levees decades earlier, was responsible for the failure of the flood-control systems. However, federal courts later ruled that the Corps could not be held financially liable due to ] in the ]. | |||
On ], the storm was upgraded to Category 3 intensity (major hurricane) and at 12:40 a.m. CDT (0540 UTC) on ], Katrina was upgraded to Category 4. Later that morning, Katrina went through a period of rapid intensification, becoming a Category Five storm on the]. Katrina had maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h), gusts of 215 mph (344 km/h) and a central pressure of 26.75 inches, or 906 mbar (]), by 1:00 p.m. CDT. It later reached a minimum pressure of 26.64 inches (902 mbar), making it the fifth most intense Atlantic Basin hurricane on record. Katrina's rapid intensification was due in part to its movement over the ]. | |||
The emergency response from federal, state, and local governments was widely criticized, leading to the resignation of ] (FEMA) director ] and ] (NOPD) superintendent ]. Many other government officials faced criticism for their responses, especially New Orleans mayor ], Louisiana governor ], and President ]. However, several agencies, such as the ] (USCG), ] (NHC), and ] (NWS), were commended for their actions, with the NHC being particularly praised for its accurate forecasts well in advance.<ref name="CongressInvestigation" /> Katrina was the earliest 11th named storm on record before being surpassed by ] on August 14, 2020. The destruction and loss of life caused by the storm prompted the name ''Katrina'' to be retired by the ] in April 2006. | |||
Katrina made landfall on ] as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph (235 km/h) with higher gusts, at 6:10 a.m. CDT near ]. Making its way up the eastern Louisiana coastline, most communities in Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parish, and Slidell in St. Tammany Parish, were severely damaged by storm surge and the strong winds of the eyewall, which also grazed eastern New Orleans. A few hours later, it made landfall for a third time near the Louisiana/Mississippi border with 125 mph (200 km/h) ] sustained winds. However, because the storm was so large, extreme damaging eyewall winds and the strong northeastern quadrant of the storm, pushing record storm surges onshore, smashed the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast, including towns in Mississippi such as Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Gautier and Pascagoula, and, in Alabama, Bayou La Batre. As Katrina moved inland diagonally over Mississippi, high winds cut a swath of damage that affected almost the entire state. | |||
On January 4, 2023, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) updated the Katrina fatality data based on a report by Rappaport (2014) which reduced the number from an estimated 1,833 to 1,392.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Knabb |first1=Richard D. |last2=Rhome |first2=Jamie R. |last3=Brown |first3=Daniel P. |date=January 4, 2023 |title="Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Katrina 23-30 August 2005" (PDF) |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL122005_Katrina.pdf |website=NOAA.GOV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schleifstein |first=Mark |date=January 14, 2023 |title="How many people died in Hurricane Katrina? Toll reduce 17 years later" |url=https://www.nola.com/news/hurricane/how-many-people-died-in-katrina-toll-reduced-17-years-on/article_e3009e46-91ed-11ed-8f2a-a7b11e1e8d34.html |website=The New Orleans Advocate}}</ref> | |||
Additonal photos of Ocean Springs, Mississippi can be found at: www.OceanSprings-MS.com | |||
== Meteorological history == | |||
] at 1:00 pm ] (1700 UTC).]] | |||
{{Main|Meteorological history of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
{{For timeline}} | |||
{{storm path|Katrina 2005 path.png|colors=new}} | |||
Hurricane Katrina originated from the merger of a ] and the mid-level remnants of ] on August 19, 2005, near the ]. On August 23, the disturbance organized into Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas. The storm strengthened into ] Katrina on the morning of August 24. The tropical storm moved towards Florida and became a hurricane only two hours before making ] between ] and ] on the morning of August 25. The storm weakened over land, but it regained hurricane status about one hour after entering the Gulf of Mexico, and it continued strengthening over open waters. On August 27, the storm reached Category 3 intensity on the ], becoming the third ] of the season. An ] disrupted the intensification but caused the storm to nearly double in size.<ref name="KatrinaTCR">{{cite report|url={{NHC TCR url|id=AL122005_Katrina}}|title=Hurricane Katrina: August 23–30, 2005|author=Knabb, Richard D|author2=Rhome, Jamie R|date=December 20, 2005|publisher=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service|author3=Brown, Daniel P|author4=National Hurricane Center|access-date=January 8, 2016|format=PDF|type=Tropical Cyclone Report}}</ref> Thereafter, Katrina ] over the "unusually warm" waters of the ], from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in just nine hours.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Leben, Robert |author2=Born, George |author3=Scott, Jim |url=http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2005/358.html|title=CU-Boulder Researchers Chart Katrina's Growth In Gulf Of Mexico|publisher=]|date=September 15, 2005|access-date=May 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301014255/http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2005/358.html|archive-date=March 1, 2009}}</ref> | |||
After attaining Category 5 hurricane status on the morning of August 28, Katrina reached its peak strength at 1800 ], with maximum sustained winds of {{convert|175|mph|km/h|-1|abbr=on}} and a minimum central ] of {{convert|902|mbar|inHg|abbr=on|lk=on}}. The pressure measurement made Katrina the fifth most intense Atlantic hurricane on record at the time, only to be surpassed by Hurricanes ] and ] later in the season; it was also the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the ] at the time, before Rita broke the record.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> The hurricane subsequently weakened due to another eyewall replacement cycle, and Katrina made its second landfall at 1110 UTC on August 29, as a high-end Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of {{convert|125|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, near ]. At landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward {{convert|120|mi|km}} from the center and the storm's central pressure was {{convert|920|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}. After moving over southeastern Louisiana and ], it made its third and final landfall near the Louisiana–Mississippi border with {{convert|120|mph|km/h|-1|abbr=on}} sustained winds, still at a mid-range Category 3 hurricane intensity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/atlantic-hurricane-category-five-history-0|title=Monsters of the Atlantic: The Basin's Category 5 Hurricanes|work=The Weather Channel|access-date=September 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906093016/https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/atlantic-hurricane-category-five-history-0|archive-date=September 6, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Katrina maintained strength well into Mississippi, finally losing hurricane strength more than {{convert|150|mi|km}} inland near ]. It was downgraded to a tropical depression near ]; its remnants were absorbed by a ] in the eastern ] region on August 31. The resulting ] storm moved rapidly to the northeast and affected eastern Canada.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
Katrina weakened thereafter, losing hurricane-strength more than 150 miles (160 km) inland, near ]. It was downgraded to a ] near ] and continued to race northward. | |||
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Katrina continued to affect the central US as it moved north, and was last seen in the eastern ] region on ]. Before being absorbed by a frontal boundary, Katrina's last known position was over southeast ] and northern ]. On ], Katrina became a powerful extratropical low on province of Quebec that gave 50 to 170 mm (1.97 to 6.69 in) of rain in 12 hours; also numerous wind gust from 50 to 98 km/h (31 to 61 mph) were reported in southern and eastern Quebec. In the region of ] and ] rain caused breakdown and failure in roads. The Cote-Nord region was isolated from rest of Quebec for at least 1 week. | |||
== Preparations == | |||
Its lowest minimum pressure at landfall was 27.108 inches (918 mbar) (]), making it the third strongest hurricane on record to make landfall on the United States. A 10 to 30 foot (3 to 10 m) ] came ashore on over 200 continuous miles of coastline, from southeast Louisiana, including Mississippi and Alabama, through to the Florida panhandle. The 30 foot (10 m) storm surge recorded at ] is the highest ever observed in America. Record storm surges that had not occurred in at least the last 150 years, inundated the entire Mississippi coastline, destroying many historic homes. The storm surge in ] was the highest in that location since 1917, besting the category 3 ] which hit the city directly in 1979. | |||
=== Federal government === | |||
At 11 p.m. EDT on ] (0300 UTC, ]), U.S. government weather officials announced that the center of the remnant low of what was Katrina had been completely absorbed by a frontal boundary in southeastern ], with no discernible circulation. | |||
], ], left, and Secretary of Defense ], President Bush meets with members of the Task Force on Hurricane Katrina Recovery on August 31, 2005.]] | |||
The ]'s last was at 11 p.m. EDT on ] and the ]'s last was at 9 a.m. EDT on ]. | |||
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The ] began pre-positioning resources in a ring around the expected impact zone and activated more than 400 reservists. On August 27, it moved its personnel out of the New Orleans region prior to the mandatory evacuation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hurricane Katrina: How the Coast Guard Got it Right|first=Amanda|last=Ripley|date=October 23, 2005|newspaper=]|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1122007-2,00.html|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521131513/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1122007-2,00.html|archive-date=May 21, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Aircrews from the Aviation Training Center, in Mobile, staged rescue aircraft from Texas to Florida.<ref name="CG leadership">{{cite report |first1=Bruce |last1=Jones |first2=David |last2=Callahan |title=Leadership Talent Emerges During Hurricane Katrina Aviation Rescue Operations |url=http://www.uscg.mil/leadership/news/archive/fall05.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923014800/http://www.uscg.mil/LEADERSHIP/news/archive/fall05.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 23, 2008 |publisher=] |access-date=July 6, 2014 |location=Mobile, Alabama}} | |||
==Tornadoes== | |||
{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428110950/http://waterdamagerestorationdallastexas.com/removal/ |date=April 28, 2017}}</ref> All aircraft were returning towards the Gulf of Mexico by the afternoon of August 29. ]s, many of whom lost their homes during the hurricane, began a round-the-clock rescue effort in New Orleans, and along the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines.<ref name="WP Coast Guard">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501418.html|title=Coast Guard's Response to Katrina a Silver Lining in the Storm|first=Stephen|last=Barr|date=September 6, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|newspaper=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424091917/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501418.html|archive-date=April 24, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
] declared a state of emergency in selected regions of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on August 27.<ref>{{cite news|first=George W.|last=Bush|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html|title=Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana|publisher=]|date=August 27, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507075732/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html|archive-date=May 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> "On Sunday, August 28, President Bush spoke with Governor Blanco to encourage her to order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans."<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-109srpt322/pdf/CRPT-109srpt322.pdf|title=Congressional Reports: S. Rpt. 109-322 – Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared|publisher=]|date=2006|access-date=July 6, 2014|page=235|location=Washington, D.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905092256/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-109srpt322/pdf/CRPT-109srpt322.pdf|archive-date=September 5, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> However, during the testimony by former ] (FEMA) chief ] before a U.S. House subcommittee on September 26, Representative ] (R-IN) inquired as to why Bush's declaration of state of emergency of August 27 had not included the coastal parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines.<ref name="Brown testimony">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/national/nationalspecial/27text-brown.html?ei=5070&en=eda6637e28de37c1&ex=1188792000&pagewanted=all|title=Former FEMA Director Testifies Before Congress|date=September 27, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|newspaper=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005013330/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/national/nationalspecial/27text-brown.html?ei=5070&en=eda6637e28de37c1&ex=1188792000&pagewanted=all|archive-date=October 5, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The declaration actually did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, whereas the coastal counties were included in the declarations for ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|first=George W.|last=Bush|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828.html|title=Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Mississippi|publisher=White House Office of the Press Secretary|date=August 28, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507035330/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828.html|archive-date=May 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=George W.|last=Bush|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828-3.html|title=Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Alabama|publisher=White House Office of the Press Secretary|date=August 28, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507105626/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050828-3.html|archive-date=May 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Brown testified that this was because Louisiana ] had not included those parishes in her initial request for aid, a decision that he found "shocking". After the hearing, Blanco released a copy of her letter, which showed she had requested assistance for "all the southeastern parishes including the City of New Orleans" as well as specifically named 14 parishes, including Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines.<ref>{{cite report|first=Kathleen|last=Blanco|author-link=Kathleen Blanco|url=http://jjic.gov.state.la.us/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf|title=Governor Blanco asks President to Declare an Emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina|date=August 28, 2005|access-date=April 14, 2010|publisher=Government of the State of Louisiana|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304155101/http://jjic.gov.state.la.us/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2012|location=Baton Rouge, Louisiana}}</ref> | |||
There were at least 36 confirmed ]es associated with Hurricane Katrina, with 11 tornadoes in ], 4 tornadoes in ], 15 tornadoes in ], 1 tornado in ], and 5 tornadoes in ]. Most of the tornadoes were rated F0 or F1, but three tornadoes were rated F2 in Georgia, and two were rated F2 in Mississippi. Tornadoes were reported in places including ] and ] counties in Pennsylvania, in ], in ], in ], in ], in ], and in ]. Several other weak tornadoes were reported by tv stations in and around ] and ]. There were also reports of tornado touch downs in parts in Harvey, Louisiana, a town of the West Bank of the Mississippi River, just south of New Orleans. | |||
Voluntary and mandatory evacuations were issued for large areas of southeast Louisiana as well as coastal Mississippi and Alabama. About 1.2 million residents of the Gulf Coast were covered under a voluntary or mandatory evacuation order.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
One death was reported from an F2 ] near ] in ], and 500,000 ]s were killed or set free after about 15 ] houses were damaged. Several injuries were reported with other tornadoes across Georgia. There was major damage in ] by an F2 tornado, which destroyed homes and a hotel. In Fort Valley, Georgia, another tornado ripped through a ] and destroyed local houses and trees. | |||
==== National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ==== | |||
The tornado outbreak set new monthly records in Georgia, including the most reported on a single day in ], the state's first death from an August tornado, and the most tornado damage (monetarily) ever in August. | |||
On the afternoon of August 26, the ] (NHC) realized that Katrina had yet to make the turn toward the Florida Panhandle and ended up revising the predicted track of the storm from the panhandle to the Mississippi coast.<ref name="NHC disc 014">{{cite report|first=Stacy R.|last=Stewart|work=National Hurricane Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|title=Hurricane Katrina Discussion Number 14|date=August 26, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al122005.discus.014.shtml?|location=Miami, Florida|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002045708/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al122005.discus.014.shtml|archive-date=October 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The National Weather Service's New Orleans/Baton Rouge office issued a ] on August 28 predicting that the area would be "uninhabitable for weeks" after "devastating damage" caused by Katrina, which at that time rivaled the intensity of ].<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/warn_archive/LIX/NPW/0828_214001.txt|title=Urgent – Weather Message|work=]|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|date=August 28, 2005|access-date=July 30, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060301101418/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/warn_archive/LIX/NPW/0828_214001.txt|archive-date=March 1, 2006|location=New Orleans, Louisiana}}</ref> During video conferences involving the president later that day and on August 29, NHC director ] expressed concern that Katrina might push its storm surge over the city's levees and flood walls. In one conference, he stated, "I do not think anyone can tell you with confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but that's obviously a very, very great concern."<ref name="Levee Breach Warning">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/02/fema.tapes/index.html|title=Transcripts, tape show Bush, Brown warned on Katrina|date=March 2, 2006|access-date=July 6, 2014|newspaper=]|location=Washington, D.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701165301/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/02/fema.tapes/index.html|archive-date=July 1, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Gulf Coast === | |||
==Preparations and expectations before landfall== | |||
==== Florida ==== | |||
<!-- please put current developments after landfall in "Impact" section, this section is only for predictions/preparations *before* landfall --> | |||
In Florida, Governor ] declared a ] on August 24 in advance of Hurricane Katrina's landfall.<ref name="Florida-preps">Staff writer. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624012053/http://floridadisaster.org/eoc/eoc_activations/katrina05/reports/Sitrep_Katrina_082605_3.pdf |date=June 24, 2006}} ''Florida State Emergency Response Team''. August 26, 2005. Retrieved June 6, 2006.</ref> By the following day, Florida's Emergency Operations Center was activated in ] to monitor the progress of the hurricane.<ref>{{cite report|publisher=]|date=August 25, 2005|title=Officials Urge Preparedness As Katrina Intensifies|access-date=April 11, 2012|url=http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18417|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608050649/http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18417|archive-date=June 8, 2010}}</ref> Before Katrina moved ashore, schools and businesses were closed in the Miami area. Cruise ships altered their paths due to seaports in southeastern Florida closing.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Reuters |title=Hurricane Katrina drenches Florida |date=August 26, 2005 |publisher=Television New Zealand |access-date=April 10, 2012 |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411319/606925 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221000944/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411319/606925 |archive-date=December 21, 2013}}</ref> Officials in Miami-Dade County advised residents in mobile homes or with special needs to evacuate. To the north in Broward County, residents east of the ] or in mobile homes were advised to leave their homes. Evacuation orders were issued for offshore islands in ], and for residents in mobile homes south of Lantana Road. Additionally, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for vulnerable housing in ].<ref name="Florida-preps"/> Shelters were opened across the region.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|first=Shadi|last=Rahimi|title=Tropical Storm Becomes a Hurricane as it Nears Florida|date=August 25, 2005|access-date=April 10, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/national/24cnd-storm.html}}</ref> Officials closed the ],<ref name="afp827">{{cite news|agency=Agence France-Presse|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 27, 2005|title=Reeling from hurricane, Florida braces for 2nd hit|access-date=April 10, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/travel/26iht-travel27.html}}</ref> ], ], and ] due to the storm. In Monroe and ] counties, schools were closed, and a shelter was opened in ].<ref name="nyt826">{{cite news|first1=Joseph B. |last1=Treaster |first2=Shadi |last2=Rahimi |title=Hurricane Moves Over Gulf After Soaking Southern Florida|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 26, 2005|access-date=April 10, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/national/26cnd-katrina.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2}}</ref> | |||
{{main|Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans}} | |||
==== Alabama ==== | |||
===Previous short term preparations and expectations=== | |||
On August 28, Alabama Governor ] declared a state of emergency for the approaching Hurricane Katrina. On the same day, he requested President Bush to declare "expedited major disaster declaration" for six counties of South Alabama, which was quickly approved. Three hundred fifty national guardsmen were called on duty by August 30.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3775450 |title=Riley declares state of emergency due to Katrina threat |access-date=October 8, 2006 |year=2005 |publisher=KATC, WorldNow |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928065227/http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3775450 |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> The state of Mississippi activated its ] on August 26 in preparation for the storm's landfall. Additionally, the state government activated its Emergency Operations Center the next day, and local governments began issuing evacuation orders. By 6:00 p.m. ] on August 28, 11 counties and cities issued evacuation orders, a number which increased to 41 counties and 61 cities by the following morning. Moreover, 57 emergency shelters were established on coastal communities, with 31 additional shelters available to open if needed.<ref name="CongressInvestigation">{{cite book|author=United States Congress|date=February 19, 2006|title=A Failure of Initiative: Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina|publisher=]|location=Washington, DC|access-date=May 20, 2011|url=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/katrinareport/fullreport.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326065222/http://www.gpoaccess.gov/katrinareport/fullreport.pdf|archive-date=March 26, 2009|author-link=United States Congress}}</ref> | |||
By Sunday, August 28, most infrastructure along the Gulf Coast had been shut down, including all freight and ] rail traffic into the evacuation areas as well as the ]. Since Hurricane Katrina, Amtrak's ] service has never been restored past New Orleans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/mobile-alabama-amtrak-service-restoration|title = Amtrak line to be restored to Gulf Coast by 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Simple_Copy_Popup&c=am2Copy&cid=1093554014709 |title=Service Alert: Hurricane Katrina Update – City of New Orleans, Crescent, Sunset Limited – Revised Service Information |date=September 1, 2005 |publisher=] |access-date=May 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922031250/http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak%2Fam2Copy%2FSimple_Copy_Popup&c=am2Copy&cid=1093554014709 |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
====Advance weather forecasts==== | |||
{{wikinewshas|several articles covering Hurricane Katrina| | |||
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==== Louisiana ==== | |||
Many living in the area felt that south Florida had minimal advance ] when Katrina strengthened from a tropical storm to a ] in one day, and struck southern ] later that same day, on ]. Even so, NHC forecasts showed Katrina strengthening into a hurricane well in advance of landfall, and hurricane watches and warnings were indeed issued nearly 36 and 24 hours, respectively, before hurricane conditions were felt in the area (watches and warnings are supposed to be issued at those time periods),. | |||
{{See also|Hurricane preparedness in New Orleans}} | |||
] | |||
In Louisiana, the state's hurricane evacuation plan calls for local governments in areas along and near the coast to evacuate in three phases, starting with the immediate coast 50 hours before the start of tropical-storm-force winds. Persons in areas designated Phase II begin evacuating 40 hours before the onset of tropical storm winds and those in Phase III areas (including New Orleans) evacuate 30 hours before the start of such winds.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Louisiana Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness |title=Louisiana Citizen Awareness and Disaster Evacuation Guide |access-date=July 20, 2006 |url=http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/evacinfo/stateevacrtes.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060714152101/http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/evacinfo/stateevacrtes.htm |archive-date=July 14, 2006}}</ref> Many private caregiving facilities that relied on bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation were unable to evacuate their charges because they waited too long.<ref name="providermag">{{cite web|last1=Connole|first1=Patrick|title=Long Term Care Providers Tackle Disaster Preparedness In A Post-Katrina World|magazine=Provider Magazine |date=February 1, 2011|url=https://www.providermagazine.com/Monthly-Issue/2011/Pages/0211/Disaster-Preparedness-In-A-Post-Katrina-World.aspx|access-date=October 11, 2020}}</ref> Louisiana's Emergency Operations Plan Supplement 1C (Part II, Section II, Paragraph D) calls for use of school and other public buses in evacuations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/DOD/manual/full%20text%20documents/State%20Authorities/La.%20EOP_Supplement1c.pdf|title=State Of Louisiana Emergency Operations Plan Supplement 1C|date=July 2000|access-date=May 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909235959/http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/DOD/manual/full%20text%20documents/State%20Authorities/La.%20EOP_Supplement1c.pdf|archive-date=September 9, 2006}}</ref> Although buses that later flooded were available to transport those dependent on public transportation, not enough bus drivers were available to drive them since Governor Blanco did not sign an emergency waiver to allow any licensed driver to transport evacuees on school buses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vtpi.org/katrina.pdf|first=Todd|last=Litman|publisher=Victoria Transport Policy Institute|date=April 13, 2006|access-date=May 20, 2011|title=Lessons From Katrina and Rita: What Major Disasters Can Teach Transportation Planners|page=5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325121112/http://vtpi.org/katrina.pdf|archive-date=March 25, 2009}}</ref> | |||
By August 26, many of the computer models had shifted the potential path of Katrina {{convert|150|mi|km}} westward from the Florida Panhandle, putting the city of New Orleans directly in the center of their track probabilities; the chances of a direct hit were forecast at 17%, with strike probability rising to 29% by August 28.<ref>. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220192914/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/prb/al122005.prblty.015.shtml |date=February 20, 2006}} and . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220192958/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/prb/al122005.prblty.021.shtml |date=February 20, 2006}} ''National Hurricane Center''. August 26, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> This scenario was considered a potential catastrophe because some parts of New Orleans and the metro area are below sea level. Since the storm surge produced by the hurricane's right-front quadrant (containing the strongest winds) was forecast to be {{convert|28|ft|m|1}}, while the levees offered protection to {{convert|23|ft|m|1}}, emergency management officials in New Orleans feared that the storm surge could go over the tops of levees protecting the city, causing major flooding.<ref>Drye, Willie. . '']''. August 29, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
By ] the possibility of "unprecedented cataclysm" was already being considered . Some computer models were putting New Orleans right in the center of their track probabilities, and the chances of a direct hit were forecast at nearly 90%. The Governor of Louisiana, ] declared a state of emergency for state agencies. | |||
On ], after Katrina crossed southern ] and strengthened to Category 3, ] ] declared a ] in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi two days before the hurricane made landfall. | |||
On ] the ] issued a predicting "devastating" damage rivaling the intensity of ]. At a news conference New Orleans Mayor Nagin ordered an of the city with Gov. Blanco standing beside him. | |||
At a news conference at 10 am. EDT on August 28, shortly after Katrina was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, New Orleans mayor ] ordered the first-ever ] of the city, calling Katrina "a storm that most of us have long feared".<ref>Staff Writer. . '']/]''. August 29, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> The city government also established several "refuges of last resort" for citizens who could not leave the city, including the massive ], which sheltered approximately 26,000 people and provided them with food and water for several days as the storm came ashore.<ref>Staff Writer. . {{webarchive|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20051112032104/http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08_28.html |date=November 12, 2005}} ''Times-Picayune''. August 28, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref><ref>''Diary From the Dome'' is a 2008 memoir written by a tourist who was stuck inside the Superdome during Katrina and the levee failures. It offers an overview of the conditions inside the stadium as well as a critique of the media's coverage of the disaster.</ref> Some estimates claimed that 80% of the 1.3 million residents of the greater New Orleans metropolitan area evacuated, leaving behind substantially fewer people than remained in the city during the ] evacuation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/29/asb.01.html|title=Hurricane Katrina Pummels Three States|last=Brown|first=Aaron|date=August 29, 2005|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521230304/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/29/asb.01.html|archive-date=May 21, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
====Transportation and infrastructure==== | |||
] map shows Hurricane Katrina's clouds along with colors indicating sea surface temperature. Yellow, orange, and red are 82°F or warmer - ideal for strengthening tropical cyclones.]] | |||
== Impact == | |||
===Previous long term preparations and expectations=== | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:0 1em 0.5em;" | |||
|+ Deaths by state | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 2 | |||
|- | |||
| Florida || 14 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 2 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 1 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 986–1,577* | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 238 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 2 | |||
|- | |||
! Total !! 1,245–1,836<ref name="MWR 2005AHS">{{cite journal |first1=John L. II |last1=Beven |first2=Lixion A. |last2=Avila |first3=Eric S. |last3=Blake |first4=Daniel P. |last4=Brown |first5=James L. |last5=Franklin |first6=Richard D. |last6=Knabb |first7=Richard J. |last7=Pasch |first8=Jamie R. |last8=Rhome |first9=Stacy R. |last9=Stewart |date=March 2008 |title=Annual Summary: Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005 |journal=] |volume=136 |issue=3 |pages=1131–1141 |access-date=July 6, 2014 |url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/2005.pdf |doi=10.1175/2007MWR2074.1 |bibcode=2008MWRv..136.1109B |citeseerx=10.1.1.212.8973 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910002905/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/2005.pdf |archive-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DHHLouisiana">{{cite journal|first1=Joan |last1=Brunkard |first2=Gonza |last2=Namulanda |first3=Raoult |last3=Ratard |journal=Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness |date=August 28, 2008 |title=Hurricane Katrina deaths, Louisiana, 2005 |doi=10.1097/DMP.0b013e31818aaf55 |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=215–223 |pmid=18756175 |doi-access=free |issn = 1935-7893 }}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| Missing || 652<ref name="louisiana1">{{cite report|url=http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?ID=192&Detail=5248|title=Reports of Missing and Deceased|publisher=]|date=August 2, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211020954/http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?ID=192&Detail=5248|archive-date=February 11, 2012|location=Baton Rouge, Louisiana}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-09-21 |title=New Orleans: Prisoners Abandoned to Floodwaters {{!}} Human Rights Watch |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2005/09/21/new-orleans-prisoners-abandoned-floodwaters |access-date=2024-10-19 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|colspan=2 | <small>*Includes out-of-state evacuees <br />counted by Louisiana</small> | |||
|} | |||
On August 29, 2005, Katrina's ] caused 53 breaches to various flood protection structures in and around the greater New Orleans area, submerging 80% of the city. A June 2007 report by the ] indicated that two-thirds of the flooding was caused by the multiple failures of the city's floodwalls.<ref name="ASCE HKERP report">{{cite report|url=http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/ERPreport.pdf|title=The New Orleans Hurricane Protection System: What Went Wrong and Why|first=Christine F.|last=Andersen|year=2007|publisher=] Hurricane Katrina External Review Panel|access-date=August 27, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702194739/http://www.asce.org/files/pdf/ERPreport.pdf|archive-date=July 2, 2007|location=Reston, Virginia|display-authors=etal}}</ref> The storm surge also devastated the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, making Katrina one of the most destructive hurricanes, the costliest ] in the history of the United States (tied with ] in 2017),<ref name="Costliest TC's">{{cite report|archive-date=January 27, 2018|url-status=live |date=January 12, 2018 |title=Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables update|access-date=January 12, 2018|publisher=United States National Hurricane Center|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/UpdatedCostliest.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083930/https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/UpdatedCostliest.pdf}}</ref> and the deadliest hurricane since the ]. The total damage from Katrina is estimated at $125 billion (2005 U.S. dollars).<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/><ref name="katreport">{{cite report|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=National Weather Service |title=Hurricane Katrina Service Assessment Report |date=June 2006 |access-date=July 6, 2014 |url=http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/Katrina.pdf |location=Silver Spring, Maryland |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219105454/http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/Katrina.pdf |archive-date=December 19, 2013}}</ref> However, in February 2021, ] struck the United States, causing a ] in Houston, which caused at least $195 billion (2021 USD) in damage in Texas. It surpassed both Katrina and Harvey to become the single-costliest natural disaster recorded in the United States.<ref name="Uri AAR">{{cite report|url=https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/HSEM/2021-Winter-Storm-Uri-AAR-Findings-Report.pdf|title=2021 Winter Storm Uri After-Action Review: Findings Report|author=|publisher=City of Austin & Travis County|date=November 4, 2021|accessdate=November 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105210936/https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/HSEM/2021-Winter-Storm-Uri-AAR-Findings-Report.pdf|archive-date=November 5, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The risk of devastation from a direct hit was well documented. | |||
'']'' newspaper ran a series on the risk in 2002; the series predicted many of the events that happened in 2005, including the breakdown of the levee system. "It's only a matter of time before South Louisiana takes a direct hit from a major hurricane. Billions have been spent to protect us, but we grow more vulnerable every day." ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'' ] - ] ] | |||
The death toll from Katrina is uncertain, with reports differing by hundreds. According to the National Hurricane Center, 1,836 fatalities can be attributed to the storm: one in ], two each in Alabama, ], and ], 14 in Florida, 238 in Mississippi, and 1,577 in Louisiana.<ref name="MWR 2005AHS"/><ref name="louisiana1"/> However, 135 people remain categorized as missing in Louisiana,<ref name="louisiana1"/> and many of the deaths are indirect, but it is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of some of the fatalities.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> A 2008 report by the Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal indicates that 966 deaths can be directly attributed to the storm in Louisiana, including out of state evacuees, and another 20 indirectly (such as firearm-related deaths and gas poisoning). Due to uncertain causes of death with 454 evacuees, an upper-bound of 1,440 is noted in the paper.<ref name="DHHLouisiana"/> A follow-up study by the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals determined that the storm was directly responsible for 1,170 fatalities in Louisiana.<ref name="DHHLouisiana2">{{cite web |first1=Poppy |last1=Markwell |first2=Raoult |last2=Ratard |publisher=Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals |access-date=August 25, 2015 |title=Deaths Directly Caused by Hurricane Katrina |url=http://dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/oph/Center-PHCH/Center-CH/stepi/specialstudies/KatrinaDeath1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107162205/http://dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/oph/Center-PHCH/Center-CH/stepi/specialstudies/KatrinaDeath1.pdf |archive-date=January 7, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
'']'' ran a feature in October 2004 . '']'' covered the topic thoroughly in an October 2001 piece titled "Drowning New Orleans" . Walter Williams did a serious short feature on it called "New Orleans: The Natural History", in which an expert said a direct hit by a hurricane could damage the city for six months . CSO magazine ran an interview with the National Weather Service's Gary Woodall in which he listed six steps that citizens and company executives can take to be prepared for hurricanes such as this. | |||
Federal disaster declarations covered {{convert|90000|sqmi|km2}} of the United States, an area almost as large as the United Kingdom. The hurricane left an estimated three million people without electricity. On September 3, 2005, ] Secretary ] described the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as "probably the worst catastrophe or set of catastrophes" in the country's history, referring to the hurricane itself plus the flooding of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/03/cst.04.html|title=The Aftermath of Katrina|newspaper=CNN|date=September 3, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425142259/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/03/cst.04.html|archive-date=April 25, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{{seealso|Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans}} | |||
Even in 2010, debris remained in some coastal communities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/06/27/1555968/spill-colors-fabric-of-gulf-coastal.html |title=Spill colors fabric of Gulf coastal life |newspaper=] |first=Lesley |last=Clark |date=June 20, 2010 |access-date=July 6, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720121507/http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/06/27/1555968/spill-colors-fabric-of-gulf-coastal.html |archive-date=July 20, 2010}}</ref> | |||
==Evacuation and emergency shelters== | |||
=== Bahamas and Cuba === | |||
'''"Not since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s or the end of the Civil War in the 1860s have so many Americans been on the move from a single event."''' | |||
Before striking South Florida, Katrina traversed the Bahamas as a tropical storm. However, minimal impact was reported, with only "fresh breezes" on various islands.<ref name="wmo">{{cite report|url=https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/documents/FINAL-REPORT-HC-28.pdf|title=RA IV Hurricane Committee Twent-Eight Session|date=2006|publisher=]|pages=58|access-date=January 30, 2015|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184209/http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/documents/FINAL-REPORT-HC-28.pdf|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Although Hurricane Katrina stayed well to the north of ], on August 28 it brought tropical-storm-force winds and rainfall of over {{convert|8|in|mm|abbr=on}} to western regions of the island. Telephone and power lines were damaged and around 8,000 people were evacuated in the ]. According to Cuban television reports the coastal town of Surgidero de Batabanó was 90% underwater.<ref name="Cuba damage">Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160521180357/http%3A//www.terradaily.com/2005/050828175451.y7y367k2.html |date=May 21, 2016}}</ref> | |||
At a news conference 10 a.m. on ], shortly after Katrina was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, New Orleans mayor ], calling Katrina "a storm that most of us have long feared," ordered the first ever ] of the city. ] on Interstate 10 leading west and Interstates 55 and 59 leading north from New Orleans was ended that afternoon. | |||
=== United States === | |||
Two weeks after the storm, over half the States were involved in providing shelter for evacuees. By four weeks after the storm, evacuees had been registered in all 50 states and in almost half the Zip codes of the U.S. Three quarters of evacuees had stayed within 250 miles but tens of thousands had located more than 1000 miles away. | |||
{{main|Effects of Hurricane Katrina in the Southeastern United States}} | |||
] | |||
==== Florida ==== | |||
The Louisiana State Evacuation Plan declares "The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating" in Part 1 Section D. The state evacuation plan also assigns the responsibility of evacuation to each Parish with the language <nowiki></nowiki> "Conduct and control local evacuation in parishes located in the risk area and manage reception and shelter operations in parishes located in the host area" in Part 1 Section D. The state evacuation plan also assigns the responsibility of evacuation of the sick and those needing assistance to the owners of the facilities with the language: "Hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, etc. will have pre-determined evacuation and/or refuge plans if evacuation becomes necessary. All | |||
] following Hurricane Katrina]] | |||
facilities will have approved Multi-Hazard Emergency Operations Plans as mandated by the State of Louisiana, Dept. of Health and Hospitals (DHH). Before operating permits are given to homes/hospitals, emergency precautions are to be taken, such as the placement of emergency supplies and equipment (i.e., generators and potable water) on upper floors.." in Part 1 Section D. As many of these facilities relied on the same bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation, several were unable to evacuate before the storm hit, resulting in the deaths of their occupants. | |||
Hurricane Katrina first made landfall between ] and ] on August 25. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in portions of the ], with a peak total of {{convert|16.43|in|mm|abbr=on}} in ]. As a result, local flooding occurred in ], damaging approximately 100 homes. Farther south in the Florida Keys, a ] was spawned in ] on August 26. The tornado damaged a hangar at the airport there and caused an estimated $5 million in damage.<ref name="Marathon Tornado">Devenas, Andy . ''] Forecast Office ]'' Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> The rains caused flooding, and the combination of rains and winds downed trees and power lines, leaving 1.45 million people without power. Damage in South Florida was estimated at $523 million, mostly as a result of crop damage. Twelve deaths occurred in South Florida, of which three were caused by downed trees in Broward County, three from drowning in Miami-Dade County, three were from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by generators, one was due to a vehicle accident, one occurred during debris cleanup, and one was associated with a lack of electricity. | |||
Significant impacts were also reported in the ]. Although Katrina moved ashore in Louisiana and Mississippi, its outer periphery produced a {{convert|5.37|ft|m|abbr=on}} storm surge in ]. High waves caused beach erosion and closed nearby roadways. There were five tornadoes in the northwestern portion of the state, though none of them caused significant damage. Throughout the Florida Panhandle, the storm resulted in an estimated $100 million in damage. There were two indirect fatalities from Katrina in ] as a result of a traffic accident.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> In the Florida Panhandle, 77,000 customers lost power.<ref>Associated Press, "Katrina at a Glance" (August 31, 2005), page 4A, ''Mobile Register'', web: {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001220638/http://www.al.com/mobileregister/pdf/register083105a.pdf |date=October 1, 2008}}.</ref> Overall, the hurricane killed 14 people and caused at least $623 million in damage. | |||
Roughly 150,000 people were not able to evacuate, partially because hundreds of available New Orleans school buses were not used in the evacuation . According to ]'s veteran reporter Lisa Myers, "A draft emergency plan, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and obtained by NBC News, calls for '400 buses to ... evacuate victims.' Yet those 400 buses were left in Katrina's path." Myers reports New Orleans Mayor Nagin refused comment on the matter. | |||
==== Louisiana ==== | |||
While some have claimed school bus drivers were not available, the very first bus to arrive at the ] with New Orleans evacuees was a New Orleans school bus driven by an evacuee, 20 year old ], who commandeered it. Any licensed driver is suitable in an emergency. | |||
]]] | |||
], where Katrina made landfall]] | |||
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near ], with {{convert|125|mph|km/h|-1|abbr=on}} winds, as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Although the storm surge to the east of the path of the eye in Mississippi was higher, a significant surge affected the Louisiana coast. The height of the surge is uncertain because of a lack of data, although a tide gauge in ] indicated a storm tide in excess of {{convert|14|ft|m|1}}, and a {{convert|12|ft|m|1|adj=on}} storm surge was recorded in ]. The hurricane made its final landfall near the mouth of the ], with the eye straddling ], and ], on the morning of August 29 at about 9:45 am. CDT.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
Hurricane Katrina also brought heavy rain to Louisiana, with {{convert|8|-|10|in|mm}} falling on a wide swath of the eastern part of the state. In the area around ], the rainfall was even higher, and the highest rainfall recorded in the state was approximately {{convert|15|in|mm}}. As a result of the rainfall and storm surge the level of ] rose and caused significant flooding along its northeastern shore, affecting communities from Slidell to ]. Several bridges were destroyed, including the ] connecting Slidell to New Orleans.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> Almost 900,000 people in Louisiana lost power as a result of Hurricane Katrina.<ref name="Power failures">Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108202531/http://www.oe.netl.doe.gov/docs/katrina/katrina_083005_1600.pdf |date=November 8, 2006}} ''Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) ]''. August 30, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
The bus situation was not lost on at least one New Orleans evacuee, Connie London, interviewed by ABC Reporter Dean Reynolds at the ]. The evacuee cites the bus flooding as her major criticism of the performance of city and state officials in handling Hurricane Katrina. Video (wmv file, 00:54 seconds) | |||
Katrina's storm surge inundated all parishes surrounding Lake Pontchartrain, including ], Tangipahoa, ], and ] Parishes. St. Tammany Parish received a two-part storm surge. The first surge came as Lake Pontchartrain rose and the storm blew water from the Gulf of Mexico into the lake. The second came as the eye of Katrina passed, westerly winds pushed water into a bottleneck at the Rigolets Pass, forcing it farther inland. The range of surge levels in eastern St. Tammany Parish is estimated at {{convert|13|-|16|ft|m}}, not including wave action.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fema.gov/pdf/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/katrina_la_overview-n.pdf |title=FEMA: Louisiana Katrina Surge Inundation Map, January 2006 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216044045/http://www.fema.gov/pdf/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/katrina_la_overview-n.pdf |archive-date=December 16, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The Governor used her authority to utilize public school buses from other parishes long after the levee broke. | |||
Hard-hit ] was flooded because of breaching of the levees that contained a navigation channel called the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) and the breach of the 40 Arpent canal levee that was designed and built by the ]. The search for the missing was undertaken by the St. Bernard Fire Department because of the assets of the ] being diverted to New Orleans. In the months after the storm, many of the missing were tracked down by searching flooded homes, tracking credit card records, and visiting homes of family and relatives.<ref>Cannizaro, Steve. . ''St. Bernard Parish Government (press release)''. December 17, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
In addition to residents, many tourists were stranded. Fuel and rental cars were in short supply; also, ] bus and ] train service were halted well before the hurricane made landfall . Future analysis of ], ] and ] Information, and ]s may help to provide more clarity. During the ] evacuation, 600,000 people remained in the city . | |||
According to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, in St. Bernard Parish, 81% (20,229) of the housing units were damaged. In St. Tammany Parish, 70% (48,792) were damaged and in Plaquemines Parish 80% (7,212) were damaged.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/GulfCoast_Hsngdmgest.pdf|title=Current Housing Unit Damage Estimates, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma|publisher=U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development|date=February 12, 2006|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926231657/http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/GulfCoast_HsngDmgEst.pdf|archive-date=September 26, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In addition, the combined effect of Hurricanes Katrina and ] was the destruction of an estimated {{convert|562|km2|sqmi}} of coastal wetlands in Louisiana.<ref>Rosenzweig, C., G. Casassa, D.J. Karoly, A. Imeson, C. Liu, A. Menzel, S. Rawlins, T.L. Root, B. Seguin, P. Tryjanowski. (2007). "Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability". Chapter 1 in ''Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change'', (M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. (url : http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg2/ar4-wg2-chapter1.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306152944/http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg2/ar4-wg2-chapter1.pdf |date=March 6, 2009}}). p. 92. Accessed December 19, 2011.</ref> | |||
Mandatory evacuations were also ordered for ], ] (Kenner, Metairie, as well as Grand Isle and other low lying areas), ] (outside the ]s), ], ] and ] parishes and parts of ], ] and ] parishes in Louisiana. | |||
===== New Orleans ===== | |||
In ], evacuations were ordered for parts of ] and ] counties (including ]). In ], evacuations were ordered for parts of ], ], ] and ] counties. | |||
{{Main|Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans|2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans}} | |||
] | |||
] and surrounding area of northwest New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana]] | |||
As the eye of Hurricane Katrina swept to the northeast, it subjected the city to hurricane conditions for hours. Although power failures prevented accurate measurement of wind speeds in New Orleans, there were a few measurements of hurricane-force winds; based on this information, the NHC concluded that much of the city likely experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or 2 hurricane strength. | |||
Katrina's storm surge caused 53 levee breaches in the ] protecting metro New Orleans and the failure of the 40 Arpent Canal levee. Failures occurred in New Orleans and surrounding communities, especially St. Bernard Parish. The ] (MR-GO) breached its levees in approximately 20 places, flooding much of eastern New Orleans, most of ] and the East Bank of ]. The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the ] levee, the ], and the wide, navigable ], which left approximately 80% of the city flooded.<ref>Murphy, Verity. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001094924/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4307972.stm |date=October 1, 2006}} '']'' October 4, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
===New Orleans shelters=== | |||
====Louisiana Superdome==== | |||
Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only major intact highway routes out of the city were the westbound ] and the Huey P. Long Bridge, as large portions of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge traveling eastbound towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. Both the ] and the Crescent City Connection only carried emergency traffic.<ref>Gordon, Meghan. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184141/http://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2005/08/causeway_closed_but_hardly_damaged.html |date=March 3, 2016}} ''Times Picayune''. August 31, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> However, access to downtown New Orleans and the "shelter of last resort" at the Convention Center was never closed because River Road in Jefferson Parish and Leake Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans were not flooded, and would have allowed access throughout the immediate post-storm emergency period. | |||
{{main|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans#Superdome refuge}} | |||
On August 29, at 7:40 am. CDT, it was reported that most of the windows on the north side of the ] had been blown out, and many other high rise buildings had extensive window damage.<ref>Transcript from, '']''. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108154446/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/weather/july-dec05/katrina_8-29.html |date=January 8, 2014}} '']''. August 29, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> The ] was the most severely damaged hotel in the city, with beds reported to be flying out of the windows. Insulation tubes were exposed as the hotel's glass exterior was completely sheared off.<ref>Mowbray, Rebecca. . {{webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090701215949/http://www.nola.com/hurricane/katrina/stories/083005_a15_hotels.html |date=July 1, 2009}} ''Times-Picayune''. August 30, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
] | |||
] | |||
The ], which was sheltering many people who had not evacuated, sustained significant damage.<ref name="Gibson">{{cite news|last=Gibson|first=Christine|title=Our 10 Greatest Natural Disasters|publisher=American Heritage|date=August 1, 2006|access-date=February 22, 2016|url=http://www.americanheritage.com/content/our-10-greatest-natural-disasters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185615/http://www.americanheritage.com/content/our-10-greatest-natural-disasters|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Two sections of the Superdome's roof were compromised and the dome's waterproof membrane was essentially peeled off. ] was closed before the storm but did not flood. On August 30, it was reopened to humanitarian and rescue operations. Limited commercial passenger service resumed at the airport on September 13 and regular carrier operations resumed in early October.<ref name="New Orleans Airport">{{cite web|title=Hurricane Katrina from the Airport's Point of View |publisher=Web Archive of Fly MSY website |date=September 21, 2005 |access-date=February 22, 2016 |url=http://www.flymsy.com/Katrinastory.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060312180732/http://www.flymsy.com/Katrinastory.htm |archive-date=March 12, 2006}}</ref> | |||
On ], as Hurricane Katrina grew into a Category 5 storm that had yet to make landfall, Nagin established several "refuges of last resort" for citizens who could not leave the city, including the massive ]. The New Orleans Times - Picayune reported that the Louisiana National Guard delivered three truckloads of water and seven truckloads of MRE's, enough to supply 15,000 people for three days according to Col. Jay Mayeaux, deputy director of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Preparedness . The Superdome housed over 9,000 people along with 550 ] troops when Katrina came ashore . On ], Katrina passed over New Orleans with such force that it ripped two holes in the Superdome roof. A National Guard official said on Thursday, ], that as many as 60,000 people had gathered at the Superdome for evacuation, having remained there in increasingly difficult circumstances , , . Air conditioning, electricity, and running water all failed, making for very unsanitary and uncomfortable conditions. There have been widespread reports of murders, rapes, beatings, robberies, and general mayhem in the Superdome, though most reports appear in the foreign press, as mainstream U.S. media have omitted the more serious reports. | |||
Most of these reports were determined to be based on unverified rumors and myths . By late September, it had become clear that nearly all of the murder, rape, and other crime rumors were false | |||
On ], it was announced that evacuees would be moved to the ] in ]. During this evacuation many owners were seperated from their pets, and the plight of ] was widely reported. By ], the Superdome was completely evacuated. Officials say that the flood damage, debris, human waste and bodily fluids in the Superdome is a "potential biohazard," and that it is too early to tell what the final fate of the structure will be, although demolition has been cited as a possible outcome. | |||
<!-- this section is for the Louisiana Superdome: please place non-Superdome comments in the appropriate section --> | |||
Levee breaches in New Orleans also caused a significant number of deaths, with over 700 bodies recovered in New Orleans by October 23, 2005.<ref>Warner, Coleman; Travis, Robert. . ''Times-Picayune''. October 23, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Some survivors and evacuees reported seeing dead bodies lying in city streets and floating in still-flooded sections, especially in the east of the city. The advanced state of decomposition of many corpses, some of which were left in the water or sun for days before being collected, hindered efforts by coroners to identify many of the dead.<ref>O'Neill, Ann. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901054457/http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/09/katrina.morgue/index.html |date=September 1, 2006}} ''CNN''. September 9, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
====New Orleans Convention Center==== | |||
{{main|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans#The New Orleans Convention Center}} | |||
] | |||
The New Orleans Convention Center was broken into by ]th, and by ], the facility, like the Superdome, was overwhelmed and declared unsafe and unsanitary. Reports of violence, beatings, and rape among those gathered in the convention center were widespread. Several people died while sheltered within. Reports indicated that up to 20,000 people had gathered at the Convention Center, many dropped off after rescue from flooded areas of the city. Others were directed to the center by the police, headed by ], as a possible refuge. However, even though there were thousands of evacuees at the center, along with network newscasters, pleading desperately for help on CNN, FOX, and other broadcast outlets, FEMA head ] and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff both claimed to have no knowledge of the use of the Convention Center as a shelter until the afternoon of ] (), although later Brown said he misspoke and had learned of them 24 hours earlier. For two days, still, the evacuees' pleas were ignored. Those able to walk the distance could have left the Convention Center, and the city, via the Crescent City Connection Bridge, but were prevented from doing so at gunpoint by Gretna, LA sheriffs . The Convention Center was completely evacuated by ]. By ] there were reports that the claims of rape and murder at the Convention Center and the Superdome could be false . By late September, it was found that nearly all of these claims were in fact false. | |||
The first deaths reported from the city were reported shortly before midnight on August 28, as three ] patients died during an evacuation to ], most likely from dehydration. An estimated 215 bodies were found in nursing homes and hospitals in New Orleans,<ref name="USA20051017">{{cite news |first1=Robert |last1=Davis |first2=Kevin |last2=Johnson |title=La. looks into 215 Katrina deaths – Inquiry includes euthanasia report |newspaper=USA Today |location=Arlington, VA |date=October 17, 2005}}</ref> the largest number being at ] where 45 corpses were recovered.<ref>{{cite news|last=Canfield|first=Sabrina|title=Hospital Settles Katrina Deaths Class Action|url=http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/03/24/35204.htm|access-date=March 4, 2014|newspaper=Courthouse News Service|date=March 24, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210827/http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/03/24/35204.htm|archive-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref> Some 200 patients at ] were not evacuated until Friday, September 2, having been without power or fresh water for five days.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.hospitals/ |title=Patients finally rescued from Charity Hospital |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=cnn.com |publisher=Cable News Network |access-date=August 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828021301/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.hospitals/ |archive-date=August 28, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> While there were also early reports of fatalities amid mayhem at the Superdome, only six deaths were confirmed there, with four of these originating from ], one from a drug overdose, and one a suicide. At the Convention Center, four bodies were recovered. One of the four is believed to be the result of a homicide.<ref name="thevenot">Thevenot, Brian; Russell, Gordon. . {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051023070941/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002520986_katmyth26.html |date=October 23, 2005}} ''Seattle Times''. September 26, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
There is evidence that many prisoners were abandoned in their cells during the storm, while the guards sought shelter. Hundreds of prisoners were later registered as "unaccounted for".<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204023801/http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/08/27/imprisoned-disaster-political-will-and-hurricane-katrina/ |date=December 4, 2012}}, ''The Society Pages'', August 27, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2012.</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028035429/http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/oct2005/katr-o01.shtml |date=October 28, 2012}}, ''World Socialist Web Site'', October 1, 2005. Retrieved November 28, 2012.</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326051655/https://www.aclu.org/files/pdfs/prison/oppreport20060809.pdf|date=March 26, 2016}} ( {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314210237/https://www.aclu.org/prisoners-rights/abandoned-and-abused|date=March 14, 2015}}), ''American Civil Liberties Union'', August 9, 2006. Retrieved November 28, 2012.</ref> | |||
===Shelters in Texas=== | |||
].]] | |||
{{main|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans#Evacuation efforts}} | |||
==== Mississippi ==== | |||
On ], the ] Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the State of ] came to an agreement to allow at least 25,000 evacuees from ], especially those who were sheltered in the ], to move to the Astrodome until they could return home. The evacuation began on ]. | |||
]'s Bay St. Louis Bridge on Pass Christian was destroyed as a result of Katrina.]] | |||
The Gulf coast of Mississippi suffered extremely severe damage from the impact of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, leaving 238 people dead, 67 missing, and billions of dollars in damage: bridges, barges, boats, piers, houses, and cars were washed inland.<ref name=HBrecov>{{cite web|title=Information Relating to the Federal Appropriations for Katrina Recovery |date=January 6, 2006 |access-date=September 27, 2006 |first=Haley |last=Babour |publisher=Office of the Governor, Mississippi |url=http://www.governorbarbour.com/Recovery/news/2006/jan/information.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928025331/http://www.governorbarbour.com/Recovery/news/2006/jan/information.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> Katrina traveled up the entire state; as a result, all 82 counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance, 47 for full assistance.<ref name=HBrecov/> | |||
After making a brief initial landfall in Louisiana, Katrina had made its final landfall near the state line, and the eyewall passed over the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of {{convert|120|mph|km/h|-1|abbr=on}}.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> Katrina's powerful right-front quadrant passed over the west and central Mississippi coast, causing a powerful {{convert|27|ft|m|1|adj=on}} storm surge, which penetrated {{convert|6|mi|km|0}} inland in many areas and up to {{convert|12|mi|km|0}} inland along bays and rivers; in some areas, the surge crossed ] for several miles.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> Hurricane Katrina brought strong winds to Mississippi, which caused significant tree damage throughout the state. The highest unofficial reported wind gust recorded from Katrina was one of {{convert|135|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in ], in ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
However, as of ], officials declared the ] full and unable to accept additional hurricane refugees from the disaster. The Reliant Astrodome was reopened a few hours later, and it was announced that the ] would have all events cancelled through December so as to open the building to ~11,000 additional evacuees. The ] was announced as an additional shelter site at the same time, but was not opened for use until ]. | |||
] following Hurricane Katrina]] | |||
When the Houston shelters began to reach capacity on ], Texas Governor Rick Perry activated an emergency plan that made space for an additional 25,000 in each of ] and the ]/ ]/] Metroplex and smaller shelters in communities across Texas. Beginning with a convoy of 50 buses (2,700 people) that arrived at the Dallas Reunion Arena at 3:00 a.m. CST ], a wave of over 120,000 additional evacuees began pouring into Texas at a rate, such that as of ], it was estimated there are roughly 139,000 evacuees in official shelters in the state, adding to the estimated 90,000 already in hotels and homes. | |||
The storm also brought heavy rains with {{convert|8|-|10|in|mm}} falling in southwestern Mississippi and rain in excess of {{convert|4|in|mm}} falling throughout the majority of the state. Katrina caused eleven tornadoes in Mississippi on August 29, some of which damaged trees and power lines.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
Battered by wind, rain and storm surge, some beachfront neighborhoods were completely leveled. Preliminary estimates by Mississippi officials calculated that 90% of the structures within half a mile of the coastline were completely destroyed,<ref name="CBS Miss">Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827100659/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/01/katrina/main810916.shtml |date=August 27, 2006}} '']''. September 1, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> and that storm surges traveled as much as {{convert|6|mi|km|0}} inland in portions of the state's coast.<ref name="katreport"/> One apartment complex with approximately thirty residents seeking shelter inside collapsed. More than half of the 13 casinos in the state, which were floated on barges to comply with Mississippi land-based gambling laws, were washed hundreds of yards inland by waves.<ref name="CBS Miss"/> | |||
By the afternoon of ], with a total estimated number of over 230,000 evacuees in ], Governor Perry ordered that buses begin being diverted to other shelters outside the state resulting in 20,000 being sent to Oklahoma and 30,000 being sent to Arkansas. By Labor Day, ], Texas had an estimated 250,000 evacuees and Governor Perry was forced to declare a state of emergency in ] and issued an impassioned plea to other states to begin taking the 40,000-50,000 evacuees that were still in need of shelter. | |||
A number of streets and bridges were washed away. On ] along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, two major bridges were completely destroyed: the Bay St. Louis–Pass Christian<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> bridge, and the Biloxi–] bridge. In addition, the eastbound ] of the I-10 bridge over the ] estuary was damaged. In the weeks after the storm, with the connectivity of the coastal U.S. Highway 90 shattered, traffic traveling parallel to the coast was reduced first to State Road 11 (parallel to I-10) then to two lanes on the remaining I-10 span when it was opened. | |||
==Local effects and aftermath== | |||
{{main2|Hurricane Katrina effects by region|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans}} | |||
] and ] ].]] | |||
] prepared this map of the affected area.]] | |||
Areas affected include southern ], ] (especially the ] area), ], ], the western ], western and north ] (hit by tornadoes), the ] and ] regions, the eastern ] region and the length of the western ]. Over 1,200 deaths have been reported in seven ]s, a number which is expected to rise as casualty reports come in from areas currently inaccessible. Three levees in New Orleans gave way, and 80% of the city was under water at peak flooding, which in some places was 20 to 25 feet (7 or 8 meters) deep. As of ], the flood pool had abated to covering 60% of the city. | |||
] | |||
]]] | |||
By ], NOAA had published satellite photography of many of the affected regions. The ] in Katrina as it was making landfall on ] was very high to the east of where the storm center crossed the coast. Storm surge of near 30 feet high was observed, where during the height of the storm at the ] scenes like a car floating outside the first floor lobby, and a boat is being swept across the parking lot as the surge comes in with the ] winds were not uncommon. The lobby and parking lot are over 20 feet above ] of the ], and 1/4 mile away from the Gulf coastal road Highway 90 in ] between ] and ]. | |||
All three coastal counties of the state were severely affected by the storm. Katrina's surge was the most extensive, as well as the highest, in the documented history of the United States; large portions of ], ], and ] counties were inundated by the storm surge, in all three cases affecting most of the populated areas.<ref>{{cite web | author = Federal Emergency Management Agency | title = Mississippi Hurricane Katrina Surge Inundation and Advisory Base Flood Elevation Map Panel Overview | date = November 2005 | access-date = July 16, 2006 | publisher = FEMA | url = http://www.fema.gov/pdf/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/ms_overview.pdf | author-link = Federal Emergency Management Agency | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151120205158/http://www.fema.gov/pdf/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/ms_overview.pdf | archive-date = November 20, 2015 | url-status = live}}</ref> Surge covered almost the entire lower half of Hancock County, destroying the coastal communities of ] and Waveland, much of Bay St. Louis, and flowed up the Jourdan River, flooding Diamondhead and ]. In Harrison County, ] was completely inundated, along with a narrow strip of land to the east along the coast, which includes the cities of Long Beach and Gulfport; the flooding was more extensive in communities such as D'Iberville, which borders Back Bay. ], on a peninsula between the Back Bay and the coast, was particularly hard hit, especially the low-lying Point Cadet area. In Jackson County, storm surge flowed up the wide river ], with the combined surge and freshwater flooding cutting the county in half. Remarkably, over 90% of Pascagoula, the easternmost coastal city in Mississippi, and about {{convert|75|mi|km|-1}} east of Katrina's landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border was flooded from storm surge at the height of the storm. Other large Jackson County neighborhoods such as Porteaux Bay and Gulf Hills were severely damaged with large portions being completely destroyed, and ] was hard hit; Ocean Springs, ], Gautier and ] also suffered major surge damage. | |||
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials also recorded deaths in ], ], ], and ] counties. Over 900,000 people throughout the state experienced power outages.<ref name="Power failures"/> | |||
===Looting and violence=== | |||
==== Alabama ==== | |||
{{POV-section}} | |||
]'s federal courthouse.]] | |||
Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall well to the west, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle were both affected by tropical-storm-force winds and a storm surge varying from {{convert|12|to(-)|16|ft|m}} around ],<ref name=KatrinaTCR/> with higher waves on top. Sustained winds of {{convert|67|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} were recorded in ], and the storm surge there was approximately {{convert|12|ft|m}}.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> The surge caused significant flooding several miles inland along Mobile Bay. Four tornadoes were also reported in Alabama.<ref name=KatrinaTCR/> Ships, oil rigs, boats and fishing ]s were washed ashore along Mobile Bay: the cargo ship M/V ''Caribbean Clipper'' and many fishing boats were grounded at ]. | |||
An ] under construction along the ] broke its moorings and floated {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} northwards before striking the Cochrane Bridge just outside Mobile. No significant damage resulted to the bridge and it was soon reopened. The damage on ] was severe, with the surge destroying many houses and cutting a new canal through the western portion of the island. An offshore oil rig also became grounded on the island. As in Mississippi, the storm surge caused significant beach erosion along the Alabama coastline.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> More than 600,000 people lost power in Alabama as a result of Hurricane Katrina and two people died in a traffic accident in the state. Residents in some areas, such as Selma, were without power for several days.<ref name="Power failures"/> | |||
Shortly after ], there were reports that some of the thousands of people who remained in the city, including police officers, began taking items from stores . The activies were initially reported exclusively as looting, and television news media aired some highly convincing images that looting was taking place. Many people questioned whether racial bias played a part in the characterization of these events, pointing to accounts where the term 'looting' (instead of 'finding food' for example) was applied depending on the race of the persons involved; ] in the former, ] in the latter. It soon became apparent, however, that many people were indeed commandeering jewlery, alcohol, and electronics, including large plasma televisions, items that were certainly not basic necessities for survival, so the authorities have defended their use of the word "looting" to describe these actions. The truth of the prevelance of looting compared to the prevalence of survival activity, though, will still likely be publicly debated for a long time. Given the immediate chaos following the flooding, and the inherent lack of access by the media to some of the most affected areas, a clear picture may never exist. | |||
==== Other U.S. states ==== | |||
Carjacking, murders, thefts, and rapes were also widely reported. The overwhelming majority of those accounts subsequently proved to be false. | |||
{{more citations needed section|date=August 2017}} | |||
]: cargo ship and fishing boats were grounded]] | |||
Northern and central ] were affected by heavy rains and strong winds from Hurricane Katrina as the storm moved inland, with more than {{convert|3|in|mm}} of rain falling in several areas. At least 18 tornadoes formed in Georgia on August 29, 2005, the most on record in that state for one day in August. The most serious of these tornadoes was an F2 tornado which affected ] and ]. This tornado caused three injuries and one fatality and damaged several houses. The other tornadoes caused significant damages to buildings and agricultural facilities. In addition to the fatality caused by the F2 tornado, there was another fatality in a traffic accident.<ref>Westbrook, Robby; WFO Peachtree City Staff. . '']''. December 1, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> | |||
Eastern ] received light rain from the passage of Katrina.<ref name="rain">{{cite web|year=2005|title=Hurricane Katrina Rainfall Summary|publisher=]|access-date=November 4, 2006|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/katrina2005.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514150939/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/katrina2005.html|archive-date=May 14, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Gusty winds downed some trees and power lines, though damage was minimal. Katrina also caused a number of power outages in many areas, with over 100,000 customers affected in ], primarily in the ] and ] areas. | |||
Partly because of the false reports of violence, thousands of National Guard and federal troops were mobilized and sent to Louisiana along with numbers of local law enforcement agents from across the country who were temporarily deputized by the state. "They have M-16s and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will," Kathleen Blanco said. Congressman Jefferson (D-LA) told ABC News. Less than 200 arrests had been made in New Orleans two weeks after the flooding began. There was no resistance when law enforcement entered the Superdome and the Convention Center. A temporary jail was constructed of chain link cages in the city train station although controversy arose over at least one inmate , a septugenarian accused of having stolen sausage she said she actually had in her car. The elderly woman spents weeks jailed. A September 26 2005 article from The Times Picayune, titled 'Rumors of deaths greatly exaggerated' provides updated information. Only ten deaths, all but two resulting from natural causes, occurrred in the Superdome and the Convention Center. No rapes in either building have been substantiated. Though crimes of opportunity, including some looting did occur, the degree of lawlessness has been grossly overstated. | |||
] area is not available.]] | |||
False claims that most or all the evacuees from New Orleans are criminals have also circulated on the Internet and in the media. They usually rely on unsubstantiated allegations or criminal background checks of the persons remaining in public shelters for weeks, who are likely to be those with the most significant problems. There has been no reliable evidence of the population of evacuees, estimated at from 300,000 to 500,000, having any greater composition of criminals than one would find any most American cities. Indeed, poor evacuees are disproportionately women, children and the elderly, groups with low crime rates. (Additional information about this topic, including citations to sources, is available in the 'Race' portion of this article. I believe this edit corrects the misinformation that previously appeared in this section.) | |||
In ], rainfall from Katrina compounded flooding from a storm that had moved through during the previous weekend. A 10-year-old girl drowned in ]. Dozens of businesses were closed and several families evacuated due to rising floodwaters.<ref>Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709155439/http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=3782760 |date=July 9, 2007}} '']''. September 6, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> As a result of the flooding, Kentucky Governor ] declared three counties disaster areas and a statewide state of emergency.<ref>Staff Writer. . '']''. Accessed on April 18, 2006. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref><ref>Blanton, Carla; Goins, Michael; Whitaker, Jodi. . ''Commonwealth of Kentucky'' (Press Release). August 30, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> Additionally, wind gusts up to {{convert|72|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} resulted in some damage. Downed trees and power lines were reported in several counties in western Kentucky, especially ] and ] counties. Overall, more than 10,000 utility customers in western Kentucky experienced power outages. The remnants of Katrina spawned a tornado in ], damaging at least 13 homes in ]. In addition, approximately 4,000 people lost electricity. Over {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain fell in portions of ], causing localized flooding in several counties. At least 103 homes and 7 buildings suffered some degree of water damage. A number of roads and bridges were inundated or washed out. The remnants of Katrina produced locally heavy precipitation in northeast Ohio, ranging from about {{convert|2|to|4|in|mm|abbr=on}}. Numerous streams and rivers overflowed their banks, forcing the closure of several roads, including ] in ]. Two deaths occurred due to a flood-related automobile accident in ]. Additionally, hundreds of homes and businesses suffered flood damage. | |||
Katrina spawned five tornadoes in ], though none resulted in significant damage. Up to {{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain fell in western New York. Gusty winds also left approximately 4,500 people in ] without electricity. The remnants of Katrina brought {{convert|3|to|6|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain to portions of Massachusetts, causing flash flooding in ] and ] counties. Several roads were closed due to floodwater inundation in ], ], ], and ], including ] in New Bedford. Very minimal impact was reported in ], with winds downing a tree and two electrical poles in the city of ]. In ], {{convert|2.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain in ] caused cars to hydroplane on ], resulting in many automobile accidents. The storm brought {{convert|3|to|5|in|mm|abbr=on}} of precipitation to isolated areas of Maine and up to {{convert|9|in|mm|abbr=on}} near ]. Several roads were inundated or washed out by overflowing brooks and streams, including sections of ] and Maine ] and ]. Several structures and one parked vehicle were also affected by the waters. Wind gusts up to {{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} also impacted parts of Maine, felling trees and causing power outages in ], ], ], ], and ]. | |||
===Death toll (summary)=== | |||
<!-- Please keep this section for summary on current casualty status only --> | |||
{{Hurricane Katrina death toll}} | |||
=== Canada === | |||
The confirmed death toll as of ] stands at 1,242, mainly from Louisiana (1,003) and Mississippi (221). | |||
In Canada, the remnants of Katrina brought rainfall amounts in excess of {{convert|3.94|in|mm|abbr=on}} to many locations between the ] and the ] valley.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/ouragans-hurricanes/default.asp?lang=en&n=3DB833A6-1|title=Canadian Tropical Cyclone Season Summary for 2005|date=January 15, 2014|publisher=]|access-date=January 31, 2015|location=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220231001/http://www.ec.gc.ca/ouragans-hurricanes/default.asp?lang=en&n=3DB833A6-1|archive-date=February 20, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Severe local flooding occurred in ], forcing the evacuations of dozens of homes in some communities as rivers began overflowing their banks and sewage systems were becoming overwhelmed by the influx of precipitation. Inundated and washed out roads, including ] along the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, ] north of ], and ] near ] left several communities isolated for at least a week.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/rain-from-katrina-washes-out-quebec-north-shore-roads-1.553266|title=Rain from Katrina washes out Quebec north shore roads|date=September 1, 2005|newspaper=]|access-date=January 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222025710/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/rain-from-katrina-washes-out-quebec-north-shore-roads-1.553266|archive-date=February 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
== Aftermath == | |||
Direct deaths indicate those caused by the direct effects of the ], ]ing, ] or ]ic effects of Katrina. Indirect deaths indicate those caused by hurricane-related accidents (including ] accidents), ]s or other incidents, as well as clean-up incidents and health issues. | |||
{{See also|Social effects of Hurricane Katrina|Political effects of Hurricane Katrina|Hurricane Katrina disaster relief|Displacement after Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
=== Economic effects === | |||
Government officials had estimated fatalities as high as 10,000. The fear that thousands of people died has proven to be an ]. | |||
{{Main|Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
{{Costliest U.S. Atlantic hurricanes|align=right}} | |||
The economic effects of the storm reached high levels. The ] sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region,<ref>St. Onge, Jeff; Epstein, Victor. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064250/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/04/01/ex_chief_says_fema_readiness_even_worse/ |date=March 4, 2016}} ''Boston.com''. April 1, 2006. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> which did not account for damage to the economy caused by potential interruption of the ] supply, destruction of the Gulf Coast's highway infrastructure, and exports of commodities such as grain. Katrina damaged or destroyed 30 ]s and caused the closure of nine ];<ref name="katreport"/> the total shut-in oil production from the Gulf of Mexico in the six-month period following Katrina was approximately 24% of the annual production and the shut-in gas production for the same period was about 18%.<ref>Fagot, Caryl; Winbush, Debra. . {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510213820/http://www.mms.gov/ooc/press/2006/press0222.htm |date=May 10, 2006}} . {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051126001158/http://www.mms.gov/ |date=November 26, 2005}} February 22, 2006. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> The forestry industry in Mississippi was also affected, as {{convert|1.3|e6acre|km2}} of forest lands were destroyed.<ref name="CRS environment">{{cite web | |||
On ] ] stopped allowing journalists to accompany rescuers searching for victims, saying they would take up too much space. At the same time, FEMA requested that journalists stop taking pictures of dead bodies. News organizations have filed suit in ], claiming a violation of the ]'s ]. In face of the lawsuit, FEMA has since countermanded this request. | |||
|last=Sheikh | |||
|first=Pervaze A. | |||
|date=October 18, 2005 | |||
|url=http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33117_20051018.pdf | |||
|title=The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Biological Resources | |||
|publisher=] | |||
|access-date=April 14, 2010 | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624185025/http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33117_20051018.pdf | |||
|archive-date=June 24, 2008 | |||
|url-status=dead | |||
}}</ref> The total loss to the forestry industry from Katrina is calculated to rise to about $5 billion.<ref name="CRS environment"/> Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of local residents were left unemployed. Before the hurricane, the region supported approximately one million non-farm jobs, with 600,000 of them in New Orleans. It is estimated that the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi may eventually exceed $150 billion.<ref>Burton, Mark L.; Hicks, Michael J. . {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051017133300/http://www.marshall.edu/cber/research/katrina/Katrina-Estimates.pdf |date=October 17, 2005}} '']: Center for Business and Economic Research''. September 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Forensic accountants were involved in the assessment of economic damages resulting from this catastrophe.<ref>Insurance Institute. {{cite web|url=http://documents.insuranceinstitute.ca/english/localchapters/manitoba/BusinessInterruptionFormIIMA.pdf |title=Business Interruption |access-date=May 20, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521031743/http://documents.insuranceinstitute.ca/english/localchapters/manitoba/BusinessInterruptionFormIIMA.pdf |archive-date=May 21, 2014}} Retrieved on May 17, 2014.</ref> | |||
Katrina displaced over one million people from the central Gulf Coast to elsewhere across the United States, becoming the largest ] in the history of the United States.<ref>Anthony E. Ladd, John Marszalek, and Duane A. Gill. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> ], Texas, had an increase of 35,000 people; ], gained over 24,000; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, over 15,000; and ], received over 10,000, nearly doubling its size. Chicago, Illinois received over 6,000 people, the most of any non-southern city.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=6776 | title = Katrina evacuees at home in Chicago | first = Mema | last = Ayi | newspaper = ] | date = August 30, 2006 | access-date = April 14, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071212040739/http://chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=6776 |archive-date = December 12, 2007}}</ref> By late January 2006, about 200,000 people were once again living in New Orleans, less than half of the pre-storm population.<ref name="popestimate">{{cite web|first1=Greg |last1=Stone |first2=Tim |last2=Grant |first3=Nathaniel |last3=Weaver |year=2006 |title=Rapid Population Estimate Project: January 28–29, 2006 Survey Report |publisher=Emergency Operations Center, City of New Orleans |access-date=April 14, 2010 |url=http://katrina.lsu.edu/downloads/research/NOLAPopEstimate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707170953/http://katrina.lsu.edu/downloads/research/NOLAPopEstimate.pdf |archive-date=July 7, 2010}}</ref> By July 1, 2006, when new population estimates were calculated by the ], the state of Louisiana showed a population decline of 219,563 or 4.87%.<ref name="popdecline">Christie, Les. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106133918/http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/22/real_estate/fastest_growing_states/index.htm?postversion=2006122209 |date=January 6, 2007}} ''CNN''. December 22, 2006. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.</ref> Additionally, some ] have stopped insuring homeowners in the area because of the high costs from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, or have raised homeowners' insurance premiums to cover their risk.<ref>Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061015003101/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/28/eveningnews/main1663142.shtml |date=October 15, 2006}} ''CBS News''. May 28, 2006. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
On ] FEMA ordered 50,000 body bags in addition to the 25,000 previously ordered. | |||
{{clear}} | |||
On ], officials announced that negligent homicide charges had been filed against the owners of a New Orleans nursing home, where the bodies of thirty four residents, apparently drowned, were found. | |||
=== Environmental effects === | |||
===Health concerns=== | |||
{{See also|Murphy Oil USA refinery spill}} | |||
Aside from the lack of ], ], ], and sanitation facilities, there was concern that the prolonged flooding might lead to an outbreak of health problems for those who remained in the hurricane-affected areas. In addition to ] and ], there was potential for communicable disease outbreaks of ] and respiratory illness, all related to the growing contamination of food and drinking water supplies in the area. | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:92%; float:right; margin-top:0; margin-left:10px; margin-right:0;" | |||
|- | |||
! colspan=3 style="background:#ccf;" | '''Large oil spills caused by Hurricane Katrina'''<br /><small>Spills exceeding {{convert|10000|USgal|L|lk=on}}</small><ref name="msnbcspills"/> | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan = 2 | Spill Location | |||
! colspan = 2 | Quantity | |||
|- | |||
! <small>(US gal)</small> !! <small>(L)</small> | |||
|- | |||
| Bass Enterprises (Cox Bay) || style="text-align:right;"| 3,780,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|3780000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Shell (])|| style="text-align:right;"| 1,050,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|1050000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Chevron (])|| style="text-align:right;"| 991,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|991000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Murphy Oil (] and ])|| style="text-align:right;"| 819,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|819000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Bass Enterprises (])|| style="text-align:right;"| 461,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|461000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Chevron (])|| style="text-align:right;"| 53,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|53000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Venice Energy Services (])|| style="text-align:right;"| 25,000 || style="text-align:right;"|{{convert|25000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Shell Pipeline Oil (Nairn)|| style="text-align:right;"| 13,440 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|13440|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|- | |||
| Sundown Energy (West Potash)|| style="text-align:right;"| 13,000 || style="text-align:right;"| {{convert|13000|USgal|L|disp=output number only}} | |||
|} | |||
Katrina also had a profound impact on the environment. The storm surge caused substantial ], in some cases completely devastating coastal areas. In Dauphin Island (a ]), approximately {{convert|90|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the east of the point where the hurricane made landfall, the sand that comprised the island was transported across the island into the ], pushing the island towards land.<ref>{{cite web | author = United States Geological Survey | date = September 14, 2005 | url = http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/lidar/dauphin-island.html | title = Daupin Island – Pre- and Post-Storm 3D Topography | website = Hurricane Katrina Impact Studies | publisher = ] | access-date = June 5, 2006 | author-link = United States Geological Survey | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150312144109/http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/lidar/dauphin-island.html | archive-date = March 12, 2015 | url-status = live}}</ref> The storm surge and waves from Katrina also severely damaged the ], which had been affected by Hurricane Ivan the previous year.<ref>{{cite web |author=United States Geological Survey |date=September 14, 2005 |url=http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-comparisons/chandeleur.html |title=Before and After Photo Comparisons: Chandeleur Islands |website=Hurricane Katrina Impact Studies |publisher=USGS |access-date=June 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614070836/http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-comparisons/chandeleur.html |archive-date=June 14, 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> The US Geological Survey has estimated {{convert|217|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} of land was transformed to water by the hurricanes Katrina and Rita.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513083524/http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/releases/pr06_002.htm |date=May 13, 2008}}, accessed May 7, 2008.</ref> Before the storm, ] and ] caused loss of land in the Louisiana wetlands and ]s. This, along with the canals built in the area, let Katrina keep more of its intensity when it struck.<ref>{{cite book|page=|first=Mike|last=Tidwell|title=The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Coming Death of America's Coastal Cities|publisher=Free Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7432-9470-6|access-date=April 14, 2010|url=https://archive.org/details/ravagingtide00mike|url-access=registration|quote=The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Coming Death of America's Coastal Cities book.}}</ref> The lands that were lost were breeding grounds for marine mammals, brown ]s, turtles, and fish, and migratory species such as ]s.<ref name="CRS environment"/> Overall, about 20% of the local ]es were permanently overrun by water as a result of the storm.<ref name="CRS environment"/> | |||
The damage from Katrina forced the closure of 16 ]s. Breton National Wildlife Refuge lost half its area in the storm.<ref name="FWS impact">{{cite web | author = United States Fish and Wildlife Service | date = September 9, 2005 | url = http://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2005/r05-088.html | title = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conducting Initial Damage Assessments to Wildlife and National Wildlife Refuges | publisher = ] | access-date = June 5, 2006 | author-link = United States Fish and Wildlife Service | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051029213935/http://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2005/r05-088.html | archive-date = October 29, 2005 | url-status = live}}</ref> As a result, the hurricane affected the habitats of ]s, Mississippi ]s, ]s, and ].<ref name="FWS impact"/> | |||
President Bush declared a emergency for the entire Gulf Coast. Before the hurricane, government health officials prepared to respond, and the ] (CDC) began sending medical emergency supplies to locations near the worst-hit area within 48 hours after landfall. | |||
Katrina produced massive tree loss along the Gulf Coast, particularly in Louisiana's ] and among ]s. Before the storm, the standard mortality rate for the area's trees was 1.9%, but this interval increased to 20.5% by the end of 2006.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chapman|first=Elise|year=2008|title=Hurricane Katrina Impacts on Forest Trees of Louisiana's Pearl River Basin|journal=Forest Ecology and Management|volume=256|issue=5|pages=883–889|doi=10.1016/j.foreco.2008.05.057|bibcode=2008ForEM.256..883C }}</ref> Delayed mortality as an effect of the storm continued with rates up to 5% until 2011.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Henkel|first=Theryn|year=2016|title=Delayed Tree Mortality and Chinese Tallow Explosion in Louisiana Bottomland Hardwood Forest Following Hurricane Katrina|url=http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6kh4k7vb|journal=Forest Ecology and Management|volume=378|pages=222–232|doi=10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.036|doi-access=free}}</ref> This significant loss in ] caused greater decay and an increase in carbon emissions. For example, by 2006 the decreased biomass in bottomland hardwood forests contributed an amount of carbon which equated to roughly 140% of the net annual U.S. ] in forest trees.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Hurricane Katrina's Carbon Footprint on U.S. Gulf Coast Forests|first1=Jeffrey Q.|last1=Chambers|first2=Jeremy I.|last2=Fisher|first3=Hongcheng|last3=Zeng|first4=Elise L.|last4=Chapman|first5=David B.|last5=Baker|first6=George C.|last6=Hurtt|date=January 1, 2007|journal=Science|volume=318|issue=5853|pages=1107|doi=10.1126/science.1148913|pmid=18006740|jstor=20051600|bibcode=2007Sci...318.1107C|s2cid=477946}}</ref> | |||
Supplies shipped by CDC's Strategic National Stockpile provided pharmaceuticals, technical assistance teams, and treatment capacity for citizens otherwise stranded by the hurricane's catastrophic effect on hospital infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi. CDC's supplies served an estimated 30 acute care hospitals south of Interstate Highway 10, and volunteers organized around its "contingency stations" to become temporary stand-ins for hospitals, warehouses, and distribution facilities damaged by the storm. Alongside strong responses from state and local medical teams, CDC support remained crucial until normal infrastructure support began to return a week and a half later. | |||
], before Katrina (left) and after (right), showing the impact of the storm along coastal areas.]] | |||
The storm caused ]s from 44 facilities throughout southeastern Louisiana, which resulted in over {{convert|7|e6USgal|m3}} of oil being leaked. Some spills were only a few hundred gallons and most were contained on-site, though some oil entered the ecosystem and residential areas. After a spill at the ] refinery, for example, 1,800 homes were oiled in the towns of ] and ].<ref name="msnbcspills">{{cite news | first=Miguel | last=Llanos | title=44 oil spills found in southeast Louisiana | work=NBC News | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9365607 | publisher=NBC News | date=September 19, 2005 | access-date=June 15, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104013837/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9365607/ | archive-date=November 4, 2013 | url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike ], no offshore oil spills were officially reported after Hurricane Katrina. However, Skytruth reported some signs of surface oil in the Gulf of Mexico.<ref name="msnbcspills"/> | |||
Finally, as part of the cleanup effort, the floodwaters that covered New Orleans were pumped into Lake Pontchartrain, a process that took 43 days to complete.<ref name="katreport"/> These residual waters contained a mix of raw ], bacteria, ], ]s, toxic chemicals, and oil, which sparked fears in the scientific community of massive numbers of fish dying.<ref name="CRS environment"/> The toxic floodwaters were also a danger for New Orleans, due to the presence of petrochemical chemicals and industrial toxins close to the city. Thomas La Point, director of the Institute of Applied Sciences at the ], stated that " toxic soup would be a good way to describe the situation".<ref>{{Cite web |author=ABC News |title=Katrina Creates a 'Toxic Soup' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1081623&page=1 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> | |||
Within days after landfall, medical authorities established contingency treatment facilities for over 10,000 people, and plans to treat thousands more were developing. Partnerships with commercial medical suppliers, shipping companies, and support services companies insured that evolving medical needs could be met within days or even hours. | |||
=== Reestablishing governance === | |||
There is concern the chemical plants and refineries in the area could have released pollutants into the floodwaters. People who suffer from allergies or lung disorders, such as ], may have health complications due to ] and airborne irritants. In ], several hundred tons of chicken and uncooked shrimp were washed out of their containers at the nearby harbor and could have contaminated the water table. On ], ] it was reported that '']'' (''E. coli'') had been detected at unsafe levels in the waters that flooded ]. The CDC reported on ] that five people had died of bacterial infection from drinking water contaminated with '']'', a ] from the Gulf of Mexico. | |||
{{further|Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans#Civil disturbances}} | |||
Wide outbreaks of severe infectious diseases such as ] and ] are not considered likely because such illnesses are not endemic in the United States . | |||
] | |||
] Special Response Team searches a hotel room-by-room in New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina.]] | |||
Shortly after the hurricane moved away on August 30, 2005, some residents of New Orleans who remained in the city began ] stores. Many were in search of food and water that were not available to them through any other means, as well as non-essential items.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=]|url=<!-- http://community.fox16.com/photos/story_in_pictures--_hurricane_katrina/picture807981.asp -->|title=Hurricane Katrina : Aug 31: Looting in Mississippi|location=Little Rock, Arkansas|date=August 31, 2005}}</ref> Additionally, there were reports of ], murders, thefts, and rapes in New Orleans. Some sources later determined that many of the reports were inaccurate, greatly exaggerated or completely false, leading news agencies to print retractions.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Sarah|last1=Rosenblatt|first2=James|last2=Rainey|title=Rita's Aftermath; Katrina Takes a Toll on Truth, News Accuracy|page=A16|newspaper=]|date=September 27, 2005|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/902682211.html?dids=902682211:902682211&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+27%2C+2005&author=Susannah+Rosenblatt+and+James+Rainey&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=A.16&desc=RITA%27S+AFTERMATH%3B+Katrina+Takes+a+Toll+on+Truth%2C+News+Accuracy%3B+Rumors+supplanted+accurate+information+and+media+magnified+the+problem.+Rapes%2C+violence+and+estimates+of+the+dead+were+wrong|access-date=October 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308042758/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/902682211.html?dids=902682211:902682211&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+27%2C+2005&author=Susannah+Rosenblatt+and+James+Rainey&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=A.16&desc=RITA%27S+AFTERMATH%3B+Katrina+Takes+a+Toll+on+Truth%2C+News+Accuracy%3B+Rumors+supplanted+accurate+information+and+media+magnified+the+problem.+Rapes%2C+violence+and+estimates+of+the+dead+were+wrong|archive-date=March 8, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Thousands of National Guard and federal troops were mobilized and sent to Louisiana, with 7,841 in the area on August 29, to a maximum of 46,838 on September 10. A number of local law enforcement agents from across the country were temporarily deputized by the state. "They have ] and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will", Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4207202.stm|title=New Orleans rocked by huge blasts|date=September 2, 2005|newspaper=BBC|access-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726183529/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4207202.stm|archive-date=July 26, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> Congressman ] told ]: "There was shooting going on. There was sniping going on. Over the first week of September, law and order were gradually restored to the city."<ref>{{cite news|first=Jake|last=Tapper|url=https://www.abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1123495&page=1|title=Amid Katrina Chaos, Congressman Used National Guard to Visit Home|newspaper=]|date=September 13, 2005|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060426011116/http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1123495&page=1|archive-date=April 26, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> Several shootings occurred between police and New Orleans residents, some involving ]; including ] where police officers killed two unarmed civilians and seriously injured four others at ].<ref name="Grimm1">{{Cite news |last=Grimm |first=Andy |date=July 18, 2019 |orig-date=September 5, 2015 |title=A decade after Danziger Bridge shooting, killings still cast a shadow |url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_00bb8d39-aa35-5959-b613-873905a4e734.html |access-date=January 31, 2022 |work=The Times-Picayune |location=New Orleans, Louisiana |language=en}}</ref> Five former police officers pleaded guilty to charges connected to the Danziger Bridge shootings in the aftermath of the hurricane. Six other former or existing officers appeared in court in June 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/01/louisiana.katrina.shootings/| title=Ex-cop gets 8 years for role in post-Katrina shootings| publisher=CNN| date=December 2, 2010| access-date=December 2, 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206221527/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/01/louisiana.katrina.shootings/| archive-date=December 6, 2010| url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Animal concerns=== | |||
] | |||
Overall, a number of ] were made throughout the affected area, including some near the New Orleans Convention Center. A ] was constructed of chain link cages in the ], the city's main train station.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html |title=At the Train Station, New Orleans' Newest Jail is Open For Business |newspaper=] |date=September 6, 2005 |access-date=July 6, 2014 |location=New Orleans, Louisiana |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119182853/http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html |archive-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> On September 30, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed that 12 police officers were participating in looting and property theft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/30/nopd.looting/|title=Witnesses: New Orleans cops took Rolex watches, jewelry|work=CNN|accessdate=March 13, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/29/nopd.looting/index.html|title=Witnesses: New Orleans cops among looters|work=CNN|accessdate=March 13, 2024}}</ref> | |||
As with any major disaster, animals are affected as well as human beings. In the case of Katrina no order to support total animal evacuation was given. | |||
In West Virginia, where roughly 350 refugees were located, local officials took fingerprints to run criminal background checks on the refugees. The background checks found that 45% of the refugees had a criminal record of some nature, and that 22% had a violent criminal record.<ref name="WBOY WV records">{{cite news|first=Elizabeth|last=Schubert|url=http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=5266|title=Some Katrina Evacuees at Camp Dawson Have Criminal Records|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=]|date=September 18, 2005|access-date=June 5, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928203933/http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=5266|archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> Media speculation fueled a popular perception that the displaced New Orleans residents brought a wave of crime into the communities where they relocated, however, detailed studies of crime statistics in these communities did not reveal a significant increase in violent crime.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://docs.rwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=sjs_fp|title = A Tale of Three Cities: Crime and Displacement after Hurricane Katrina|last = Verano|first = Paul|date = January 1, 2010|journal = Journal of Criminal Justice|volume = 38|pages = 42–50|doi = 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2009.11.006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150913003431/http://docs.rwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=sjs_fp|archive-date = September 13, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title = Crime in post-Katrina Houston: the effects of moral panic on emergency planning|last1 = Settles|first1 = Tanya|date = August 23, 2010|journal = Disasters|doi = 10.1111/j.1467-7717.2010.01200.x|pmid = 20735458|last2 = Lindsay|first2 = Bruce|volume=35|issue = 1|pages=200–219}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = New Orleans gang wars spill into Houston area|date = January 28, 2006|url = https://www.chron.com/news/hurricanes/article/New-Orleans-gang-wars-spill-into-Houston-area-1885064.php|access-date = September 18, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150906054646/http://www.chron.com/news/hurricanes/article/New-Orleans-gang-wars-spill-into-Houston-area-1885064.php|archive-date = September 6, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
Helicopter pilots and rescue boat captains had refused to load pets in order to hold more people. Many families in the affected area refused to evacuate without their pets. Some field hospitals allowed pets to enter with their patients. However those who were evacuated from the Superdome were not allowed to take their pets with them. | |||
=== Government response === | |||
Rescue teams were set up in the worst hit regions in response to desperate pleas from pet owners. Horses posed a particular problem, as they are easily stranded and cannot stand in water for long periods of time. Rescue agencies set up shelters and tried to find homes to adopt pets lost by their owners. Rescue centers were becoming overwhelmed in the days immediately following the hurricane. Online resources, such as the animals911.com clearinghouse for Hurricane Katrina animal rescue and relief, give rescue groups, individuals, and businesses from around the country a centralized venue to publish their offers and requests for helping the animals displaced by Hurricane Katrina. | |||
] after Hurricane Katrina]] | |||
], ], and ] during a press conference from the ], regarding the devastation along the Gulf Coast caused by Katrina.]] | |||
Within the United States and as delineated in the ], disaster response and planning is first and foremost a local government responsibility. When local government exhausts its resources, it then requests specific additional resources from the county level. The request process proceeds similarly from the county to the state to the federal government as additional resource needs are identified. Many of the problems that arose developed from inadequate planning and back-up communication systems at various levels.<ref name="usgovwh"/> | |||
Most of the 10,000 fish at New Orleans ] died as the backup power ran out after four days. Curators then abandoned the aquarium and the police used it as an emergency base. Most of the marine mammals and a large sea turtle survived. The ] lost only three animals out of a total of 1,400 due to good disaster planning and location on high ground. Zoo curator Dan Maloney was quoted as saying, "The zoo had planned for years for the catastrophic storm that has long been predicted for New Orleans". | |||
Some ] response to Katrina began before the storm, with the ] (FEMA) preparations that ranged from logistical supply deployments to a ] team with refrigerated trucks. A network of volunteers began rendering assistance to local residents and residents emerging from New Orleans and surrounding parishes as soon as the storm made landfall (even though many were directed to not enter the area), and continued for more than six months after the storm<ref name="usgovwh">{{cite web | url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned/ | title=The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned | publisher=The White House | date=January 20, 2009 | access-date=June 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525104449/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned/ | archive-date=May 25, 2015 | url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The response of the American public was unprecedented. ] (The HSUS) had received $15 million in donations within two weeks after the hurricane occurred. The HSUS, in conjunction with the Louisiana SPCA and other groups has hundreds of staff and volunteers working in LA and MS. As of ] ], 6,031 animals were rescued and 400 were reunited with their owners. | |||
Of the 60,000 people stranded in New Orleans, the Coast Guard rescued more than 33,500.<ref name="GAO-06-903">{{cite book | author = United States Government Accountability Office | author-link = Government Accountability Office | url = http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06903.pdf | title = Coast Guard: Observations on the Preparation, Response, and Recovery Missions Related to Hurricane Katrina | access-date = August 27, 2006 | date = July 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060901040345/http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06903.pdf | archive-date = September 1, 2006 | url-status = live}}</ref> Congress recognized the Coast Guard's response with an official entry in the Congressional Record,<ref name="S. 246">{{cite book | author = United States Congress | title = Senate Resolution 246: To express the sense of the Senate regarding the missions and performance of the United States Coast Guard in responding to Hurricane Katrina | date = September 21, 2005 | access-date = August 27, 2006 | publisher = Government Printing Office | url = http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:sr246ats.txt.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110109102603/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:sr246ats.txt.pdf | archive-date = January 9, 2011 | url-status = live}}</ref> and the ] was awarded the ].<ref>{{cite web| title = USCG Message Traffic: Award of the Presidential Unit Citation to the Coast Guard| date = May 25, 2006| access-date = November 15, 2008| url = http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg3/cg3pcx/publications/alcoast/alcoast-317-06.asp| publisher = United States Coast Guard| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080924111023/http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg3/cg3pcx/publications/alcoast/alcoast-317-06.asp| archive-date = September 24, 2008| url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
Rescued pets are being listed at http://www.petfinder.org// | |||
The ] established ] based out of ], Mississippi, to act as the military's on-scene response on Sunday, August 28, with Lieutenant General ] as commander.<ref>"". '']''. News Transcript. September 1, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> Approximately 58,000 National Guard personnel were activated to deal with the storm's aftermath, with troops coming from all 50 states.<ref>Phillips, Kyra. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017174609/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/06/se.01.html |date=October 17, 2006}} ''CNN''. September 6, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> The ] also activated volunteer members of the ]. | |||
===Reports of price "gouging"=== | |||
Hundreds of reports were made to Louisiana authorities and elsewhere regarding sharp increases in prices on products like gasoline and bottled water, or of hotels failing to honor reservations in favor of accepting larger offers for rooms by desperate travelers. The ] nightly news programs showed images of a ] gas station selling gasoline for over $6 per US ] ($1.59/L). Another BP station in ], south of Atlanta, was selling gas at $5.87 per US gallon ($1.55/L) less than a day after Katrina hit. Gas prices in the U.S. just prior to Katrina were in the range of $2.50 per US gallon ($0.66/L). During this time the average price of gas per US gallon has reached a new all time high. The rapid price increase exacerbated the ]. | |||
Michael Chertoff, ] of the ], decided to take over the federal, state, and local operations officially on August 30, 2005, citing the National Response Plan.<ref>California Political Desk. . {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061027034249/http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=5916 |date=October 27, 2006}} ''California Chronicle''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617134855/http://www.californiachronicle.com/ |date=June 17, 2006}} February 15, 2006. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> This was refused by Governor Blanco, who indicated that her National Guard could manage. Early in September, Congress authorized a total of $62.3 billion in aid for victims.<ref>Baker, Peter; Goldstein, Amy. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909140905/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/08/AR2005090801081.html |date=September 9, 2017}} '']''. September 9, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Additionally, President Bush enlisted the help of former presidents ] and ] to raise additional voluntary contributions, much as they did after the ] and ].<ref>Bush, George W. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712034929/https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050901-3.html |date=July 12, 2017}} ''White House'', Press Release. September 1, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> ] were also ordered to be ] from September 2, 2005, to September 20, 2005, in honor of the victims.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050904-2.html |title=Proclamation by the President: Honoring the Memory of the Victims of Hurricane Katrina |publisher=Whitehouse.gov |access-date=October 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114005420/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050904-2.html |archive-date=January 14, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{{seealso|Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina#Gasoline_prices}} | |||
FEMA provided housing assistance (rental assistance, ], etc.) to more than 700,000 applicants—families and individuals. However, only one-fifth of the trailers requested in Orleans Parish were supplied, resulting in an enormous housing shortage in the city of New Orleans.<ref>''Times-Picayune'', September 26, 2005, page A-12. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Many local areas voted to not allow the trailers, and many areas had no utilities, a requirement prior to placing the trailers. To provide for additional housing, FEMA has also paid for the hotel costs of 12,000 individuals and families displaced by Katrina through February 7, 2006, when a final deadline was set for the end of hotel cost coverage. After this deadline, evacuees were still eligible to receive federal assistance, which could be used towards either apartment rent, additional hotel stays, or fixing their ruined homes, although FEMA no longer paid for hotels directly.<ref>Foster, Mary. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206190958/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/13/katrina/main1311616.shtml |date=December 6, 2006}} '']''. February 13, 2006. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> As of March 30, 2010, there were still 260 families living in FEMA-provided trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=12230906|title=Hancock Co. woman struggles to get out of FEMA trailer|first=Al|last=Showers|publisher=WLOX Channel 13|date=March 30, 2010|access-date=April 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228204125/http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=12230906|archive-date=February 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
===Awarding of Contracts=== | |||
Complaints were made by small firms who say they are getting sidelined in the awarding of contracts for cleanup and reconstruction as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Only 1.5 percent of the $1.6 billion awarded by FEMA has gone to "minority businesses". FEMA argued that they were awarding contracts to "known players" who could quickly provide help in an emergency situation. | |||
Law enforcement and public safety agencies, from across the United States, provided a "]" response to Louisiana and New Orleans in the weeks following the disaster. Many agencies responded with manpower and equipment from as far away as California, ], ], New York, and ]. This response was welcomed by local Louisiana authorities as their staff were either becoming fatigued, stretched too thin, or even quitting from the job.<ref>{{cite news | last = Treaster | first = Joseph B. | title = Law Officers, Overwhelmed, Are Quitting the Force | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04police.html?ei=5090&en=8bf8550c348bbc33&ex=1283486400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print | newspaper = The New York Times | date = September 4, 2005 | access-date = June 24, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060617021730/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04police.html?ei=5090&en=8bf8550c348bbc33&ex=1283486400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print | archive-date = June 17, 2006 | url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
The larger companies being awarded the lion's share include the Haliburton Corporation, which Vice President Dick Cheney headed from 1995 to 2000, and of which he is still a large stockholder. "The president has talked about small businesses being the engine of our economy, but when the time for sound bites is over his administration still uses the same backroom deals to take care of their friends," said Thompson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. | |||
Two weeks after the storm, more than half of the states were involved in providing shelter for evacuees. By four weeks after the storm, evacuees had been registered in all 50 states and in 18,700 zip codes—half of the nation's residential postal zones. Most evacuees had stayed within {{convert|250|mi|km}}, but 240,000 households went to Houston and other cities over {{convert|250|mi|km}} away and another 60,000 households went over {{convert|750|mi|km|-2}} away.<ref>{{cite web|last=Quigley |first=Bill |title=Six Months After Katrina: Who Was Left Behind Then and Who is Being Left Behind Now? |url=http://www.cwsworkshop.org/katrinareader/node/162 |date=February 21, 2006 |access-date=November 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309165717/http://www.cwsworkshop.org/katrinareader/node/162 |archive-date=March 9, 2009}}</ref> | |||
At least two members of Congress, one Democrat and one Republican, have questioned a $192 million contract with Carnival Cruise Lines to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use three ships 6 months, into early next year, in 2006. These ships were intended to house people displaced by the hurricane, but they were practically empty just a month on, after the event. | |||
==== Criticism ==== | |||
The Government replied to these criticisms, reiterating the initial need to respond to the crisis quickly. "As we move forward, we will be in a continuing process of re-evaluating contracts," Chertoff said on a visit to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. "When you are dealing with literally saving lives and making sure people can be fed and have water and have a place of shelter, those are urgent needs that cannot be addressed in a slow process," Chertoff said. ] | |||
{{Main|Criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
] takes on supplies at ], en route to the Gulf Coast.]] | |||
The criticisms of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina primarily consisted of criticism of ] and lack of ] in the relief efforts in response to the storm and its aftermath. More specifically, the criticism focused on the delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, and the subsequent state of chaos in the city.<ref name="thevenot" /> The ] ''Katrina]'' was coined to refer to this controversy, and was a runner-up for "2005 word of the year".<ref>Clark, Heather. . ''ABC News''. January 6, 2006. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> | |||
Within days of Katrina's August 29 landfall, public debate arose about the local, state and federal governments' role in the ] for and response to the hurricane. Criticism was initially prompted by televised images of visibly shaken and frustrated political leaders, and of residents who remained stranded by floodwaters without ], food, or shelter. Deaths from ], ] and violence days after the storm had passed fueled the criticism, as did the dilemma of the evacuees at facilities such as the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Civic Center. Some alleged that ], class, and other factors could have contributed to delays in government response. For example, during '']'', a benefit concert for victims of the hurricane, rapper ] veered off script and harshly criticized the government's response to the crisis, stating that "George Bush doesn't care about ]."<ref>{{cite news|last=de Moraes|first=Lisa|title=Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 3, 2005|access-date=September 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080806153052/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html|archive-date=August 6, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/kanye-west-said-george-bush-doesnt-care-about-black-people-on-this-day-in-2005-130006321.html|title=Kanye West said, 'George Bush doesn't care about Black people' on this day in 2005|work=Yahoo Entretaiment|date=September 2, 2023 |accessdate=March 5, 2024}}</ref> | |||
Later, the awarding of some of the above contracts was reviewed. On October 6th, ], who took recently over at FEMA said that "contracts for cleanup and rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina that were awarded without competition will be opened up for rebidding". He said that the agency "was looking at the no-bid contracts carefully and was striving to reduce dependence on them in future disasters.". Major contract winners in the days after Katrina struck included Shaw Group Inc. and Fluor Corp. Mr. Paulison said FEMA was working to include local firms. | |||
In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed the ], Michael Chertoff, to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated ], head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the president and Secretary Chertoff initially came under harsh criticism for what some perceived as a lack of planning and coordination. Brown claimed that Governor Blanco resisted their efforts and was unhelpful. Governor Blanco and her staff disputed this.<ref>{{cite news |first1=David |last1=Kirkpatrick |first2=Scott |last2=Shane |title=Ex-FEMA Chief Tells of Frustration and Chaos |date=September 15, 2005 |access-date=May 13, 2010 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/15/national/nationalspecial/15brown.html?pagewanted=all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015052650/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/15/national/nationalspecial/15brown.html?pagewanted=all |archive-date=October 15, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> Eight days later, Brown was recalled to Washington and Coast Guard Vice Admiral ] replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations.<ref>Meserve, Jeanne; Barrett, Ted. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061222162611/http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/katrina.washington/index.html |date=December 22, 2006}} ''CNN''. September 9, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received recent praise from President Bush.<ref>{{cite web | author = Office of the Press Secretary | title = President Arrives in Alabama, Briefed on Hurricane Katrina | date = September 2, 2005 | access-date = July 19, 2006 | publisher = The White House | url = https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050902-2.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110521182702/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050902-2.html | archive-date = May 21, 2011 | url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
===Wage issues=== | |||
On ], ] President ] issued ] 7924, "To Suspend Subchapter IV of Chapter 31 of Title 40, United States Code, within a Limited Geographic Area in Response to the National Emergency Caused by Hurricane Katrina", which indefinitely suspended the ]. This law mandates that workers on federal construction projects be paid at least the prevailing local wage. There are also rumours of suspension of the ]. Some critics feel that allowing the government to pay less than the prevailing rate will increase the poverty in the area through lower wages. | |||
Politicians, activists, pundits, and journalists also directed criticism at the local and state governments headed by Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and Louisiana Governor Blanco. Nagin and Blanco were criticized for failing to implement New Orleans's evacuation plan and for ordering residents to a shelter of last resort without any provisions for food, water, security, or sanitary conditions. Perhaps the most important criticism of Nagin was that he delayed his emergency evacuation order until 19 hours before landfall, which led to hundreds of deaths of people who could not find any way out of the city.<ref name="CongressInvestigation"/> | |||
How the many hundreds of thousands of victims of Katrina who have lost all their possessions will cope with wage reductions is unknown . The economic loss will force many survivors into ]. Those with jobs will have to pay if their income is $100 over the states' median income. Louisiana and Mississippi have some of the lowest median incomes in the nation requiring Katrina victims to pay creditors whereas in most US states with a similar income person will pay nothing. Treasury Secretary John Snow said "that though the hurricane might have suddenly driven some Gulf Coast residents to file for bankruptcy," "the new law shouldn't be delayed or changed." The Treasury office will not help Hurricane Katrina victims with debt cancellation. | |||
Hurricane jobless claims in late August, totaled over 190,000. | |||
No debt cancellation is expected for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They will be given a payment deferral for up to 90 days.Opponents of the bill also argued that it makes the government "a bill collector for private companies", and could lead to criminal prosecutions over matters best left in civil courts, and theoretically even to life imprisonment under federal three-strikes laws. | |||
The destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina raised other, more general public policy issues about ], ], poverty, and unemployment. The discussion of both the immediate response and of the broader public policy issues may have affected ] and legislation enacted at various ]. The storm's devastation also prompted a congressional investigation, which found that FEMA and the Red Cross "did not have a logistics capacity sophisticated enough to fully support the massive number of Gulf coast victims". Additionally, it placed responsibility for the disaster on all three levels of government.<ref name="CongressInvestigation"/> An ABC News poll conducted on September 2, 2005, showed more blame was being directed at state and local governments (75%) than at the Federal government (67%), with 44% blaming Bush's leadership directly.<ref name="abcnewspoll">Langer, Gary. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104094924/http://abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1094262&page=1 |date=November 4, 2006}} ''ABC News''. September 12, 2005. Retrieved on July 15, 2006.</ref> A later ]/]/] showed that respondents disagreed widely on who was to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane—13% said Bush, 18% said federal agencies, 25% blamed state or local officials and 38% said no one was to blame.<ref name="cnnpoll">Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908050709/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/07/katrina.poll/ |date=September 8, 2013}} ''CNN''. September 8, 2005. Retrieved on July 15, 2006.</ref> | |||
==Disaster response== | |||
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in particular, don't include criticisms of response here, that belongs in summary form | |||
to the Politics effects section, and in detail form in the Political effects article--> | |||
{{main|Hurricane Katrina disaster relief}} | |||
] | |||
] in ].]] | |||
] takes on supplies at Mayport, FL en route to Gulf Coast.]] | |||
Some ] response to Katrina began before the storm, with ] preparations that ranged from logistical supply deployments to a ] team with refrigerated trucks. A network of volunteers have been rendering assistance to local residents and residents emerging from New Orleans and surrounding Parishes. | |||
In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed Secretary ] of the ] to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated ], head of the ] as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the President and Secretary Chertoff have come under harsh criticism from many Americans, particularly in the media, for their lack of planning and coordination. Eight days later, ] was recalled to Washington and replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations. Three days after the recall, ] resigned as director of ] in spite of having received praise from President George W. Bush . | |||
] established Joint Task Force (JTF) Katrina based out of ], ] to act as the military's on-scene command on Sunday, ] . Lieutenant General ] of the ] in ], ], is the commander. | |||
The U.S. Senate approved a bill authorizing $10.5 billion in aid for victims on ] ]. The U.S. House of Representatives voted and approved on the measure Friday, ] ] without any debate; Bush signed it into law an hour later. On ], another $51.8 billion in addition to the original $10.5 billion was proposed by President Bush to fund disaster relief. | |||
In addition to asking for federal funds, President Bush has enlisted the help of former presidents ] and ] to raise additional voluntary contributions, much as they did after the ] and ]. | |||
On ], Gov. Blanco hired ], the former FEMA director during the ], to oversee recovery efforts in Louisiana. . | |||
{{seealso|Political effects of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
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===Federal response=== | |||
<!--whoever is deleting the federal response heading should stop as it should be included here as the state response and international response headings are also in this section, what is stated here is not criticism it is factual assessment. Whoever keeps erasing this factual statement better be prepared to argue that it is not a fact or that it is an inflammatory political statement neither of which is true and that's why it is being written, if you do, I will complain to wiki management --> | |||
], ] of the ], takes over the federal, state, and local operations officially on September 30, 2005 going forward by citing the ]. The ] states that, when responding to a catastrophic incident, the federal government should start emergency operations even in the absence of clear assessment of the situation. "A detailed and credible common operating picture may not be achievable for 24 to 48 hours (or longer) after the incident," the NRP's "Catastrophic Annex" states. "As a result, response activities must begin without the benefit of a detailed or complete situation and critical needs assessment." | |||
===U.S. states response=== | |||
<!--{{main|US states respond to Hurricane Katrina}}--> | |||
Many U.S. states have offered to shelter evacuees displaced by the storm, including places as far away as ], whose offer to take one thousand refugees, according to Portland-area news organizations, was later declined, and ]. The majority of the evacuees from this crisis were taken to Texas, with over 230,000 persons being sheltered in Texas by Labor Day, ] ]. As Texas became filled to capacity, it became a waypoint for the other evacuees still leaving the area of crisis. From Texas, thousands of evacuees are being dispersed to other states. | |||
An estimate of over 100,000 New Orleans ] and ] students have been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Higher institutions from across the U.S. have opened their doors to enroll students displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. See . | |||
Army and Air ] troops have been activated from nearly every state in the union. | |||
=== International response === | === International response === | ||
{{ |
{{Main|International response to Hurricane Katrina}} | ||
] personnel unload Canadian relief supplies from a ] transport aircraft in ].]] | |||
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] | |||
] | |||
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Over seventy countries pledged monetary donations or other assistance. Cuba and Venezuela (both considered as hostile to US government interest) were the first countries to offer assistance, pledging over $1 million, several mobile hospitals, water treatment plants, canned food, ], heating oil, 1,100 doctors and 26.4 metric tons of medicine, though this aid was rejected by the U.S. government.<ref>. ], September 7, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref><ref>. ], Volume 1, Issue 4. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref><ref>. ], September 10, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref><ref>. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211010746/http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-09-02-katrinaworldhelps_x.htm |date=February 11, 2011}} '']'', September 2, 2005. Retrieved on August 5, 2007.</ref> Kuwait made the largest single pledge, $500 million; other large donations were made by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (each $100 million), South Korea ($30 million), Australia ($10 million), India, China (both $5 million), New Zealand ($2 million),<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0509/S00159.htm |title=Scoop: Further NZ assistance in wake of Hurricane Katrina |publisher=Scoop.co.nz |date=September 6, 2005 |author=New Zealand Government |access-date=October 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309085157/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0509/S00159.htm |archive-date=March 9, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pakistan ($1.5 million),<ref>Staff Writer. . Embassy of the United States. September 8, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> Norway ($1.8 million),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dokumentarkiv/Regjeringen-Bondevik-II/smk/Nyheter-og-pressemeldinger/2005/katastroferammede_i_usa_far_hjelp.html?id=257645|title=Katastroferammede i USA får hjelp fra Norge på 10 millioner kroner|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=November 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103025556/http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dokumentarkiv/Regjeringen-Bondevik-II/smk/Nyheter-og-pressemeldinger/2005/katastroferammede_i_usa_far_hjelp.html?id=257645|archive-date=January 3, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> and Bangladesh ($1 million).<ref>Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050908064210/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4215820.stm |date=September 8, 2005}} ''BBC News''. September 5, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
Over seventy countries pledged money or other assistance, including ] and ], despite their differences with Washington; ], which is still recovering from the ]; ], ] to send at least two jets was declined by the U.S. State Department; ], ] of concrete help was also declined; ], ] supplies as well as three Canadian Forces Maritime Command Warships (], ], and ]) as well as a Canadian Coast Guard Tender. In addition, Canada has sent 1,000 relief personnel including as many as fifty ] officers; ], ] two military ships, helicopters, military equipment, hundreds of tons of food, bottled water, medical personnel and hundreds of troops (it is the first time Mexican soldiers have operated on U.S. soil since the ]); and ], one of the smallest countries in the world by any measure. ] Chancellor Schroeder offered any help required, among other items fifteen power pumps including their crews have been sent to New Orleans. ] ] by sending four ] Chinook helicopters to participate in the evacuation and relief effort. Among the world's poorest nations, ] has promised a million dollars. Other Asian countries to offer support include: ]; which says it will provide $5 million and the ]; which also pledged five million dollars in aid for victims. | |||
India sent tarps, blankets, and hygiene kits. An ] IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the ], Arkansas, on September 13, 2005. | |||
=== Non-governmental charitable response === | |||
The ], ], and many other charitable organizations are trying to provide housing, food, and water to the victims of the storm. However, in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans the US military, FEMA, and the Red Cross are sending people needing help over to a tent set up by ], dubbed the "]," located in front of the Masjib Bilal Mosque. These organizations provided an infrastructure for shelters throughout Louisiana and other states that held thousands of evacuees. On ], ], FOX News that the Red Cross was prepositioned to provide water, food and essential supplies to the ] and convention center as soon as the storm finished, but was prohibited from entering the city prior to Hurricane Katrina making landfall by the Louisiana State Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Louisiana Governor ]. The safety of Red Cross personnel was among the primary reasons given. Within days of the hurricane to deploy telecommunications infrastructure in evacuee camps throughout the region. | |||
Israel sent an ] delegation to New Orleans to transport aid equipment including 80 tons of food, disposable diapers, beds, blankets, generators and additional equipment which were donated from different governmental institutions, civilian institutions, and the IDF.<ref>Ministry of Foreign Affairs. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820035007/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2005/Israeli+aid+to+Hurricane+Katrina+victims+5-Sep-2005.htm |date=August 20, 2006}} '']''. September 5, 2005. Retrieved on December 17, 2006.</ref> The Bush administration announced in mid-September that it did not need Israeli divers and physicians to come to the United States for search and rescue missions, but a small team landed in New Orleans on September 10 to give assistance to operations already underway. The team administered first aid to survivors, rescued ] and discovered hurricane victims.<ref>Jewish Virtual Library. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906125044/http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/Katrianaid.html |date=September 6, 2015}} '']''.</ref> | |||
Along the MS Gulf Coast, needed supplies including water, food, cleaning items, diapers, clothing, blankets, and even chain saws, generators, flashlights, and batteries were immediately brought in during the first days, by a nationwide spontaneous outpouring from private individuals and religious organizations, concerned at the lack of visibility of the MS coastal devastation by the media, and lack of immediate disaster response. Distribution points were set up at churches, well before the Red Cross had set up distribution centers, as reported by the Mississippi Press , , and . | |||
Countries like Sri Lanka, which was still recovering from a ], also offered to help. ], ], ], and Germany sent supplies, relief personnel (like ]), troops, ships and water pumps to aid in the disaster recovery. Belgium sent in a team of relief personnel. The United Kingdom's donation of 350,000 emergency meals did not reach victims because of laws regarding ].<ref>Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319174856/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4344168.stm |date=March 19, 2007}} ''BBC News''. October 15, 2005.</ref> | |||
==Effects outside the immediate region== | |||
{{Costliest hurricanes}} | |||
===Economic effects=== | |||
{{main|Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
Russia's initial offer of two jets was declined by the U.S. State Department but accepted later. The French offer was also declined and requested later.<ref>Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060513192039/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/04/katrina.world.aid/ |date=May 13, 2006}} ''CNN''. September 4, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
Most experts anticipate that Katrina will be the costliest natural disaster in ] history. Some early predictions in damages exceeded $100 billion, not accounting for potential catastrophic damage inland due to flooding (which would increase the total even more), or damage to the economy caused by interruption of ] supply (much of the U.S. ] operations are in the Gulf Coast region), and exports of commodities such as grain. Other predictions placed the minimum insured damage at around $12.5 billion (the insured figure is normally doubled to account for uninsured damages in the final cost). There are also effects on ocean shipping, the casino industry and tourism. | |||
=== Non-governmental organization response === | |||
International oil prices rose. In the UK pump prices for unleaded petrol (gas) hit £1 per litre ($7 per US gallon) for the first time in a significant number of places (averaging about 95p), a rise of about 3% from pre-Katrina prices. Wholesale prices were up 5% as of ]. | |||
] and being helped by the Red Cross and other agencies and associations.]] | |||
The ], America's Second Harvest (now known as ]), ], ], ], ], ],<ref name="sfbg">{{cite news | first=Steven T. | last=Jones | url=http://www.sfbg.com/40/21/cover_katrina.html | title=From here to Katrina | work=San Francisco Bay Guardian | date=February 22, 2006 | access-date=May 18, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526233911/http://www.sfbg.com/40/21/cover_katrina.html | archive-date=May 26, 2006 | url-status=live}}</ref> ], ], ], ], Service International, "A River of Hope", ],<ref>{{cite web|publisher=]|title=Church Providing Relief to Hurricane Katrina Victims|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-providing-relief-to-hurricane-katrina-victims|date=September 1, 2005|access-date=January 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629003054/https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-providing-relief-to-hurricane-katrina-victims|archive-date=June 29, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Latter-day Saints to Mobilize Another 4,000 Volunteers in Chainsaw Brigade's Second Wave|publisher=]|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saints-to-mobilize-another-4,000-volunteers-in-chainsaw-brigade-s-second-wave|date=September 16, 2005|access-date=January 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628150606/https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saints-to-mobilize-another-4,000-volunteers-in-chainsaw-brigade-s-second-wave|archive-date=June 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://ldsmag.com/article-1-662/ | title=Mormon Helping Hands Make a Difference | magazine=Meridian Magazine | date=October 20, 2005 | access-date=June 7, 2015 | first=Jared | last=Johnson | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421024517/http://ldsmag.com/article-1-662/ | archive-date=April 21, 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> and many other charitable organizations provided aid to victims in the aftermath of the storm. They were not allowed into New Orleans proper by the National Guard for several days after the storm because of safety concerns. These organizations raised US$4.25 billion in donations from the public, with the Red Cross receiving over half of these donations.<ref name = "Charity Navigator report">{{cite web | author = Staff writer | publisher = ] | title = Where Did The Money Go? | year = 2006 | access-date = August 5, 2006 | website = Hurricane Katrina: One Year Later | url = http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/katrina.main.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060813170224/http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/katrina.main.htm | archive-date = August 13, 2006 | url-status = live}}</ref> Some smaller organizations and individuals ignored the access restrictions and provided early relief. For example, two privately chartered planes from ] evacuated 200 patients from Charity Hospital in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/09/09/al-gore-airlifts-evacuees.html |title=Al Gore Airlifts Evacuees |publisher=FOXnews.com |date=September 9, 2005 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070420195422/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C168978%2C00.html |archive-date=April 20, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Volunteers from the ] provided communications in areas where the communications infrastructure had been damaged or totally destroyed, relaying everything from 911 traffic to messages home.<ref>{{cite report|author=Staff Writer|url=http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2005-09-16|title=ARRL President Submits Congressional Testimony on Hams' Katrina Response|publisher=American Radio Relay League|access-date=April 14, 2010|date=September 16, 2005|volume=24|issue=36|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221033732/http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2005-09-16|archive-date=December 21, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> In Hancock County, Mississippi, ham radio operators provided the only communications into or out of the area and even served as 911 dispatchers.<ref>Rick Palm. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121220834/http://www.arrl.org/ares-el?issue=2005-09-22 |date=January 21, 2012}} ''The American Radio Relay League''. September 22, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> | |||
===Space Shuttle Program=== | |||
Many private corporations also contributed to relief efforts. On September 13, 2005, it was reported that corporate donations amounted to $409 million, and were expected to exceed $1 billion.<ref>. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107142543/http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/13/news/fortune500/katrina_donations/ |date=January 7, 2007}} ''CNN''. September 13, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
]'s Michoud Assembly Facility suffered some roof damage.]] | |||
The hurricane passed over the ] and materially interrupted the production of ] for the ], leading to a further interruption of the shuttle flights . Evan McCollum, a ] spokesman in ] reported on ]] that "there is water leakage and potential water damage in the buildings, but there's no way to tell how much at this point" . | |||
During and after the Hurricanes Katrina, ] and ], the American Red Cross had opened 1,470 shelters and registered 3.8 million overnight stays. None were allowed in New Orleans, however. A total of 244,000 Red Cross workers (95% of which were non-paid volunteers) were used throughout these three hurricanes. In addition, 346,980 comfort kits (including such basic necessities as toothpaste, soap, washcloths, and toys for children) and 205,360 cleanup kits (containing brooms, mops, and bleach) were distributed. For mass care, the organization served 68 million snacks and meals to victims of the disasters and to rescue workers. The Red Cross also had its Disaster Health services meet 596,810 contacts, and Disaster Mental Health services met 826,590 contacts. Red Cross emergency financial assistance was provided to 1.4 million families. Hurricane Katrina was the first natural disaster in the United States in which the American Red Cross used its "Safe and Well" family location website.<ref name="ARC 1 yr">{{cite web|publisher=] |title=A Year of Healing |date=September 29, 2006 |url=http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/Katrina_OneYearReport.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121200321/http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/Katrina_OneYearReport.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name = "ARC 2005AHS facts">{{cite web | publisher = American Red Cross | title = Hurricane Season 2005: Facts and Figures|date = September 29, 2006 | url = http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/hurricanes/2005/facts.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501000858/http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/hurricanes/2005/facts.html|archive-date=May 1, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
The ] remained closed until ], at which time only essential staff were called back to the facility. On ], ] ] announced that the repairs were progressing faster than anticipated, and so they will continue to use Michoud for external tank work . The next Shuttle flight, ], may still be postponed to May or later during the second half of 2006 . This facility is also used as a temporary staging area and headquarters for the U.S. Marine Corps effort in New Orleans, helping with the evacuation. | |||
Direct Relief provided a major response in the Gulf states so health providers could treat the local patients and evacuees. Direct Relief furnished $10 million in medical material aid and cash grants to support clinics and health centers in the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/hurricane-katrina/|title=Hurricane Katrina Relief|date=April 25, 2018|website=Direct Relief |access-date=March 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322143644/https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/hurricane-katrina/|archive-date=March 22, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The ] in ] was also damaged by Katrina, with structural damage to the main facility causing some water leakage into the interior portions of the research facility and halting any major tests while repairs are being made. In addition, the space center was used as a temporary evacuation center for areas near the Mississippi gulf coast region and for residents of New Orleans. | |||
In the year following Katrina's strike on the Gulf Coast, The Salvation Army allocated donations of more than $365 million to serve more than 1.7 million people in nearly every state. The organization's immediate response to Hurricane Katrina included more than 5.7 million hot meals and about 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks, and drinks served in and around New Orleans. Its SATERN network of amateur radio operators picked up where modern communications left off to help locate more than 25,000 survivors. Salvation Army pastoral care counselors were on hand to comfort the emotional and spiritual needs of 277,000 individuals. As part of the overall effort, Salvation Army officers, employees, and volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours of service.<ref name="Salvation Army">{{cite web | url = http://www.salvationist.org/intnews.nsf/vw_web_articles/80D873B8CDAC8607802571D9003FDDEF?opendocument | title = Salvation Army Reflects on Largest Disaster Response Ever at One-Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina | access-date = April 14, 2010 | date = August 28, 2006 | publisher = ] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727001251/http://www.salvationist.org/intnews.nsf/vw_web_articles/80D873B8CDAC8607802571D9003FDDEF?opendocument | archive-date = July 27, 2011 | url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
===Internet=== | |||
Technology for All set up technology centers for Internet access in the Astrodome. There were also reports that ] and ] installed and provided free ] access in the Astrodome. Cisco, Vonage, and SBC provided similar services at the Dallas Convention Center and Reunion Arena where another 8,000 evacuees were sheltered. | |||
=== Analysis of New Orleans levee failures === | |||
The ] (Intercosmos Media Group, ) | |||
{{Main|2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans}} | |||
data center in downtown New Orleans has so far been able to continue operations uninterrupted, due in part to the efforts of ]. They've also worked to help procure fuel for telco providers, and provided a router for New Orleans' city hall, apparently so city officials could establish VoIP telephone service during the disaster. According to ], DirectNIC is the 11th largest domain registrar on the Internet, at 1.1 million domains. They are currently running a that is documenting things that are happening around them, including pictures of the New Orleans aftermath, with a link to a webcam showing part of the Central Business District on Poydras St. A LiveJournal community, ] has been started for those who have been commenting in this blog. It includes FAQs about the actions of the DirectNIC team in setting up Outpost Crystal. | |||
] | |||
According to a modeling exercise conducted by the ] (USACE), two-thirds of the deaths in ] were due to levee and ] failure.<ref>Charles F. Anderson, Jurjen A. Battjes; et al. (2007). "The New Orleans Hurricane Protection System: What Went Wrong and Why" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061810/http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/katrina/reports/ERPreport.pdf |date=March 4, 2016}}. American Society of Civil Engineers. Retrieved July 25, 2016.</ref> On April 5, 2006, months after independent investigators had demonstrated that levee failures were not caused by natural forces beyond intended design strength, Lieutenant General ], ] and commander of the Corps of Engineers, testified before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water that "We have now concluded we had problems with the design of the structure."<ref>Staff Writers . '']''. September 29, 2005. Retrieved on April 14, 2010.</ref> | |||
A June 2007 report released by the ] determined that the failures of the levees and flood walls in New Orleans were found to be primarily the result of system design and construction flaws.<ref name="ASCE HKERP report"/> The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been federally mandated in the ] with responsibility for the conception, design, and construction of the region's flood-control system. All of the major studies in the aftermath of Katrina concluded that the USACE was responsible for the failure of the levees. This was primarily attributed to a decision to use shorter steel sheet pilings during construction in an effort to save money.<ref name="Robertson">{{cite news|last=Robertson|first=Campbell|title=Decade after Katrina pointing finger more firmly at Army Corps|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 23, 2015|access-date=October 31, 2015|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/us/decade-after-katrina-pointing-finger-more-firmly-at-army-corps.html?_r=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001212201/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/us/decade-after-katrina-pointing-finger-more-firmly-at-army-corps.html?_r=3|archive-date=October 1, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> According to a report published in August 2015 in the official journal of the ], the Corps misinterpreted the results of a 1985 study and wrongly concluded that sheet piles in the flood walls needed to be driven to depths of only {{convert|17|ft|0}} instead of between {{convert|31|and|46|ft|0}}. That decision saved approximately US$100 million, but significantly reduced overall engineering reliability.<ref>{{cite news |page=707 |author1=J. David Rogers |author2=G. Paul Kemp |title=Interaction between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Orleans Levee Board preceding the drainage canal wall failures and catastrophic flooding of New Orleans in 2005 |publisher=Water Policy |year=2015 |access-date=January 28, 2017 |url=http://wp.iwaponline.com/content/17/4/707 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203220852/http://wp.iwaponline.com/content/17/4/707 |archive-date=February 3, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The effects of the storm disrupted the ] ] ] link between Houston and Atlanta, as well as some of DirectNIC's many high-speed connections. The staff on site are working to restore more upstream connectivity, as well as Internet access to local municipal organizations. | |||
In January 2008, Judge ] of the U.S. District Court ruled that despite the Corps' role in the flooding, the agency<ref name="Nossiter">{{cite news|last=Nossiter|first=Adam|title=In Court Ruling on Floods, More Pain for New Orleans|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/us/01corps.html?_r=2&ref=us|date=February 1, 2008|access-date=February 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104173946/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/us/01corps.html?_r=2&ref=us|archive-date=November 4, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> could not be held financially liable because of ] in the ]. Exactly ten years after Katrina, J. David Rogers, lead author of a new report in the official journal of the World Water Council, concluded that the flooding during Katrina "could have been prevented had the corps retained an external review board to double-check its flood-wall designs".<ref>{{cite news|last=Stoltz|first=Mary Helen|title=Flood damage after Katrina could have been prevented, S&T expert says|publisher=Missouri S&T|date=August 24, 2015|access-date=February 22, 2016|url=http://news.mst.edu/2015/08/flood-damage-after-katrina-could-have-been-prevented-st-expert-says/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220034916/http://news.mst.edu/2015/08/flood-damage-after-katrina-could-have-been-prevented-st-expert-says/|archive-date=February 20, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
As of ] ], Sans Infocon is reporting code green for Internet attacks. Keynote Internet Health Report is reporting code green for select Internet networks. The Internet Traffic Report was reporting code yellow for ]. ] network status reports that ] is unavailable in ]. Perhaps one of the more interesting sets of status information is ] New Orleans and checking the reachability of the top 20 websites. On ], 25% were unreachable, 20% were impaired, and 55% remained reachable. The NO Visitor's Bureau reports "There is virtually total internet disruption as well, as locally hosted servers and routers have gone down with the loss of primary and backup power. Only those hotels with corporate housed servers in other cities have any internet possibility." | |||
Other factors may have contributed to the flooding. According to the authors of ''Catastrophe in the Making'' (Island Press, 2009), the straight design and lack of outward flow into the Gulf allowed the ] to become "the perfect shortcut for salt-water intrusion", which damaged buffering cypress forests and wetlands that historically had protected New Orleans from storm surge.<ref>{{cite book|page=120|author1=Freudenburg, William R.|first2=Robert|last2=Gramling|title=Catastrophe in the Making|publisher=Island Press|year=2009|access-date=October 15, 2015|url=https://www.islandpress.org/book/catastrophe-in-the-making|display-authors=etal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105121505/https://www.islandpress.org/book/catastrophe-in-the-making|archive-date=January 5, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Army Corps of Engineers built and maintained the canal. Furthermore, according to storm surge researcher Hassan Mashriqui: | |||
Cybertelecom.org has established a webpage to collect data on the status of and impact on the Internet. . | |||
{{blockquote|Storm surge pushing across shallow ] from the east is constrained by these MRGO levees to the south and, to the north, by the long-standing levees of the Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Initially ten or more miles apart, these two channels meet, and when they do, the water building between their levees is squeezed into a single channel – the Funnel – only 260 yards wide, constrained by levees 14 feet to 16 feet high….In concert with the denuded marshes, it could increase the local storm surge hitting the Intracoastal Waterway by 20 percent to 40 percent – a critical and fundamental flaw.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNroiySUreQC|title=The Storm: What Went Wrong and Why During Hurricane Katrina – the Inside Story from One Louisiana Scientist|first1=Ivor van|last1=Heerden|first2=Mike|last2=Bryan|date=May 18, 2006|publisher=Penguin|via=Google Books|isbn=9781101201701|access-date=October 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428000452/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNroiySUreQC|archive-date=April 28, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>}} | |||
===Science research=== | |||
Important work on heart disease, cancer, AIDS and many other other ailments may be lost to scientists at ] and ] universities' medical schools in New Orleans. Military research was also affected as state police broke into a high-security government lab in New Orleans and destroyed unspecified dangerous ]s before they could escape or be stolen. | |||
] | |||
== Political effects == | |||
The Corps of Engineers disputes these causalities.<ref>Warrick, Joby; Grunwald, Michael. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125035439/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/23/AR2005102301200_pf.html |date=November 25, 2016}} ''The Washington Post''. October 24, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> Nonetheless, in June 2008, the Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District submitted a Deep-Draft De-authorization Study of the MRGO which stated that "an economic evaluation of channel navigation use does not demonstrate a Federal interest in continued operation and maintenance of the channel." Congress ordered the MRGO closed as a direct result. | |||
{{Most intense hurricanes}} | |||
Many of the levees have been reconstructed since Katrina. In reconstructing them, precautions were taken to bring the levees up to modern building code standards and to ensure their safety. For example, in every situation possible, the Corps of Engineers replaced I-walls with T-walls, which have a horizontal concrete base that protects against soil erosion underneath the flood walls.<ref name=Walls>{{cite news | first=Matt | last=Crenson | agency=Associated Press | url=http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/story.asp?story=6589 | title=Levee Repairs to Be Finished By First Day of Hurricane Season | date=February 2, 2006 | access-date=May 12, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207184213/http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/story.asp?story=6589 | archive-date=February 7, 2006 | url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{{main|Political effects of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
As high profile news coverage has reported, the American public in general blames all levels of government in different proportions for failures to perform their responsibilities in hurricane preparedness, reaction, and aftermath. | |||
Funding battles continue over the remaining levee improvements. In February 2008, the Bush administration requested that the state of Louisiana pay about $1.5 billion of an estimated $7.2 billion for Corps of Engineers levee work (in accordance with the principles of local cost-sharing required by Congress as early as the ]), a proposal which angered many Louisiana leaders.<ref name=funding>{{cite news | title=White House Budget for Levee Work Riles Many Louisiana Elected Officials | agency=Associated Press | first=Cain | last=Burdeau | url=http://www.cegltd.com/story.asp?story=10045 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119020438/http://www.cegltd.com/story.asp?story=10045 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 19, 2013 | date=February 12, 2008 | access-date=May 12, 2008 }}</ref> On May 2, 2008, Louisiana Governor ] used a speech to The National Press Club to request that President Bush free up money to complete work on Louisiana's levees. Bush promised to include the levee funding in his 2009 budget but rejected the idea of including the funding in a war bill, which would pass sooner.<ref name=BushJindal>{{cite web | url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/18539869.html | title=Jindal asks Bush for levee cash | publisher=2theadvocate.com | first=Gerard | last=Shields | date=May 3, 2008 | access-date=May 12, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506102615/http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/18539869.html | archive-date=May 6, 2008 | url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Prevention and evacuation issues=== | |||
=== Media involvement === | |||
According to the ], the Department of Homeland Security "will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort" . | |||
{{Main|Media coverage of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
The state evacuation plan (Part 1 Section D7) states , evacuation is the responsibility of the local parish. In Orleans Parish that responsibility fell to Mayor ]. Many critics have noted that while Mayor Nagin gave a mandatory evacuation order on ], before the storm hit, they did not make sufficient ] and provisions to evacuate the homeless, the poor, the elderly, the infirm, or the ]-less households. Hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, were supposed to have pre-determined evacuation and/or refuge plans in place. Foreign nationals without transport claimed that the police refused to evacuate them, giving bus places only to American citizens. | |||
Many representatives of the news media reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina became directly involved in the unfolding events, instead of simply reporting. Because of the loss of most means of communication, such as land-based and cellular telephone systems, field reporters in many cases became conduits for information between victims and authorities. The authorities, who monitored local and network news broadcasts, as well as internet sites, would then attempt to coordinate rescue efforts based on the reports. One illustration was when ] of ] tearfully pleaded for authorities to either send help or evacuate the thousands of evacuees stranded at the ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Geraldo Rivera & Shepard Smith Unleashed |url=http://www.spike.com/video-clips/gmidjv/geraldo-rivera-shepard-smith-unleashed |website=Spike.com |access-date=January 4, 2016 |date=September 5, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314143006/http://www.spike.com/video-clips/gmidjv/geraldo-rivera-shepard-smith-unleashed |archive-date=March 14, 2016}}</ref> The role of AM radio was also of importance to the hundreds of thousands of persons with no other ties to news, providing emergency information regarding access to assistance for hurricane victims. Immediately after Katrina, ] was one of the few area radio stations in the area remaining on the air. This emergency service, simulcasted on shortwave outlet ], was named "]". Their ongoing nighttime broadcasts continued to be available up to {{convert|500|mi|km|abbr=on}} away. Announcers continued to broadcast from improvised studio facilities after the storm damaged their main studios.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://radio.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=radio&cdn=gadgets&tm=58&f=00&su=p504.1.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&st=23&zu=http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001052023|title=Local Media Outlets Struggle to Carry On Post Katrina|date=August 31, 2005|access-date=April 14, 2010|first1=Katy|last1=Bachman|first2=Tony|last2=Sanders|magazine=Billboard Radio Monitor}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The cellular phone antenna network was severely damaged and completely inoperable for several months. | |||
The storm also brought a dramatic rise in the role of websites—especially ] and ]. One example was the effort of ''NOLA.com'', the web affiliate of New Orleans's '']''. A group of reporters were awarded the Breaking News ]<ref name="Pulitzer BN">{{cite web | author = The Pulitzer Board | title = 2006 Pulitzer Prize Winners – Breaking News Reporting | year = 2006 | access-date = November 15, 2008 | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2006,Breaking+News+Reporting | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090110190152/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2006,Breaking+News+Reporting | archive-date = January 10, 2009 | url-status = live}}</ref> and shared the Public Service Pulitzer with the Biloxi-based '']''.<ref name="Pulitzer PS">{{cite web | author = The Pulitzer Board | title = 2006 Pulitzer Prize Winners – Public Service | year = 2006 | access-date = November 15, 2008 | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2006,Public+Service | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081219132758/http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2006,Public+Service | archive-date = December 19, 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref> The newspaper's coverage was carried for days only on NOLA's blogs, as the newspaper lost its presses and evacuated its building as water rose around it on August 30. The site became an international focal point for news by local media, and also became a vital link for rescue operations and later for reuniting scattered residents, as it accepted and posted thousands of individual pleas for rescue on its blogs and forums. NOLA was monitored constantly by an array of rescue teams—from individuals to the Coast Guard—which used information in rescue efforts. Much of this information was relayed from trapped victims via the SMS functions of their cell phones, to friends and relatives outside the area, who then relayed the information back to NOLA.com. The aggregation of community journalism, user photos, and the use of the internet site as a collaborative response to the storm attracted international attention and was called a watershed moment in journalism.<ref name="OJR NOLA">{{cite web|first=Mark |last=Glaser |title=NOLA.com blogs and forums help save lives after Katrina |date=September 13, 2005 |publisher=Online Journalism Review |access-date=August 2, 2006 |url=http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/050913glaser/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720085133/http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/050913glaser/ |archive-date=July 20, 2006}}</ref> In the wake of these online-only efforts, the Pulitzer Committee for the first time opened all its categories to online entries.<ref name="Pulitzer speech">{{cite web | first = Paul | last = Steiger | title = Remarks at Pulitzer Prize luncheon | date = May 22, 2006 | access-date = November 15, 2008 | publisher = The Pulitzer Board | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/2006_luncheon_steiger | author-link = Paul Steiger | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090110190421/http://www.pulitzer.org/2006_luncheon_steiger | archive-date = January 10, 2009 | url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
Prior to this, on ] the White House issued a statement , effective ], authorizing federal emergency assistance for Louisiana. The statement authorized the ] and ] to coordinate disaster relief and "...required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn." This includes all the parishes in the state of Louisiana except the coastal parishes which are inherently exposed to the most destructive forces of a hurricane. The President had not yet authorized FEMA to enter the coastal areas despite the governors request including those parishes. The governor activated the National Guard with her ], State of Emergency Declaration Red Cross relief in New Orleans remains forbidden by the Governor. | |||
As the U.S. military and rescue services regained control over the city, there were restrictions on the activity of the media. On September 9, the military leader of the relief effort announced that reporters would have "zero access" to efforts to recover bodies in New Orleans. Immediately following this announcement, CNN filed a ] and obtained a temporary ] against the ban. The next day the government backed down and reversed the ban.<ref name="Media Ban">Staff Writer. . {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050918060917/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/10/katrina.media/ |date=September 18, 2005}} ''CNN'' September 11, 2005. Retrieved on June 5, 2006.</ref> | |||
According to the Louisiana Emergency Operations Plan, evacuation was mainly left up to individual citizens to find their own way out of the city. It was known that many residents of New Orleans lacked cars. It is also believed that many citizens, having survived previous hurricanes, did not anticipate the impending catastrophe and chose to ride out the storm. Even so, a 2000 census revealed that 27% of New Orleans households, amounting to approximately 120,000 people, were without privately-owned transportation. Additionally, at 38%, New Orleans has one of the highest ] rates in the United States. These factors may have prevented many people from being able to evacuate on their own. Consequentially most of those stranded in the city are the poor, the elderly, and the sick. | |||
] | |||
In September 2022, the Associated Press issued a style guide change to Katrina stating that reporters when writing about the storm in New Orleans should note that "...levee failures played a major role in the devastation in New Orleans. In some stories, that can be as simple as including a phrase about Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic levee failures and flooding...."<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2022 |title="Hurricane Tropical Guide". AP Stylebook The Associated Press. |url=https://apstylebook.com/hurricane-ian-test |website=The Associated Press}}</ref> | |||
Some school buses were left parked on low ground where they would be easily flooded with storm water and then later by the levee flooding making their use impossible in the emergency evacuation after the rupture of the levee, sparking claims that Mayor Nagin did not follow some plan, but such a plan would necessarily require interstate coordination . It is not clear whether these buses were owned by the city or by a private contractor to which the city had outsourced school bus services. The number of these buses has been greatly exaggerated possibly in an attempt to smear Mayor Nagin. Mayor Nagin did send ]es from New Orleans' ] to help shelter those that stayed behind. These buses were intended to bring the remaining people to the Superdome for a last haven and for relief, but the dome was stocked with few relief supplies. Many supporters also note that school buses, while powerful, can be difficult to control in normally high windspeed of 50-80 mph (80-120 km/h). Winds west of New Orleans were recorded at 50mph during the storm and approximately 10 mph after the storm but before the levee break. During non-emergency times, drivers of ]es must own and maintain a class D commercial license or better depending on the exact size and weight of the bus. During an emergency any driver is suitable as long as OK'd by the Governor ]. | |||
=== Studies concerning post-Katrina victims === | |||
State and city evacuation plans ( (Part 1 Section C and part II-2) mention use of school buses for evacuation. With the following language: "The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. '''School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating"''' | |||
An article published in the ''Community Mental Health Journal'' from January 2016 revealed information about a recent study on the psychosocial needs of Hurricane Katrina evacuees that temporarily resided in Dallas, Texas. More than one-fourth of the sample met the criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). About one-third of the individuals received a referral to mental health services for meeting symptom criteria for incident MDD and PTSD.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=King|first1=Richard V.|last2=Polatin|first2=Peter B.|last3=Hogan|first3=David|last4=Downs|first4=Dana L.|last5=North|first5=Carol S.|date=January 1, 2016|title=Needs Assessment of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees Residing Temporarily in Dallas|journal=Community Mental Health Journal|volume=52|issue=1|pages=18–24|doi=10.1007/s10597-015-9938-5|issn=1573-2789|pmid=26507550|s2cid=9817578}}</ref> | |||
In a study published in '']'', five to seven years after the disaster, 308 New Orleans pregnant women were interviewed about their exposure to Katrina. Researchers found that there were associations between experiencing damage during Katrina and birthweight, thus researchers concluded that natural disasters may have long-term effects on pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, it was concluded that women who are most vulnerable to disaster may be more vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcome.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Harville|first1=Emily W.|last2=Giarratano|first2=Gloria|last3=Savage|first3=Jane|last4=Barcelona de Mendoza|first4=Veronica|last5=Zotkiewicz|first5=TrezMarie|date=November 1, 2015|title=Birth Outcomes in a Disaster Recovery Environment: New Orleans Women After Katrina|journal=Maternal and Child Health Journal|volume=19|issue=11|pages=2512–2522|doi=10.1007/s10995-015-1772-4|issn=1573-6628|pmc=4596760|pmid=26122255}}</ref> | |||
In spite of risks and his lack of formal training or license, 20-year-old ] commandeered a New Orleans school bus and rescued 70 people from the rising flood waters before making the 13-hour drive to Houston's ], arriving on Wednesday evening. A day later a commercially licensed driver's bus filled with evacuees flipped, resulting in one death and many injuries after a passenger fought with the driver. | |||
From a September 2015 journal of ''Current Psychology'', a study examined the attitudes of older, long-term residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana toward displaced newcomers to their community. After using multiple tests, analyses, and descriptive statistics, the study suggested residents grew to become more patient, tolerant, and friendly towards newcomers. The study also suggests, however, that residents felt more fearful and suspicious of the evacuees, as well as the fact that they were being taken advantage of more.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kamo|first1=Yoshinori|last2=Henderson|first2=Tammy L.|last3=Roberto|first3=Karen A.|last4=Peabody|first4=Kimberly L.|last5=White|first5=Jamikka K.|date=August 2, 2015|title=Perceptions of Older Adults in a Community Accepting Displaced Survivors of Hurricane Katrina|journal=Current Psychology |volume=34|issue=3|pages=551–563|doi=10.1007/s12144-015-9356-4|s2cid=146488181|issn=1046-1310|doi-access=free}}</ref> | |||
In a phone call to WWL radio made after the idle school and RTA buses were flooded, Mayor Nagin called for 500 Greyhound buses to be sent from outside the city to help evacuate. Coordination of transportation from outside the Parish is the responsibility of the Governor according to the State Evacuation Plan (Part 1 Section D). Governor ] had yet to exercise this responsibility. | |||
=== Retirement === | |||
Some evacuees report that the drive from New Orleans to Baton Rouge took anywhere from five hours to nine hours; this drive usually takes up to an hour. Reports from the Associated Press state that 80% of the near 500,000 had evacuated safely from New Orleans prior to the hurricane's landfall. Even if licensed drivers had been available and the available buses had been used to evacuate the remaining approximately 150,000 people, they may not have made it to safety before landfall. | |||
{{See also|List of retired Atlantic hurricane names}} | |||
Because of the high death toll and widespread property destruction along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the name Katrina was retired from the ] in April 2006 by the ]. The name will never again be used for another tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. It was replaced with Katia for the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2607.htm|title=Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma "Retired" from List of Storm Names|access-date=April 12, 2024|date=April 6, 2006|publisher=NOAA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224105328/http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2607.htm|archive-date=December 24, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.preventionweb.net/files/1533_entirenhop06.pdf|page=3{{hyphen}}8|publisher=] Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research|location=Washington, D.C.|title=National Hurricane Operations Plan|date=May 2006|access-date=April 12, 2024|archive-date=January 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119200543/https://www.preventionweb.net/files/1533_entirenhop06.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
== Reconstruction == | |||
This massive migration is the largest since the ] of the 1930's sent about 300,000 people from the Great Plains States to other regions of the US, most notably California. | |||
{{Main|Reconstruction of New Orleans}} | |||
] in New Orleans, January 2006]] | |||
Reconstruction of each section of the southern portion of Louisiana has been addressed in the Army Corps LACPR (Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration) Final Technical Report, which identifies areas to not be rebuilt and areas where buildings need to be elevated.<ref name="The LACPR Home Page">{{cite web|url=http://www.lacpr.usace.army.mil/ |title=The LACPR Home Page |author=United States Army Corps of Engineers |publisher=] |year=2009 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825084458/http://www.lacpr.usace.army.mil/ |archive-date=August 25, 2009 |author-link=United States Army Corps of Engineers}}</ref> | |||
The Technical Report includes: | |||
===Race and class issues=== | |||
* locations of possible new levees to be built | |||
{{seealso|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans#Criticism of relief effort}} | |||
* suggested existing levee modifications | |||
* "Inundation Zones", "Water depths less than 14 feet, Raise-In-Place of Structures", "Water depths greater than 14 feet, Buyout of Structures", "Velocity Zones" and "Buyout of Structures" areas for five different scenarios. | |||
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers submitted the report to the U.S. Congress for consideration, planning, and response in mid-2009. | |||
The question of demographics has been raised in the media as news video and photographs showed primarily black citizens stranded in New Orleans. The ] estimates the 2004 New Orleans population to be 20.0% white and 67.9% black. | |||
Within the city itself, the poorest tended to live in the lowest parts that are most vulnerable to flooding. | |||
== Records == | |||
Members of the ], ], ], ] and the ] held a news conference expressing anger and charging that the response was slow because those most affected are poor. | |||
Katrina is the costliest tropical cyclone on record, tying with ] in ].<ref name="Costliest TC's" /> The storm was the fourth-most intense ] on record to make landfall in the ], behind the ], ] in 1969, and ] in 2018.<ref name="US hurricanes">{{cite web |url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/UShurrs_detailed.html |title=Continental United States Hurricanes (Detailed Description)|date=June 2020 |publisher=United States Hurricane Research Division|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> Katrina was also the earliest eleventh named storm in the Atlantic until ] surpassed it on August 14, 2020, beating Katrina by 10 days.<ref name=kyle1>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2020/al12/al122020.discus.001.shtml?|title=Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Number 1|website=nhc.noaa.gov|author=David Zelinsky|publisher=National Hurricane Center|location=Miami, Florida|date=August 14, 2020|access-date=August 14, 2020|archive-date=September 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913023929/https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2020/al12/al122020.discus.001.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Critics say city, state and federal officials didn't bother to consider citizens who cannot afford private transportation when planning for a natural disaster in New Orleans. Mayor Nagin was criticized for failing to formulate an evacuation plan that provided transportation out of the city for those without private means. | |||
== See also == | |||
However, the greater amount of criticism was directed at the slow reaction of the Bush administration to the crisis. No meaningful help for thousands of people stranded at the city's Convention Center occurred until the fifth day of the flood. They went without food, water, electricity and toilet facilities. People stranded in the Superdome and on highway overpasses fared only slightly better. Polls revealed that a majority of African-Americans believed that racial bias played a role in the indifference the administration, including FEMA, showed. But, some commentators point out that FEMA's response was inadequate across the board, including its treatment of the predominantly white victims in Mississippi and suburban Louisiana. | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* '']'' | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
'''Other similar tropical cyclones:''' | |||
* ] (1965) – Category 4 hurricane which had a similar track in the Gulf to Katrina; the first billion-dollar hurricane on record. | |||
* ] (1969) – Category 5 hurricane that made the second-strongest U.S. landfall on record; impacted similar areas to Katrina. | |||
* ] (1992) - Category 5 hurricane that took a similar track and devastated similar areas. | |||
* ] (2005) – Category 5 hurricane which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States at Category 3 intensity just a month after Katrina impacted Louisiana. | |||
* ] (2017) – Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Texas and is the wettest cyclone in U.S. history; tied with Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record | |||
* ] (2020) – Category 4 hurricane which struck near Cameron, Louisiana at peak intensity just one day prior to Katrina's 15th anniversary. | |||
* ] (2021) – Category 4 hurricane which made landfall in Louisiana at peak intensity on the same day of Katrina's 16th anniversary. | |||
== Notes == | |||
Civil rights groups were also very displeased with some of the language used in regard to the predominately black citizens of New Orleans. They were casually referred to as "looters" in print and broadcast reports. Looting usually means large scale theft and pillaging, not the taking of necessities such as water, that some desperate people engaged in. Though some outright looting did occur, the word appears to have been used to exaggerate the degree of wrongdoing of most people who took necessities. | |||
{{reflist|group=nb}} | |||
== References == | |||
Another concern was the media's choice of terminology for the displaced. In one analysis, it was found that "refugees" appeared 5 times more frequently in the global media than "evacuees", which some people see as more neutral. Most of the major U.S. news outlets in eliminated the usage of "refugees". | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
== Further reading == | |||
The ] defines "]" in Sec. 101(a)(42) as: Any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. | |||
{{refbegin|30em}} | |||
* {{cite web |last=Augustson |first=Alan |date=August 31, 2008 |editor-last=Bernstein |editor-first=Jonathan |url=https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/newsletter/crisis-manager-080831.html |title=Katrina: Three Years Later, The Lessons We Haven't Learned |website=Crisis Manager |publisher=Bernstein Crisis Management |issn=1528-3836 |access-date=June 3, 2017 |ref=cmu}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Brennan |first=Virginia |year=2009 |title=Natural Disasters and Public Health: Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma |location=Baltimore |publisher=] |isbn=978-0-8018-9199-1}} | |||
* {{Cite book |editor=Center for Public Integrity |year=2007 |title=City Adrift: New Orleans Before and After Katrina |location=Baton Rouge |publisher=LSU Press |isbn=978-0-8071-3284-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/cityadriftneworl0000unse}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Dyson |first=Michael Eric |author-link=Michael Eric Dyson |year=2006 |title=Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster |location=New York |publisher=Perseus Books Group |isbn=978-0-465-01761-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/comehellorhighwa00dyso}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Eggers |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Eggers |year=2009 |title=Zeitoun |location=San Francisco |publisher=McSweeney's Books |isbn=978-1-934781-63-0|title-link=Zeitoun (book)}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Eyerman |first=Ron |year=2015 |title=Is This America? Katrina as Cultural Trauma |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TjQKCgAAQBAJ |series=The Katrina Bookshelf |location=Austin|publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=9781477303689 |oclc=900609113}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Harris |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Harris (author) |year=2008 |title=Diary From the Dome |location=New York |publisher=Vantage Press |asin=B003M69KSC|title-link=Diary From the Dome}} | |||
* {{Cite book |editor1-last=Hartman |editor1-first=Chester |editor2-last=Squires |editor2-first=Gregory D. |year=2006|title=There Is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Hurricane Katrina |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-95487-7}} | |||
* Hirsch, Arnold R. "Fade to black: Hurricane Katrina and the disappearance of Creole New Orleans." ''Journal of American History'' 94.3 (2007): 752–761. https://doi.org/10.2307/25095136 | |||
* Horowitz, Andy. '' Katrina: A History, 1915–2015'' (Harvard University Press, 2020), long-term scholarly perspective. | |||
* {{Cite journal |last=Burd |first=Camden |date=2021 |title=How To Plan A Disaster: Politics, Nature, and Hurricane Katrina |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/796683 |journal=Reviews in American History |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=304–309 |doi=10.1353/rah.2021.0030 |issn=1080-6628}} | |||
* Robinson, Sue. "A chronicle of chaos: Tracking the news story of Hurricane Katrina from The Times-Picayune to its website". ''Journalism'' 10.4 (2009): 431-450 . | |||
*Rosenthal, Sandy. ''Words Whispered in Water: Why the Levees Broke in Hurricane Katrina'' (Mango, 2020), non-fiction account of author's battle to expose Army Corps of Engineers. | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Saint-Saens |first=Alain |year=2010 |title=Ordeal at the Superdome. Escaping Katrina's Wrath |location=New Orleans |publisher=University Press of the South |isbn=978-1-889431-87-1}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Scott |first=Cathy |author-link=Cathy Scott |year=2008 |title=Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned |location=Hoboken |publisher=] |isbn=978-0-470-22851-7|title-link=Pawprints of Katrina}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Spielman |first=David G. |year=2007 |title=Katrinaville Chronicles: Images and Observations from a New Orleans Photographer |location=Baton Rouge |publisher=LSU Press |isbn=978-0-8071-3252-4}} | |||
* {{Cite book |editor1-last=Taylor |editor1-first=William M. |display-authors=etal |year=2015 |title=The "Katrina Effect": On the Nature of Catastrophe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EayFCAAAQBAJ |location=London; New York |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=9781472595164 |oclc=893894307}} | |||
* Usher, Nikki. "Recovery from disaster: How journalists at the New Orleans Times-Picayune understand the role of a post-Katrina newspaper". ''Journalism Practice'' 3.2 (2009): 216–232. | |||
{{refend}} | |||
According to the conventions of international humanitarian assistance, the correct term for the former residents of the hurricane affected areas would be "]". The ] defines internally displaced persons as: "Persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border." | |||
== External links == | |||
The word 'refugee' was rejected by critics because it implies lack of citizenship or second-class citizenship, a sore point considering the United States' long history of discriminatory and dehumanizing treatment of people of African descent. Perhaps because of the centuries it took them to acquire it, African-Americans highly value their citizenship. | |||
On ], while presenting on the ] ], music producer and rapper ] strayed from his script and addressed what he perceived as the racism of both the government and of the media, stating: "George Bush doesn't care about black people", and called for the media to stop labelling African-American families as "looters" while white families were depicted as "looking for food". During these comments NBC cut filming on West and footage resumed with ]. (West's comments were heard in the entirety in the eastern U.S., where the telecast was shown live; NBC later removed a portion of the comments on the tape-delayed telecast shown in the west. NBC also issued an apology for the comments.) | |||
<!-- ATTENTION NEWCOMERS! If you would like to contribute, please contribute by adding information to the article or one of the many other Hurricane Katrina–related articles, rather than adding more external links. See the page WP:NOT on information why Misplaced Pages is not the right place to list lots of links. Please do not convert the boldface to subsection headers, or add any subsections to the external links, as it will prevent people from seeing this notice. --> | |||
Some people perceived racism in a pair of photo captions that were posted at Yahoo.com. A caption said a white couple as had found items and a different caption said black man as having looted. But the photos and captions were from two news organizations and two photographers. The photographers said they had written what they saw, finding items floating in the water in one case, and taking items from a store in the other case. | |||
{{Sister project links|Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
* National Hurricane Center's | |||
* ]'s | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070904113536/http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/h2005_katrina.html |date=September 4, 2007 }} | |||
* Louisiana Geological Survey publication on Hurricane Katrina | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618075836/http://hnoc.minisisinc.com/thnoc/catalog/3/7931 |date=June 18, 2020 }} at | |||
'''Disaster recovery:''' | |||
The perception that racism played a role in how the victims of Hurricane Katrina are perceived is supported by considerable evidence. Would there have been general acceptance of claims that hundreds of people had been killed in the New Orleans Superdome and Convention Center in the absence of stereotypical views of blacks? (The actual death toll was six people in the Superdome and four in the Convention Center. All but two appear to have died of natural causes.) White supremacy sites on the Internet have used false accounts of violence in New Orleans to attempt to win support for their cause. Some states have conducted criminal background checks on evacuees without their knowledge. The attorney general of Utah claimed that many of the 400-500 evacuees who moved there were violent criminals, including murderers, only to subsequently retract his remarks. Sloppy reporters have also made outrageous claims about the evacuee population and criminality, based on speculation or very small samples of evacuees, such as those remaining in shelters after the passage of a week or more. Citizens in some cities where evacuees moved have purchased guns in reaction to their presence, believing them to be dangerous. There is no reliable evidence that crime levels have increased in places where evacuees relocated. However, some law enforcement personnel believe evacuees are being targeted as victims of crimes because of a perception they have cash or debit cards from FEMA. | |||
* | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092804/http://www.city-journal.org/html/16_2_houston.html |date=September 29, 2007 }} – An article in the '']'' | |||
* from '']'' magazine | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013224853/http://www.hurricane-katrina.org/ |date=October 13, 2019}} | |||
* - 10th anniversary podcast | |||
'''Images:''' | |||
African-American leaders including ] and ] of the ] have called for the creation of a victims' compensation fund modeled after the ]. | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* (]) | |||
* | |||
{{s-start}} | |||
"Within days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress passed and the president signed legislation authorizing a 9/11 victims compensation fund, which eventually provided more than $7 billion in compensation for the victims of 9/11," Morial said in a press release. "As it did then, Congress must take immediate and decisive action to begin compensating American citizens whose lives have been disrupted by this major national tragedy." | |||
{{s-bef| before = ]}} | |||
{{s-ttl| title = ]| years = ]}} | |||
{{s-aft| after = ] (currently tied)}} | |||
{{s-end}} | |||
{{Hurricane Katrina series}} | |||
The impact of the racial dimension of the tragedy may effect African-Americans most. According to poll data and media accounts, the treatment of victims in New Orleans led to feelings of distrust, alienation and anger among black Americans nationwide. | |||
{{Retired Atlantic hurricanes}} | |||
{{Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes}} | |||
===Environmental issues=== | |||
{{2005_Atlantic_hurricane_season buttons}} | |||
Katrina has caused a renewed interest in ] and whether it is responsible for stronger hurricanes observed in recent years. See discussion on ] for more information. | |||
{{Presidency of George W. Bush}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
An environmental factor in the extent of damage caused by Katrina has been the destruction of wetlands in the affected regions, which traditionally have a mitigating effect on hurricane damage acting as a sponge to slow floodwaters. | |||
{{Portal bar|Louisiana|Tropical cyclones|United States|Mississippi}} | |||
Untreated ], decomposing bodies and ] as well as a complicated mixture of toxic chemicals and oils originating from both domestic, agricultural and industrial sources are still mixing into the floodwaters creating a serious health risk across the whole of the flooded area. The immediate threats include disease contagions being spread from decomposing bodies, both by water and by animal vectors such as mosquitoes. Longer term threats will reveal themselves as the floodwaters recede, including biochemical residue which could severely impact surface and ground water, soil, and urban environments. An immediate challenge exists in safely disposing of vast quantities of polluted water inside New Orleans. Many news reports currently state that the water inside New Orleans will be pumped straight back into Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico. The effects of this action remain extremely unclear and could result in serious contamination of both bodies of water. | |||
===Congressional investigation=== | |||
The Washington Post reported on ] ], that in an apparent attempt to control the political fallout over the destruction of much of New Orleans, the U.S. Congress would form a rare joint House-Senate investigative commission, but that unlike the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, a majority of the committee would be Republicans, and that Democrats would have no subpoena authority . | |||
===Demographic Shifts=== | |||
In surveys since the storm 45-50% of the nearly half a million people evacuated from the affected area into other states have indicated an unwillingness to return. A full 40% of those surveyed among the 250,000 evacuees in Texas indicated that they intended to remain in the state permanently. Another 15% indicated that they would probably relocate to other areas of the country instead of returning to Louisiana. Already, thousands of the evacuees and other citizens from Louisiana have started to migrate not only to the evacuation areas such as Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas, but to other areas including Tennessee, California and the Carolinas. | |||
Mayor Nagin of New Orleans recently admitted that he expected that even after several years of rebuilding, the City of New Orleans would likely only be about half the pre-Katrina size of 460,000. | |||
With this major shift in population will come significant political changes. It is estimated that in the next congressional seat realignment, after the census in 2010, Louisiana could stand to lose as many as five of its ten seats, due to population loss. Surrounding states will likely pick up these seats as a result. Texas will probably pick up at least two if not three congressional seats. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee could potentially pick up a seat as well. This could have a profound and long-lasting impact on the electoral map and on national elections beginning in 2010 due to both the migration of seats between states and the change in demographics in existing districts in the affected states. In-state changes may also result in a dramatic realignment of congressional seats, with one or more additional congressional seats and many seats in the Louisiana House and Senate, likely to be lost in the New Orleans area and shifted inland, which could dramatically shift the balance of power. | |||
==Media involvement== | |||
] | |||
Many representatives of the ] reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina became directly involved in the unfolding events, instead of simply reporting. Due to the loss of most means of communication, such as land-based and cellular telephone systems, field reporters in many cases became conduits for information between victims and authorities. | |||
Several reporters for various ] located groups of stranded victims, and reported their location via ]. Authorities, who monitored the network news broadcasts, would then attempt to coordinate rescue efforts based on the news reports. This was best illustrated when ] and ] of ], among others, reported thousands of evacuees stranded at the ]. Rivera tearfully pleaded for authorities to either send help or let the evacuees leave. | |||
] went so far as to compare the convention center to ]. | |||
The news media, both traditional and Internet, also played a role in helping families locate missing loved ones. Many family members, unable to contact local authorities in the affected areas, discovered the fate of a loved one via an online photo or television video clip. In one instance, a family in ], ] discovered their mother was still alive in ] after seeing a photo of her on TampaBayStart.com , a regional news site. | |||
Many journalists also contributed to the spread of false rumors of lawlessness among the victims. Many news organizations carried the unsubstantiated accounts that murder and rape were widespread, and in some cases later repeated the claims as fact, without attribution. These rumors often impeded the relief and rescue efforts. | |||
===Restrictions on the media=== | |||
As the US military and rescue services regained control over the city, there were restrictions on the activity of the media. | |||
] | |||
On ] a ] spokeswoman requested in an email to ]s that they voluntarily refrain from taking ]s of the many corpses still present in the city at that time. (,,). On ], FEMA spokesman ] confirmed this request. On ], Lt. Gen. ], the military leader of the relief effort, announced that reporters would have "zero access" to efforts to recover bodies in New Orleans. Critics of the federal government considered this effort to be similar to the controversial post-] policy that corpses under federal custody should be kept shielded from media photographers. | |||
Immediately following the government decision, ] filed a ] and obtained a temporary ] against the federal ban (). The next day (]), spokesperson Col. ] announced that the government would no longer attempt to bar media access to the victim recovery efforts (). | |||
Journalists ] and ] () reported that government personnel on the scene blocked attempts to report on rescue efforts in New Orleans. Brian Williams also reported that in the process of blocking journalists, police even went so far as to threaten reporters with a weapon (, ). However, at evacuee centers such as the ] and the ] press activity was extensive. | |||
On ], a journalist for the ] was denied access to a survivor camp at the ] and reported that the camp was fenced-in and heavily guarded. | |||
On ], ] journalist Brian Barker reported () that his team was threatened with automatic weapons by ] until they were identified by Brig. Gen. ], commander of the ] of Oregon that they were embedded with. Subsequently, his team taped the letters "TV" on the side of their vehicles in accordance with standard practice in war zones. | |||
==See also== | |||
*] | |||
*] | |||
==External links and sources== | |||
{{Commons|2005 Atlantic hurricane season}} | |||
{{Wikinews|Category:New Orleans Disaster}} | |||
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'''Disaster recovery''' | |||
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* : a collection of survivors' stories and non-traditional reporting on the recovery effort in the Gulf. | |||
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Latest revision as of 20:18, 24 December 2024
Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 2005 Not to be confused with Hurricane Catarina or Hurricane Karina. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Katrina.
Katrina at peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on August 28 | |
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 23, 2005 |
Extratropical | August 30, 2005 |
Dissipated | August 31, 2005 |
Category 5 major hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 175 mph (280 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 902 mbar (hPa); 26.64 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 1,392 total |
Missing | 652 |
Damage | $125 billion (2005 USD) (Tied as the costliest tropical cyclone on record) |
Areas affected |
|
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Katrina |
---|
2005 Atlantic hurricane season |
General |
Impact |
Relief |
Analysis |
External links |
|
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. It is tied with Hurricane Harvey as being the costliest tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. Katrina was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States, gauged by barometric pressure.
Katrina formed on August 23, 2005, with the merger of a tropical wave and the remnants of Tropical Depression Ten. Early the following day, the depression intensified into a tropical storm and headed generally westward toward Florida. On August 25, two hours before making landfall at Hallandale Beach, it strengthened into a hurricane. After briefly weakening to tropical storm strength over southern Florida, Katrina entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 26 and rapidly intensified. The storm strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before weakening to a high-end Category 3 hurricane at its second landfall on August 29 over southeast Louisiana and Mississippi.
The largest loss of life in Hurricane Katrina was due to flooding caused by engineering flaws in the flood protection system, particularly the levees around the city of New Orleans. 80% of the city, as well as large areas in neighboring parishes, were flooded for weeks. The flooding destroyed most of New Orleans's transportation and communication facilities, leaving tens of thousands of people who did or could not evacuate the city before landfall with little access to food, shelter, and other necessities. The disaster in New Orleans prompted a massive national and international response effort, including federal, local, and private rescue operations to evacuate those displaced from the city in the following weeks. After the storm, multiple investigations concluded that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which had designed and built the region's levees decades earlier, was responsible for the failure of the flood-control systems. However, federal courts later ruled that the Corps could not be held financially liable due to sovereign immunity in the Flood Control Act of 1928.
The emergency response from federal, state, and local governments was widely criticized, leading to the resignation of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director Michael D. Brown and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) superintendent Eddie Compass. Many other government officials faced criticism for their responses, especially New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, and President George W. Bush. However, several agencies, such as the United States Coast Guard (USCG), National Hurricane Center (NHC), and National Weather Service (NWS), were commended for their actions, with the NHC being particularly praised for its accurate forecasts well in advance. Katrina was the earliest 11th named storm on record before being surpassed by Tropical Storm Kyle on August 14, 2020. The destruction and loss of life caused by the storm prompted the name Katrina to be retired by the World Meteorological Organization in April 2006.
On January 4, 2023, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) updated the Katrina fatality data based on a report by Rappaport (2014) which reduced the number from an estimated 1,833 to 1,392.
Meteorological history
Main article: Meteorological history of Hurricane Katrina For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Hurricane Katrina.Hurricane Katrina originated from the merger of a tropical wave and the mid-level remnants of Tropical Depression Ten on August 19, 2005, near the Lesser Antilles. On August 23, the disturbance organized into Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas. The storm strengthened into Tropical Storm Katrina on the morning of August 24. The tropical storm moved towards Florida and became a hurricane only two hours before making landfall between Hallandale Beach and Aventura on the morning of August 25. The storm weakened over land, but it regained hurricane status about one hour after entering the Gulf of Mexico, and it continued strengthening over open waters. On August 27, the storm reached Category 3 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, becoming the third major hurricane of the season. An eyewall replacement cycle disrupted the intensification but caused the storm to nearly double in size. Thereafter, Katrina rapidly intensified over the "unusually warm" waters of the Loop Current, from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in just nine hours.
After attaining Category 5 hurricane status on the morning of August 28, Katrina reached its peak strength at 1800 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 902 mbar (26.6 inHg). The pressure measurement made Katrina the fifth most intense Atlantic hurricane on record at the time, only to be surpassed by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma later in the season; it was also the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico at the time, before Rita broke the record. The hurricane subsequently weakened due to another eyewall replacement cycle, and Katrina made its second landfall at 1110 UTC on August 29, as a high-end Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (201 km/h), near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana. At landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward 120 miles (190 km) from the center and the storm's central pressure was 920 mbar (27 inHg). After moving over southeastern Louisiana and Breton Sound, it made its third and final landfall near the Louisiana–Mississippi border with 120 mph (190 km/h) sustained winds, still at a mid-range Category 3 hurricane intensity. Katrina maintained strength well into Mississippi, finally losing hurricane strength more than 150 miles (240 km) inland near Meridian, Mississippi. It was downgraded to a tropical depression near Clarksville, Tennessee; its remnants were absorbed by a cold front in the eastern Great Lakes region on August 31. The resulting extratropical storm moved rapidly to the northeast and affected eastern Canada.
Preparations
Federal government
The United States Coast Guard began pre-positioning resources in a ring around the expected impact zone and activated more than 400 reservists. On August 27, it moved its personnel out of the New Orleans region prior to the mandatory evacuation. Aircrews from the Aviation Training Center, in Mobile, staged rescue aircraft from Texas to Florida. All aircraft were returning towards the Gulf of Mexico by the afternoon of August 29. Aircrews, many of whom lost their homes during the hurricane, began a round-the-clock rescue effort in New Orleans, and along the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines.
President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency in selected regions of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on August 27. "On Sunday, August 28, President Bush spoke with Governor Blanco to encourage her to order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans." However, during the testimony by former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Michael Brown before a U.S. House subcommittee on September 26, Representative Stephen Buyer (R-IN) inquired as to why Bush's declaration of state of emergency of August 27 had not included the coastal parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines. The declaration actually did not include any of Louisiana's coastal parishes, whereas the coastal counties were included in the declarations for Mississippi and Alabama. Brown testified that this was because Louisiana Governor Blanco had not included those parishes in her initial request for aid, a decision that he found "shocking". After the hearing, Blanco released a copy of her letter, which showed she had requested assistance for "all the southeastern parishes including the City of New Orleans" as well as specifically named 14 parishes, including Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines.
Voluntary and mandatory evacuations were issued for large areas of southeast Louisiana as well as coastal Mississippi and Alabama. About 1.2 million residents of the Gulf Coast were covered under a voluntary or mandatory evacuation order.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
On the afternoon of August 26, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) realized that Katrina had yet to make the turn toward the Florida Panhandle and ended up revising the predicted track of the storm from the panhandle to the Mississippi coast. The National Weather Service's New Orleans/Baton Rouge office issued a vividly worded bulletin on August 28 predicting that the area would be "uninhabitable for weeks" after "devastating damage" caused by Katrina, which at that time rivaled the intensity of Hurricane Camille. During video conferences involving the president later that day and on August 29, NHC director Max Mayfield expressed concern that Katrina might push its storm surge over the city's levees and flood walls. In one conference, he stated, "I do not think anyone can tell you with confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but that's obviously a very, very great concern."
Gulf Coast
Florida
In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency on August 24 in advance of Hurricane Katrina's landfall. By the following day, Florida's Emergency Operations Center was activated in Tallahassee to monitor the progress of the hurricane. Before Katrina moved ashore, schools and businesses were closed in the Miami area. Cruise ships altered their paths due to seaports in southeastern Florida closing. Officials in Miami-Dade County advised residents in mobile homes or with special needs to evacuate. To the north in Broward County, residents east of the Intracoastal Waterway or in mobile homes were advised to leave their homes. Evacuation orders were issued for offshore islands in Palm Beach County, and for residents in mobile homes south of Lantana Road. Additionally, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for vulnerable housing in Martin County. Shelters were opened across the region. Officials closed the Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, Key West International Airport, and Florida Keys Marathon Airport due to the storm. In Monroe and Collier counties, schools were closed, and a shelter was opened in Immokalee.
Alabama
On August 28, Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared a state of emergency for the approaching Hurricane Katrina. On the same day, he requested President Bush to declare "expedited major disaster declaration" for six counties of South Alabama, which was quickly approved. Three hundred fifty national guardsmen were called on duty by August 30. The state of Mississippi activated its National Guard on August 26 in preparation for the storm's landfall. Additionally, the state government activated its Emergency Operations Center the next day, and local governments began issuing evacuation orders. By 6:00 p.m. CDT on August 28, 11 counties and cities issued evacuation orders, a number which increased to 41 counties and 61 cities by the following morning. Moreover, 57 emergency shelters were established on coastal communities, with 31 additional shelters available to open if needed.
By Sunday, August 28, most infrastructure along the Gulf Coast had been shut down, including all freight and Amtrak rail traffic into the evacuation areas as well as the Waterford Nuclear Generating Station. Since Hurricane Katrina, Amtrak's Sunset Limited service has never been restored past New Orleans.
Louisiana
See also: Hurricane preparedness in New OrleansIn Louisiana, the state's hurricane evacuation plan calls for local governments in areas along and near the coast to evacuate in three phases, starting with the immediate coast 50 hours before the start of tropical-storm-force winds. Persons in areas designated Phase II begin evacuating 40 hours before the onset of tropical storm winds and those in Phase III areas (including New Orleans) evacuate 30 hours before the start of such winds. Many private caregiving facilities that relied on bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation were unable to evacuate their charges because they waited too long. Louisiana's Emergency Operations Plan Supplement 1C (Part II, Section II, Paragraph D) calls for use of school and other public buses in evacuations. Although buses that later flooded were available to transport those dependent on public transportation, not enough bus drivers were available to drive them since Governor Blanco did not sign an emergency waiver to allow any licensed driver to transport evacuees on school buses.
By August 26, many of the computer models had shifted the potential path of Katrina 150 miles (240 km) westward from the Florida Panhandle, putting the city of New Orleans directly in the center of their track probabilities; the chances of a direct hit were forecast at 17%, with strike probability rising to 29% by August 28. This scenario was considered a potential catastrophe because some parts of New Orleans and the metro area are below sea level. Since the storm surge produced by the hurricane's right-front quadrant (containing the strongest winds) was forecast to be 28 feet (8.5 m), while the levees offered protection to 23 feet (7.0 m), emergency management officials in New Orleans feared that the storm surge could go over the tops of levees protecting the city, causing major flooding.
At a news conference at 10 am. EDT on August 28, shortly after Katrina was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin ordered the first-ever mandatory evacuation of the city, calling Katrina "a storm that most of us have long feared". The city government also established several "refuges of last resort" for citizens who could not leave the city, including the massive Louisiana Superdome, which sheltered approximately 26,000 people and provided them with food and water for several days as the storm came ashore. Some estimates claimed that 80% of the 1.3 million residents of the greater New Orleans metropolitan area evacuated, leaving behind substantially fewer people than remained in the city during the Hurricane Ivan evacuation.
Impact
Alabama | 2 |
Florida | 14 |
Georgia | 2 |
Kentucky | 1 |
Louisiana | 986–1,577* |
Mississippi | 238 |
Ohio | 2 |
Total | 1,245–1,836 |
---|---|
Missing | 652 |
*Includes out-of-state evacuees counted by Louisiana |
On August 29, 2005, Katrina's storm surge caused 53 breaches to various flood protection structures in and around the greater New Orleans area, submerging 80% of the city. A June 2007 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers indicated that two-thirds of the flooding was caused by the multiple failures of the city's floodwalls. The storm surge also devastated the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, making Katrina one of the most destructive hurricanes, the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States (tied with Hurricane Harvey in 2017), and the deadliest hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. The total damage from Katrina is estimated at $125 billion (2005 U.S. dollars). However, in February 2021, a severe winter storm struck the United States, causing a major power failure in Houston, which caused at least $195 billion (2021 USD) in damage in Texas. It surpassed both Katrina and Harvey to become the single-costliest natural disaster recorded in the United States.
The death toll from Katrina is uncertain, with reports differing by hundreds. According to the National Hurricane Center, 1,836 fatalities can be attributed to the storm: one in Kentucky, two each in Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio, 14 in Florida, 238 in Mississippi, and 1,577 in Louisiana. However, 135 people remain categorized as missing in Louisiana, and many of the deaths are indirect, but it is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of some of the fatalities. A 2008 report by the Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal indicates that 966 deaths can be directly attributed to the storm in Louisiana, including out of state evacuees, and another 20 indirectly (such as firearm-related deaths and gas poisoning). Due to uncertain causes of death with 454 evacuees, an upper-bound of 1,440 is noted in the paper. A follow-up study by the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals determined that the storm was directly responsible for 1,170 fatalities in Louisiana.
Federal disaster declarations covered 90,000 square miles (230,000 km) of the United States, an area almost as large as the United Kingdom. The hurricane left an estimated three million people without electricity. On September 3, 2005, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff described the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as "probably the worst catastrophe or set of catastrophes" in the country's history, referring to the hurricane itself plus the flooding of New Orleans.
Even in 2010, debris remained in some coastal communities.
Bahamas and Cuba
Before striking South Florida, Katrina traversed the Bahamas as a tropical storm. However, minimal impact was reported, with only "fresh breezes" on various islands.
Although Hurricane Katrina stayed well to the north of Cuba, on August 28 it brought tropical-storm-force winds and rainfall of over 8 in (200 mm) to western regions of the island. Telephone and power lines were damaged and around 8,000 people were evacuated in the Pinar del Río Province. According to Cuban television reports the coastal town of Surgidero de Batabanó was 90% underwater.
United States
Main article: Effects of Hurricane Katrina in the Southeastern United StatesFlorida
Hurricane Katrina first made landfall between Hallandale Beach and Aventura, Florida on August 25. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in portions of the Miami metropolitan area, with a peak total of 16.43 in (417 mm) in Perrine. As a result, local flooding occurred in Miami-Dade County, damaging approximately 100 homes. Farther south in the Florida Keys, a tornado was spawned in Marathon on August 26. The tornado damaged a hangar at the airport there and caused an estimated $5 million in damage. The rains caused flooding, and the combination of rains and winds downed trees and power lines, leaving 1.45 million people without power. Damage in South Florida was estimated at $523 million, mostly as a result of crop damage. Twelve deaths occurred in South Florida, of which three were caused by downed trees in Broward County, three from drowning in Miami-Dade County, three were from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by generators, one was due to a vehicle accident, one occurred during debris cleanup, and one was associated with a lack of electricity.
Significant impacts were also reported in the Florida Panhandle. Although Katrina moved ashore in Louisiana and Mississippi, its outer periphery produced a 5.37 ft (1.64 m) storm surge in Pensacola. High waves caused beach erosion and closed nearby roadways. There were five tornadoes in the northwestern portion of the state, though none of them caused significant damage. Throughout the Florida Panhandle, the storm resulted in an estimated $100 million in damage. There were two indirect fatalities from Katrina in Walton County as a result of a traffic accident. In the Florida Panhandle, 77,000 customers lost power. Overall, the hurricane killed 14 people and caused at least $623 million in damage.
Louisiana
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana, with 125 mph (200 km/h) winds, as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Although the storm surge to the east of the path of the eye in Mississippi was higher, a significant surge affected the Louisiana coast. The height of the surge is uncertain because of a lack of data, although a tide gauge in Plaquemines Parish indicated a storm tide in excess of 14 feet (4.3 m), and a 12-foot (3.7 m) storm surge was recorded in Grand Isle. The hurricane made its final landfall near the mouth of the Pearl River, with the eye straddling St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, and Hancock County, Mississippi, on the morning of August 29 at about 9:45 am. CDT.
Hurricane Katrina also brought heavy rain to Louisiana, with 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) falling on a wide swath of the eastern part of the state. In the area around Slidell, the rainfall was even higher, and the highest rainfall recorded in the state was approximately 15 inches (380 mm). As a result of the rainfall and storm surge the level of Lake Pontchartrain rose and caused significant flooding along its northeastern shore, affecting communities from Slidell to Mandeville. Several bridges were destroyed, including the I-10 Twin Span Bridge connecting Slidell to New Orleans. Almost 900,000 people in Louisiana lost power as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
Katrina's storm surge inundated all parishes surrounding Lake Pontchartrain, including St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, St. John the Baptist, and St. Charles Parishes. St. Tammany Parish received a two-part storm surge. The first surge came as Lake Pontchartrain rose and the storm blew water from the Gulf of Mexico into the lake. The second came as the eye of Katrina passed, westerly winds pushed water into a bottleneck at the Rigolets Pass, forcing it farther inland. The range of surge levels in eastern St. Tammany Parish is estimated at 13–16 feet (4.0–4.9 m), not including wave action.
Hard-hit St. Bernard Parish was flooded because of breaching of the levees that contained a navigation channel called the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) and the breach of the 40 Arpent canal levee that was designed and built by the Orleans Levee Board. The search for the missing was undertaken by the St. Bernard Fire Department because of the assets of the United States Coast Guard being diverted to New Orleans. In the months after the storm, many of the missing were tracked down by searching flooded homes, tracking credit card records, and visiting homes of family and relatives. According to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, in St. Bernard Parish, 81% (20,229) of the housing units were damaged. In St. Tammany Parish, 70% (48,792) were damaged and in Plaquemines Parish 80% (7,212) were damaged.
In addition, the combined effect of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was the destruction of an estimated 562 square kilometres (217 sq mi) of coastal wetlands in Louisiana.
New Orleans
Main articles: Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and 2005 levee failures in Greater New OrleansAs the eye of Hurricane Katrina swept to the northeast, it subjected the city to hurricane conditions for hours. Although power failures prevented accurate measurement of wind speeds in New Orleans, there were a few measurements of hurricane-force winds; based on this information, the NHC concluded that much of the city likely experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or 2 hurricane strength.
Katrina's storm surge caused 53 levee breaches in the federally built levee system protecting metro New Orleans and the failure of the 40 Arpent Canal levee. Failures occurred in New Orleans and surrounding communities, especially St. Bernard Parish. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) breached its levees in approximately 20 places, flooding much of eastern New Orleans, most of St. Bernard Parish and the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish. The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, the London Avenue Canal, and the wide, navigable Industrial Canal, which left approximately 80% of the city flooded.
Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only major intact highway routes out of the city were the westbound Crescent City Connection and the Huey P. Long Bridge, as large portions of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge traveling eastbound towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. Both the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and the Crescent City Connection only carried emergency traffic. However, access to downtown New Orleans and the "shelter of last resort" at the Convention Center was never closed because River Road in Jefferson Parish and Leake Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans were not flooded, and would have allowed access throughout the immediate post-storm emergency period.
On August 29, at 7:40 am. CDT, it was reported that most of the windows on the north side of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans had been blown out, and many other high rise buildings had extensive window damage. The Hyatt was the most severely damaged hotel in the city, with beds reported to be flying out of the windows. Insulation tubes were exposed as the hotel's glass exterior was completely sheared off.
The Superdome, which was sheltering many people who had not evacuated, sustained significant damage. Two sections of the Superdome's roof were compromised and the dome's waterproof membrane was essentially peeled off. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was closed before the storm but did not flood. On August 30, it was reopened to humanitarian and rescue operations. Limited commercial passenger service resumed at the airport on September 13 and regular carrier operations resumed in early October.
Levee breaches in New Orleans also caused a significant number of deaths, with over 700 bodies recovered in New Orleans by October 23, 2005. Some survivors and evacuees reported seeing dead bodies lying in city streets and floating in still-flooded sections, especially in the east of the city. The advanced state of decomposition of many corpses, some of which were left in the water or sun for days before being collected, hindered efforts by coroners to identify many of the dead.
The first deaths reported from the city were reported shortly before midnight on August 28, as three nursing home patients died during an evacuation to Baton Rouge, most likely from dehydration. An estimated 215 bodies were found in nursing homes and hospitals in New Orleans, the largest number being at Memorial Medical Center where 45 corpses were recovered. Some 200 patients at Charity Hospital were not evacuated until Friday, September 2, having been without power or fresh water for five days. While there were also early reports of fatalities amid mayhem at the Superdome, only six deaths were confirmed there, with four of these originating from natural causes, one from a drug overdose, and one a suicide. At the Convention Center, four bodies were recovered. One of the four is believed to be the result of a homicide.
There is evidence that many prisoners were abandoned in their cells during the storm, while the guards sought shelter. Hundreds of prisoners were later registered as "unaccounted for".
Mississippi
The Gulf coast of Mississippi suffered extremely severe damage from the impact of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, leaving 238 people dead, 67 missing, and billions of dollars in damage: bridges, barges, boats, piers, houses, and cars were washed inland. Katrina traveled up the entire state; as a result, all 82 counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance, 47 for full assistance.
After making a brief initial landfall in Louisiana, Katrina had made its final landfall near the state line, and the eyewall passed over the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). Katrina's powerful right-front quadrant passed over the west and central Mississippi coast, causing a powerful 27-foot (8.2 m) storm surge, which penetrated 6 miles (10 km) inland in many areas and up to 12 miles (19 km) inland along bays and rivers; in some areas, the surge crossed Interstate 10 for several miles. Hurricane Katrina brought strong winds to Mississippi, which caused significant tree damage throughout the state. The highest unofficial reported wind gust recorded from Katrina was one of 135 mph (217 km/h) in Poplarville, in Pearl River County.
The storm also brought heavy rains with 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) falling in southwestern Mississippi and rain in excess of 4 inches (100 mm) falling throughout the majority of the state. Katrina caused eleven tornadoes in Mississippi on August 29, some of which damaged trees and power lines.
Battered by wind, rain and storm surge, some beachfront neighborhoods were completely leveled. Preliminary estimates by Mississippi officials calculated that 90% of the structures within half a mile of the coastline were completely destroyed, and that storm surges traveled as much as 6 miles (10 km) inland in portions of the state's coast. One apartment complex with approximately thirty residents seeking shelter inside collapsed. More than half of the 13 casinos in the state, which were floated on barges to comply with Mississippi land-based gambling laws, were washed hundreds of yards inland by waves.
A number of streets and bridges were washed away. On U.S. Highway 90 along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, two major bridges were completely destroyed: the Bay St. Louis–Pass Christian bridge, and the Biloxi–Ocean Springs bridge. In addition, the eastbound span of the I-10 bridge over the Pascagoula River estuary was damaged. In the weeks after the storm, with the connectivity of the coastal U.S. Highway 90 shattered, traffic traveling parallel to the coast was reduced first to State Road 11 (parallel to I-10) then to two lanes on the remaining I-10 span when it was opened.
All three coastal counties of the state were severely affected by the storm. Katrina's surge was the most extensive, as well as the highest, in the documented history of the United States; large portions of Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties were inundated by the storm surge, in all three cases affecting most of the populated areas. Surge covered almost the entire lower half of Hancock County, destroying the coastal communities of Clermont Harbor and Waveland, much of Bay St. Louis, and flowed up the Jourdan River, flooding Diamondhead and Kiln. In Harrison County, Pass Christian was completely inundated, along with a narrow strip of land to the east along the coast, which includes the cities of Long Beach and Gulfport; the flooding was more extensive in communities such as D'Iberville, which borders Back Bay. Biloxi, on a peninsula between the Back Bay and the coast, was particularly hard hit, especially the low-lying Point Cadet area. In Jackson County, storm surge flowed up the wide river estuary, with the combined surge and freshwater flooding cutting the county in half. Remarkably, over 90% of Pascagoula, the easternmost coastal city in Mississippi, and about 75 miles (120 km) east of Katrina's landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border was flooded from storm surge at the height of the storm. Other large Jackson County neighborhoods such as Porteaux Bay and Gulf Hills were severely damaged with large portions being completely destroyed, and St. Martin was hard hit; Ocean Springs, Moss Point, Gautier and Escatawpa also suffered major surge damage.
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials also recorded deaths in Forrest, Hinds, Warren, and Leake counties. Over 900,000 people throughout the state experienced power outages.
Alabama
Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall well to the west, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle were both affected by tropical-storm-force winds and a storm surge varying from 12 to 16 feet (3.7–4.9 m) around Mobile Bay, with higher waves on top. Sustained winds of 67 mph (108 km/h) were recorded in Mobile, Alabama, and the storm surge there was approximately 12 feet (3.7 m). The surge caused significant flooding several miles inland along Mobile Bay. Four tornadoes were also reported in Alabama. Ships, oil rigs, boats and fishing piers were washed ashore along Mobile Bay: the cargo ship M/V Caribbean Clipper and many fishing boats were grounded at Bayou La Batre.
An oil rig under construction along the Mobile River broke its moorings and floated 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwards before striking the Cochrane Bridge just outside Mobile. No significant damage resulted to the bridge and it was soon reopened. The damage on Dauphin Island was severe, with the surge destroying many houses and cutting a new canal through the western portion of the island. An offshore oil rig also became grounded on the island. As in Mississippi, the storm surge caused significant beach erosion along the Alabama coastline. More than 600,000 people lost power in Alabama as a result of Hurricane Katrina and two people died in a traffic accident in the state. Residents in some areas, such as Selma, were without power for several days.
Other U.S. states
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Northern and central Georgia were affected by heavy rains and strong winds from Hurricane Katrina as the storm moved inland, with more than 3 inches (76 mm) of rain falling in several areas. At least 18 tornadoes formed in Georgia on August 29, 2005, the most on record in that state for one day in August. The most serious of these tornadoes was an F2 tornado which affected Heard County and Carroll County. This tornado caused three injuries and one fatality and damaged several houses. The other tornadoes caused significant damages to buildings and agricultural facilities. In addition to the fatality caused by the F2 tornado, there was another fatality in a traffic accident.
Eastern Arkansas received light rain from the passage of Katrina. Gusty winds downed some trees and power lines, though damage was minimal. Katrina also caused a number of power outages in many areas, with over 100,000 customers affected in Tennessee, primarily in the Memphis and Nashville areas.
In Kentucky, rainfall from Katrina compounded flooding from a storm that had moved through during the previous weekend. A 10-year-old girl drowned in Hopkinsville. Dozens of businesses were closed and several families evacuated due to rising floodwaters. As a result of the flooding, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher declared three counties disaster areas and a statewide state of emergency. Additionally, wind gusts up to 72 mph (116 km/h) resulted in some damage. Downed trees and power lines were reported in several counties in western Kentucky, especially Calloway and Christian counties. Overall, more than 10,000 utility customers in western Kentucky experienced power outages. The remnants of Katrina spawned a tornado in Virginia, damaging at least 13 homes in Marshall. In addition, approximately 4,000 people lost electricity. Over 3 in (76 mm) of rain fell in portions of West Virginia, causing localized flooding in several counties. At least 103 homes and 7 buildings suffered some degree of water damage. A number of roads and bridges were inundated or washed out. The remnants of Katrina produced locally heavy precipitation in northeast Ohio, ranging from about 2 to 4 in (51 to 102 mm). Numerous streams and rivers overflowed their banks, forcing the closure of several roads, including Interstate 90 in Cleveland. Two deaths occurred due to a flood-related automobile accident in Huron County. Additionally, hundreds of homes and businesses suffered flood damage.
Katrina spawned five tornadoes in Pennsylvania, though none resulted in significant damage. Up to 5 in (130 mm) of rain fell in western New York. Gusty winds also left approximately 4,500 people in Buffalo without electricity. The remnants of Katrina brought 3 to 6 in (76 to 152 mm) of rain to portions of Massachusetts, causing flash flooding in Bristol and Plymouth counties. Several roads were closed due to floodwater inundation in Acushnet, Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Wareham, including Route 18 in New Bedford. Very minimal impact was reported in Rhode Island, with winds downing a tree and two electrical poles in the city of Warwick. In Vermont, 2.5 in (64 mm) of rain in Chittenden County caused cars to hydroplane on Interstate 89, resulting in many automobile accidents. The storm brought 3 to 5 in (76 to 127 mm) of precipitation to isolated areas of Maine and up to 9 in (230 mm) near Patten. Several roads were inundated or washed out by overflowing brooks and streams, including sections of U.S. Route 1 and Maine routes 11 and 159. Several structures and one parked vehicle were also affected by the waters. Wind gusts up to 60 mph (97 km/h) also impacted parts of Maine, felling trees and causing power outages in Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Dover-Foxcroft, Sedgwick Ridge, and Sorrento.
Canada
In Canada, the remnants of Katrina brought rainfall amounts in excess of 3.94 in (100 mm) to many locations between the Niagara Peninsula and the Saint Lawrence River valley. Severe local flooding occurred in Quebec, forcing the evacuations of dozens of homes in some communities as rivers began overflowing their banks and sewage systems were becoming overwhelmed by the influx of precipitation. Inundated and washed out roads, including Route 138 along the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, Route 172 north of Tadoussac, and Route 385 near Forestville left several communities isolated for at least a week.
Aftermath
See also: Social effects of Hurricane Katrina, Political effects of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, and Displacement after Hurricane KatrinaEconomic effects
Main article: Economic effects of Hurricane KatrinaRank | Hurricane | Season | Damage |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 Katrina | 2005 | $125 billion |
4 Harvey | 2017 | ||
3 | 4 Helene | 2024 | $124 billion |
4 | 4 Ian | 2022 | $113 billion |
5 | 4 Maria | 2017 | $90 billion |
6 | 3 Milton | 2024 | $85 billion |
7 | 4 Ida | 2021 | $75 billion |
8 | ET Sandy | 2012 | $65 billion |
9 | 4 Irma | 2017 | $52.1 billion |
10 | 2 Ike | 2008 | $30 billion |
The economic effects of the storm reached high levels. The Bush administration sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region, which did not account for damage to the economy caused by potential interruption of the oil supply, destruction of the Gulf Coast's highway infrastructure, and exports of commodities such as grain. Katrina damaged or destroyed 30 oil platforms and caused the closure of nine refineries; the total shut-in oil production from the Gulf of Mexico in the six-month period following Katrina was approximately 24% of the annual production and the shut-in gas production for the same period was about 18%. The forestry industry in Mississippi was also affected, as 1.3 million acres (5,300 km) of forest lands were destroyed. The total loss to the forestry industry from Katrina is calculated to rise to about $5 billion. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of local residents were left unemployed. Before the hurricane, the region supported approximately one million non-farm jobs, with 600,000 of them in New Orleans. It is estimated that the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi may eventually exceed $150 billion. Forensic accountants were involved in the assessment of economic damages resulting from this catastrophe.
Katrina displaced over one million people from the central Gulf Coast to elsewhere across the United States, becoming the largest diaspora in the history of the United States. Houston, Texas, had an increase of 35,000 people; Mobile, Alabama, gained over 24,000; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, over 15,000; and Hammond, Louisiana, received over 10,000, nearly doubling its size. Chicago, Illinois received over 6,000 people, the most of any non-southern city. By late January 2006, about 200,000 people were once again living in New Orleans, less than half of the pre-storm population. By July 1, 2006, when new population estimates were calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau, the state of Louisiana showed a population decline of 219,563 or 4.87%. Additionally, some insurance companies have stopped insuring homeowners in the area because of the high costs from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, or have raised homeowners' insurance premiums to cover their risk.
Environmental effects
See also: Murphy Oil USA refinery spillLarge oil spills caused by Hurricane Katrina Spills exceeding 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L) | ||
---|---|---|
Spill Location | Quantity | |
(US gal) | (L) | |
Bass Enterprises (Cox Bay) | 3,780,000 | 14,300,000 |
Shell (Pilot Town) | 1,050,000 | 4,000,000 |
Chevron (Empire) | 991,000 | 3,750,000 |
Murphy Oil (Meraux and Chalmette) | 819,000 | 3,100,000 |
Bass Enterprises (Pointe à la Hache) | 461,000 | 1,750,000 |
Chevron (Port Fourchon) | 53,000 | 200,000 |
Venice Energy Services (Venice) | 25,000 | 95,000 |
Shell Pipeline Oil (Nairn) | 13,440 | 50,900 |
Sundown Energy (West Potash) | 13,000 | 49,000 |
Katrina also had a profound impact on the environment. The storm surge caused substantial beach erosion, in some cases completely devastating coastal areas. In Dauphin Island (a barrier island), approximately 90 mi (140 km) to the east of the point where the hurricane made landfall, the sand that comprised the island was transported across the island into the Mississippi Sound, pushing the island towards land. The storm surge and waves from Katrina also severely damaged the Chandeleur Islands, which had been affected by Hurricane Ivan the previous year. The US Geological Survey has estimated 217 sq mi (560 km) of land was transformed to water by the hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Before the storm, subsidence and erosion caused loss of land in the Louisiana wetlands and bayous. This, along with the canals built in the area, let Katrina keep more of its intensity when it struck. The lands that were lost were breeding grounds for marine mammals, brown pelicans, turtles, and fish, and migratory species such as redhead ducks. Overall, about 20% of the local marshes were permanently overrun by water as a result of the storm.
The damage from Katrina forced the closure of 16 National Wildlife Refuges. Breton National Wildlife Refuge lost half its area in the storm. As a result, the hurricane affected the habitats of sea turtles, Mississippi sandhill cranes, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and Alabama Beach mice.
Katrina produced massive tree loss along the Gulf Coast, particularly in Louisiana's Pearl River Basin and among bottomland hardwood forests. Before the storm, the standard mortality rate for the area's trees was 1.9%, but this interval increased to 20.5% by the end of 2006. Delayed mortality as an effect of the storm continued with rates up to 5% until 2011. This significant loss in biomass caused greater decay and an increase in carbon emissions. For example, by 2006 the decreased biomass in bottomland hardwood forests contributed an amount of carbon which equated to roughly 140% of the net annual U.S. carbon sink in forest trees.
The storm caused oil spills from 44 facilities throughout southeastern Louisiana, which resulted in over 7 million US gallons (26,000 m) of oil being leaked. Some spills were only a few hundred gallons and most were contained on-site, though some oil entered the ecosystem and residential areas. After a spill at the Murphy Oil refinery, for example, 1,800 homes were oiled in the towns of Chalmette and Meraux. Unlike Hurricane Ivan, no offshore oil spills were officially reported after Hurricane Katrina. However, Skytruth reported some signs of surface oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
Finally, as part of the cleanup effort, the floodwaters that covered New Orleans were pumped into Lake Pontchartrain, a process that took 43 days to complete. These residual waters contained a mix of raw sewage, bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, toxic chemicals, and oil, which sparked fears in the scientific community of massive numbers of fish dying. The toxic floodwaters were also a danger for New Orleans, due to the presence of petrochemical chemicals and industrial toxins close to the city. Thomas La Point, director of the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of North Texas, stated that " toxic soup would be a good way to describe the situation".
Reestablishing governance
Further information: Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans § Civil disturbancesShortly after the hurricane moved away on August 30, 2005, some residents of New Orleans who remained in the city began looting stores. Many were in search of food and water that were not available to them through any other means, as well as non-essential items. Additionally, there were reports of carjacking, murders, thefts, and rapes in New Orleans. Some sources later determined that many of the reports were inaccurate, greatly exaggerated or completely false, leading news agencies to print retractions.
Thousands of National Guard and federal troops were mobilized and sent to Louisiana, with 7,841 in the area on August 29, to a maximum of 46,838 on September 10. A number of local law enforcement agents from across the country were temporarily deputized by the state. "They have M16s and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will", Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said. Congressman Bill Jefferson told ABC News: "There was shooting going on. There was sniping going on. Over the first week of September, law and order were gradually restored to the city." Several shootings occurred between police and New Orleans residents, some involving police misconduct; including an incident where police officers killed two unarmed civilians and seriously injured four others at Danziger Bridge. Five former police officers pleaded guilty to charges connected to the Danziger Bridge shootings in the aftermath of the hurricane. Six other former or existing officers appeared in court in June 2011.
Overall, a number of arrests were made throughout the affected area, including some near the New Orleans Convention Center. A temporary jail was constructed of chain link cages in the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, the city's main train station. On September 30, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed that 12 police officers were participating in looting and property theft.
In West Virginia, where roughly 350 refugees were located, local officials took fingerprints to run criminal background checks on the refugees. The background checks found that 45% of the refugees had a criminal record of some nature, and that 22% had a violent criminal record. Media speculation fueled a popular perception that the displaced New Orleans residents brought a wave of crime into the communities where they relocated, however, detailed studies of crime statistics in these communities did not reveal a significant increase in violent crime.
Government response
Within the United States and as delineated in the National Response Plan, disaster response and planning is first and foremost a local government responsibility. When local government exhausts its resources, it then requests specific additional resources from the county level. The request process proceeds similarly from the county to the state to the federal government as additional resource needs are identified. Many of the problems that arose developed from inadequate planning and back-up communication systems at various levels.
Some disaster relief response to Katrina began before the storm, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) preparations that ranged from logistical supply deployments to a mortuary team with refrigerated trucks. A network of volunteers began rendering assistance to local residents and residents emerging from New Orleans and surrounding parishes as soon as the storm made landfall (even though many were directed to not enter the area), and continued for more than six months after the storm
Of the 60,000 people stranded in New Orleans, the Coast Guard rescued more than 33,500. Congress recognized the Coast Guard's response with an official entry in the Congressional Record, and the Armed Service was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
The United States Northern Command established Joint Task Force (JTF) Katrina based out of Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to act as the military's on-scene response on Sunday, August 28, with Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré as commander. Approximately 58,000 National Guard personnel were activated to deal with the storm's aftermath, with troops coming from all 50 states. The Department of Defense also activated volunteer members of the Civil Air Patrol.
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, decided to take over the federal, state, and local operations officially on August 30, 2005, citing the National Response Plan. This was refused by Governor Blanco, who indicated that her National Guard could manage. Early in September, Congress authorized a total of $62.3 billion in aid for victims. Additionally, President Bush enlisted the help of former presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush to raise additional voluntary contributions, much as they did after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. American flags were also ordered to be half-staff from September 2, 2005, to September 20, 2005, in honor of the victims.
FEMA provided housing assistance (rental assistance, trailers, etc.) to more than 700,000 applicants—families and individuals. However, only one-fifth of the trailers requested in Orleans Parish were supplied, resulting in an enormous housing shortage in the city of New Orleans. Many local areas voted to not allow the trailers, and many areas had no utilities, a requirement prior to placing the trailers. To provide for additional housing, FEMA has also paid for the hotel costs of 12,000 individuals and families displaced by Katrina through February 7, 2006, when a final deadline was set for the end of hotel cost coverage. After this deadline, evacuees were still eligible to receive federal assistance, which could be used towards either apartment rent, additional hotel stays, or fixing their ruined homes, although FEMA no longer paid for hotels directly. As of March 30, 2010, there were still 260 families living in FEMA-provided trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Law enforcement and public safety agencies, from across the United States, provided a "mutual aid" response to Louisiana and New Orleans in the weeks following the disaster. Many agencies responded with manpower and equipment from as far away as California, Michigan, Nevada, New York, and Texas. This response was welcomed by local Louisiana authorities as their staff were either becoming fatigued, stretched too thin, or even quitting from the job.
Two weeks after the storm, more than half of the states were involved in providing shelter for evacuees. By four weeks after the storm, evacuees had been registered in all 50 states and in 18,700 zip codes—half of the nation's residential postal zones. Most evacuees had stayed within 250 miles (400 km), but 240,000 households went to Houston and other cities over 250 miles (400 km) away and another 60,000 households went over 750 miles (1,200 km) away.
Criticism
Main article: Criticism of the government response to Hurricane KatrinaThe criticisms of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina primarily consisted of criticism of mismanagement and lack of leadership in the relief efforts in response to the storm and its aftermath. More specifically, the criticism focused on the delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, and the subsequent state of chaos in the city. The neologism Katrinagate was coined to refer to this controversy, and was a runner-up for "2005 word of the year".
Within days of Katrina's August 29 landfall, public debate arose about the local, state and federal governments' role in the preparations for and response to the hurricane. Criticism was initially prompted by televised images of visibly shaken and frustrated political leaders, and of residents who remained stranded by floodwaters without water, food, or shelter. Deaths from thirst, exhaustion and violence days after the storm had passed fueled the criticism, as did the dilemma of the evacuees at facilities such as the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Civic Center. Some alleged that race, class, and other factors could have contributed to delays in government response. For example, during A Concert for Hurricane Relief, a benefit concert for victims of the hurricane, rapper Kanye West veered off script and harshly criticized the government's response to the crisis, stating that "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated Michael D. Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the president and Secretary Chertoff initially came under harsh criticism for what some perceived as a lack of planning and coordination. Brown claimed that Governor Blanco resisted their efforts and was unhelpful. Governor Blanco and her staff disputed this. Eight days later, Brown was recalled to Washington and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations. Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received recent praise from President Bush.
Politicians, activists, pundits, and journalists also directed criticism at the local and state governments headed by Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and Louisiana Governor Blanco. Nagin and Blanco were criticized for failing to implement New Orleans's evacuation plan and for ordering residents to a shelter of last resort without any provisions for food, water, security, or sanitary conditions. Perhaps the most important criticism of Nagin was that he delayed his emergency evacuation order until 19 hours before landfall, which led to hundreds of deaths of people who could not find any way out of the city.
The destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina raised other, more general public policy issues about emergency management, environmental policy, poverty, and unemployment. The discussion of both the immediate response and of the broader public policy issues may have affected elections and legislation enacted at various levels of government. The storm's devastation also prompted a congressional investigation, which found that FEMA and the Red Cross "did not have a logistics capacity sophisticated enough to fully support the massive number of Gulf coast victims". Additionally, it placed responsibility for the disaster on all three levels of government. An ABC News poll conducted on September 2, 2005, showed more blame was being directed at state and local governments (75%) than at the Federal government (67%), with 44% blaming Bush's leadership directly. A later CNN/USAToday/Gallup poll showed that respondents disagreed widely on who was to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane—13% said Bush, 18% said federal agencies, 25% blamed state or local officials and 38% said no one was to blame.
International response
Main article: International response to Hurricane KatrinaOver seventy countries pledged monetary donations or other assistance. Cuba and Venezuela (both considered as hostile to US government interest) were the first countries to offer assistance, pledging over $1 million, several mobile hospitals, water treatment plants, canned food, bottled water, heating oil, 1,100 doctors and 26.4 metric tons of medicine, though this aid was rejected by the U.S. government. Kuwait made the largest single pledge, $500 million; other large donations were made by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (each $100 million), South Korea ($30 million), Australia ($10 million), India, China (both $5 million), New Zealand ($2 million), Pakistan ($1.5 million), Norway ($1.8 million), and Bangladesh ($1 million).
India sent tarps, blankets, and hygiene kits. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, on September 13, 2005.
Israel sent an IDF delegation to New Orleans to transport aid equipment including 80 tons of food, disposable diapers, beds, blankets, generators and additional equipment which were donated from different governmental institutions, civilian institutions, and the IDF. The Bush administration announced in mid-September that it did not need Israeli divers and physicians to come to the United States for search and rescue missions, but a small team landed in New Orleans on September 10 to give assistance to operations already underway. The team administered first aid to survivors, rescued abandoned pets and discovered hurricane victims.
Countries like Sri Lanka, which was still recovering from a tsunami last year, also offered to help. Canada, Mexico, Singapore, and Germany sent supplies, relief personnel (like Technisches Hilfswerk), troops, ships and water pumps to aid in the disaster recovery. Belgium sent in a team of relief personnel. The United Kingdom's donation of 350,000 emergency meals did not reach victims because of laws regarding mad cow disease.
Russia's initial offer of two jets was declined by the U.S. State Department but accepted later. The French offer was also declined and requested later.
Non-governmental organization response
The American Red Cross, America's Second Harvest (now known as Feeding America), Southern Baptist Convention, Salvation Army, Oxfam, Common Ground Collective, Burners Without Borders, Emergency Communities, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, Direct Relief, Service International, "A River of Hope", The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and many other charitable organizations provided aid to victims in the aftermath of the storm. They were not allowed into New Orleans proper by the National Guard for several days after the storm because of safety concerns. These organizations raised US$4.25 billion in donations from the public, with the Red Cross receiving over half of these donations. Some smaller organizations and individuals ignored the access restrictions and provided early relief. For example, two privately chartered planes from FasterCures evacuated 200 patients from Charity Hospital in New Orleans.
Volunteers from the Amateur Radio Emergency Service provided communications in areas where the communications infrastructure had been damaged or totally destroyed, relaying everything from 911 traffic to messages home. In Hancock County, Mississippi, ham radio operators provided the only communications into or out of the area and even served as 911 dispatchers.
Many private corporations also contributed to relief efforts. On September 13, 2005, it was reported that corporate donations amounted to $409 million, and were expected to exceed $1 billion.
During and after the Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita, the American Red Cross had opened 1,470 shelters and registered 3.8 million overnight stays. None were allowed in New Orleans, however. A total of 244,000 Red Cross workers (95% of which were non-paid volunteers) were used throughout these three hurricanes. In addition, 346,980 comfort kits (including such basic necessities as toothpaste, soap, washcloths, and toys for children) and 205,360 cleanup kits (containing brooms, mops, and bleach) were distributed. For mass care, the organization served 68 million snacks and meals to victims of the disasters and to rescue workers. The Red Cross also had its Disaster Health services meet 596,810 contacts, and Disaster Mental Health services met 826,590 contacts. Red Cross emergency financial assistance was provided to 1.4 million families. Hurricane Katrina was the first natural disaster in the United States in which the American Red Cross used its "Safe and Well" family location website.
Direct Relief provided a major response in the Gulf states so health providers could treat the local patients and evacuees. Direct Relief furnished $10 million in medical material aid and cash grants to support clinics and health centers in the area.
In the year following Katrina's strike on the Gulf Coast, The Salvation Army allocated donations of more than $365 million to serve more than 1.7 million people in nearly every state. The organization's immediate response to Hurricane Katrina included more than 5.7 million hot meals and about 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks, and drinks served in and around New Orleans. Its SATERN network of amateur radio operators picked up where modern communications left off to help locate more than 25,000 survivors. Salvation Army pastoral care counselors were on hand to comfort the emotional and spiritual needs of 277,000 individuals. As part of the overall effort, Salvation Army officers, employees, and volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours of service.
Analysis of New Orleans levee failures
Main article: 2005 levee failures in Greater New OrleansAccording to a modeling exercise conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), two-thirds of the deaths in Greater New Orleans were due to levee and flood wall failure. On April 5, 2006, months after independent investigators had demonstrated that levee failures were not caused by natural forces beyond intended design strength, Lieutenant General Carl Strock, chief of engineers and commander of the Corps of Engineers, testified before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water that "We have now concluded we had problems with the design of the structure."
A June 2007 report released by the American Society of Civil Engineers determined that the failures of the levees and flood walls in New Orleans were found to be primarily the result of system design and construction flaws. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been federally mandated in the Flood Control Act of 1965 with responsibility for the conception, design, and construction of the region's flood-control system. All of the major studies in the aftermath of Katrina concluded that the USACE was responsible for the failure of the levees. This was primarily attributed to a decision to use shorter steel sheet pilings during construction in an effort to save money. According to a report published in August 2015 in the official journal of the World Water Council, the Corps misinterpreted the results of a 1985 study and wrongly concluded that sheet piles in the flood walls needed to be driven to depths of only 17 feet (5 m) instead of between 31 and 46 feet (9 and 14 m). That decision saved approximately US$100 million, but significantly reduced overall engineering reliability.
In January 2008, Judge Stanwood Duval of the U.S. District Court ruled that despite the Corps' role in the flooding, the agency could not be held financially liable because of sovereign immunity in the Flood Control Act of 1928. Exactly ten years after Katrina, J. David Rogers, lead author of a new report in the official journal of the World Water Council, concluded that the flooding during Katrina "could have been prevented had the corps retained an external review board to double-check its flood-wall designs".
Other factors may have contributed to the flooding. According to the authors of Catastrophe in the Making (Island Press, 2009), the straight design and lack of outward flow into the Gulf allowed the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal to become "the perfect shortcut for salt-water intrusion", which damaged buffering cypress forests and wetlands that historically had protected New Orleans from storm surge. The Army Corps of Engineers built and maintained the canal. Furthermore, according to storm surge researcher Hassan Mashriqui:
Storm surge pushing across shallow Lake Borgne from the east is constrained by these MRGO levees to the south and, to the north, by the long-standing levees of the Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW). Initially ten or more miles apart, these two channels meet, and when they do, the water building between their levees is squeezed into a single channel – the Funnel – only 260 yards wide, constrained by levees 14 feet to 16 feet high….In concert with the denuded marshes, it could increase the local storm surge hitting the Intracoastal Waterway by 20 percent to 40 percent – a critical and fundamental flaw.
The Corps of Engineers disputes these causalities. Nonetheless, in June 2008, the Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District submitted a Deep-Draft De-authorization Study of the MRGO which stated that "an economic evaluation of channel navigation use does not demonstrate a Federal interest in continued operation and maintenance of the channel." Congress ordered the MRGO closed as a direct result.
Many of the levees have been reconstructed since Katrina. In reconstructing them, precautions were taken to bring the levees up to modern building code standards and to ensure their safety. For example, in every situation possible, the Corps of Engineers replaced I-walls with T-walls, which have a horizontal concrete base that protects against soil erosion underneath the flood walls.
Funding battles continue over the remaining levee improvements. In February 2008, the Bush administration requested that the state of Louisiana pay about $1.5 billion of an estimated $7.2 billion for Corps of Engineers levee work (in accordance with the principles of local cost-sharing required by Congress as early as the Flood Control Act of 1928), a proposal which angered many Louisiana leaders. On May 2, 2008, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal used a speech to The National Press Club to request that President Bush free up money to complete work on Louisiana's levees. Bush promised to include the levee funding in his 2009 budget but rejected the idea of including the funding in a war bill, which would pass sooner.
Media involvement
Main article: Media coverage of Hurricane KatrinaMany representatives of the news media reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina became directly involved in the unfolding events, instead of simply reporting. Because of the loss of most means of communication, such as land-based and cellular telephone systems, field reporters in many cases became conduits for information between victims and authorities. The authorities, who monitored local and network news broadcasts, as well as internet sites, would then attempt to coordinate rescue efforts based on the reports. One illustration was when Geraldo Rivera of Fox News tearfully pleaded for authorities to either send help or evacuate the thousands of evacuees stranded at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The role of AM radio was also of importance to the hundreds of thousands of persons with no other ties to news, providing emergency information regarding access to assistance for hurricane victims. Immediately after Katrina, WWL-AM was one of the few area radio stations in the area remaining on the air. This emergency service, simulcasted on shortwave outlet WHRI, was named "United Radio Broadcasters of New Orleans". Their ongoing nighttime broadcasts continued to be available up to 500 mi (800 km) away. Announcers continued to broadcast from improvised studio facilities after the storm damaged their main studios. The cellular phone antenna network was severely damaged and completely inoperable for several months.
The storm also brought a dramatic rise in the role of websites—especially blogging and community journalism. One example was the effort of NOLA.com, the web affiliate of New Orleans's Times-Picayune. A group of reporters were awarded the Breaking News Pulitzer Prize and shared the Public Service Pulitzer with the Biloxi-based Sun Herald. The newspaper's coverage was carried for days only on NOLA's blogs, as the newspaper lost its presses and evacuated its building as water rose around it on August 30. The site became an international focal point for news by local media, and also became a vital link for rescue operations and later for reuniting scattered residents, as it accepted and posted thousands of individual pleas for rescue on its blogs and forums. NOLA was monitored constantly by an array of rescue teams—from individuals to the Coast Guard—which used information in rescue efforts. Much of this information was relayed from trapped victims via the SMS functions of their cell phones, to friends and relatives outside the area, who then relayed the information back to NOLA.com. The aggregation of community journalism, user photos, and the use of the internet site as a collaborative response to the storm attracted international attention and was called a watershed moment in journalism. In the wake of these online-only efforts, the Pulitzer Committee for the first time opened all its categories to online entries.
As the U.S. military and rescue services regained control over the city, there were restrictions on the activity of the media. On September 9, the military leader of the relief effort announced that reporters would have "zero access" to efforts to recover bodies in New Orleans. Immediately following this announcement, CNN filed a lawsuit and obtained a temporary restraining order against the ban. The next day the government backed down and reversed the ban.
In September 2022, the Associated Press issued a style guide change to Katrina stating that reporters when writing about the storm in New Orleans should note that "...levee failures played a major role in the devastation in New Orleans. In some stories, that can be as simple as including a phrase about Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic levee failures and flooding...."
Studies concerning post-Katrina victims
An article published in the Community Mental Health Journal from January 2016 revealed information about a recent study on the psychosocial needs of Hurricane Katrina evacuees that temporarily resided in Dallas, Texas. More than one-fourth of the sample met the criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). About one-third of the individuals received a referral to mental health services for meeting symptom criteria for incident MDD and PTSD.
In a study published in Maternal and Child Health Journal, five to seven years after the disaster, 308 New Orleans pregnant women were interviewed about their exposure to Katrina. Researchers found that there were associations between experiencing damage during Katrina and birthweight, thus researchers concluded that natural disasters may have long-term effects on pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, it was concluded that women who are most vulnerable to disaster may be more vulnerable to poor pregnancy outcome.
From a September 2015 journal of Current Psychology, a study examined the attitudes of older, long-term residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana toward displaced newcomers to their community. After using multiple tests, analyses, and descriptive statistics, the study suggested residents grew to become more patient, tolerant, and friendly towards newcomers. The study also suggests, however, that residents felt more fearful and suspicious of the evacuees, as well as the fact that they were being taken advantage of more.
Retirement
See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane namesBecause of the high death toll and widespread property destruction along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the name Katrina was retired from the Atlantic hurricane naming lists in April 2006 by the World Meteorological Organization. The name will never again be used for another tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. It was replaced with Katia for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season.
Reconstruction
Main article: Reconstruction of New OrleansReconstruction of each section of the southern portion of Louisiana has been addressed in the Army Corps LACPR (Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration) Final Technical Report, which identifies areas to not be rebuilt and areas where buildings need to be elevated.
The Technical Report includes:
- locations of possible new levees to be built
- suggested existing levee modifications
- "Inundation Zones", "Water depths less than 14 feet, Raise-In-Place of Structures", "Water depths greater than 14 feet, Buyout of Structures", "Velocity Zones" and "Buyout of Structures" areas for five different scenarios.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers submitted the report to the U.S. Congress for consideration, planning, and response in mid-2009.
Records
Katrina is the costliest tropical cyclone on record, tying with Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The storm was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, Hurricane Camille in 1969, and Hurricane Michael in 2018. Katrina was also the earliest eleventh named storm in the Atlantic until Tropical Storm Kyle surpassed it on August 14, 2020, beating Katrina by 10 days.
See also
- List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
- Wetlands of Louisiana
- Crescent Rising
- Hurricanes and climate change
- Hurricane Katrina in fiction
- Hurricane on the Bayou
- Katrina Aid Today
- Reconstruction of New Orleans
- Timeline of Hurricane Katrina
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works controversies (New Orleans)
- List of conspiracy theories
- North Sea flood of 1953
Other similar tropical cyclones:
- Hurricane Betsy (1965) – Category 4 hurricane which had a similar track in the Gulf to Katrina; the first billion-dollar hurricane on record.
- Hurricane Camille (1969) – Category 5 hurricane that made the second-strongest U.S. landfall on record; impacted similar areas to Katrina.
- Hurricane Andrew (1992) - Category 5 hurricane that took a similar track and devastated similar areas.
- Hurricane Rita (2005) – Category 5 hurricane which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States at Category 3 intensity just a month after Katrina impacted Louisiana.
- Hurricane Harvey (2017) – Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Texas and is the wettest cyclone in U.S. history; tied with Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record
- Hurricane Laura (2020) – Category 4 hurricane which struck near Cameron, Louisiana at peak intensity just one day prior to Katrina's 15th anniversary.
- Hurricane Ida (2021) – Category 4 hurricane which made landfall in Louisiana at peak intensity on the same day of Katrina's 16th anniversary.
Notes
- The storm category color indicates the intensity of the hurricane when landfalling in the U.S.
References
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Further reading
- Augustson, Alan (August 31, 2008). Bernstein, Jonathan (ed.). "Katrina: Three Years Later, The Lessons We Haven't Learned". Crisis Manager. Bernstein Crisis Management. ISSN 1528-3836. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
- Brennan, Virginia (2009). Natural Disasters and Public Health: Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-9199-1.
- Center for Public Integrity, ed. (2007). City Adrift: New Orleans Before and After Katrina. Baton Rouge: LSU Press. ISBN 978-0-8071-3284-5.
- Dyson, Michael Eric (2006). Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster. New York: Perseus Books Group. ISBN 978-0-465-01761-4.
- Eggers, Dave (2009). Zeitoun. San Francisco: McSweeney's Books. ISBN 978-1-934781-63-0.
- Eyerman, Ron (2015). Is This America? Katrina as Cultural Trauma. The Katrina Bookshelf. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 9781477303689. OCLC 900609113.
- Harris, Paul (2008). Diary From the Dome. New York: Vantage Press. ASIN B003M69KSC.
- Hartman, Chester; Squires, Gregory D., eds. (2006). There Is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Hurricane Katrina. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-95487-7.
- Hirsch, Arnold R. "Fade to black: Hurricane Katrina and the disappearance of Creole New Orleans." Journal of American History 94.3 (2007): 752–761. https://doi.org/10.2307/25095136
- Horowitz, Andy. Katrina: A History, 1915–2015 (Harvard University Press, 2020), long-term scholarly perspective.
- Burd, Camden (2021). "How To Plan A Disaster: Politics, Nature, and Hurricane Katrina". Reviews in American History. 49 (2): 304–309. doi:10.1353/rah.2021.0030. ISSN 1080-6628.
- Robinson, Sue. "A chronicle of chaos: Tracking the news story of Hurricane Katrina from The Times-Picayune to its website". Journalism 10.4 (2009): 431-450 online.
- Rosenthal, Sandy. Words Whispered in Water: Why the Levees Broke in Hurricane Katrina (Mango, 2020), non-fiction account of author's battle to expose Army Corps of Engineers.
- Saint-Saens, Alain (2010). Ordeal at the Superdome. Escaping Katrina's Wrath. New Orleans: University Press of the South. ISBN 978-1-889431-87-1.
- Scott, Cathy (2008). Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned. Hoboken: Howell Book House. ISBN 978-0-470-22851-7.
- Spielman, David G. (2007). Katrinaville Chronicles: Images and Observations from a New Orleans Photographer. Baton Rouge: LSU Press. ISBN 978-0-8071-3252-4.
- Taylor, William M., ed. (2015). The "Katrina Effect": On the Nature of Catastrophe. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781472595164. OCLC 893894307.
- Usher, Nikki. "Recovery from disaster: How journalists at the New Orleans Times-Picayune understand the role of a post-Katrina newspaper". Journalism Practice 3.2 (2009): 216–232.
External links
- National Hurricane Center's archive on Hurricane Katrina
- Hydrometeorological Prediction Center's archive on Hurricane Katrina
- NASA's Hurricane Katrina Archive Archived September 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Geology and Hurricane-Protection Strategies in the Greater New Orleans Area Louisiana Geological Survey publication on Hurricane Katrina
- Through Hell and High Water: Katrina's First Responders Oral History Project Archived June 18, 2020, at the Wayback Machine at The Historic New Orleans Collection
Disaster recovery:
- Katrina's Angels Resource Coordination
- Houston's Noble Experiment Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine – An article in the City Journal
- The KatrinaRitaVille Express Tour from Dollars & Sense magazine
- Beyond Katrina: The Voice of Recovery est. 8/28/2005 Archived October 13, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
- Katrina: The Debris - 10th anniversary podcast
Images:
- Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath Photos by StreetGangs.com
- Photographs and Video of Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
- Weather satellite imagery (University of Wisconsin–Madison)
- Photographs of Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
Preceded byAndrew | Costliest Atlantic hurricanes on record 2005 |
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Tropical cyclones of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season | ||
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TSArlene TSBret 1Cindy 4Dennis (history) 5Emily TSFranklin TSGert TSHarvey 2Irene TDTen TSJose 5Katrina (history) TSLee 3Maria 1Nate 1Ophelia 1Philippe 5Rita TDNineteen 1Stan SSUnnamed TSTammy SDTwenty-two 1Vince 5Wilma (history) TSAlpha 3Beta TSGamma TSDelta 1Epsilon TSZeta | ||
- Hurricane Katrina
- 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
- Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
- George W. Bush administration controversies
- Hurricanes in Florida
- Hurricanes in Louisiana
- Floods in Louisiana
- Presidency of George W. Bush
- Retired Atlantic hurricanes
- August 2005 events in North America
- Environmental racism in the United States