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| -->{{otherhurricaneuses|Tropical Storm Katrina (disambiguation)|the Atlantic hurricane of 2005}} | |||
| {{Infobox hurricane | |||
| | name=Hurricane Katrina | |||
| | image location=Hurricane Katrina August 28 2005 NASA.jpg | |||
| | category=cat5 | |||
| | type=hurricane | |||
| | image name=Hurricane Katrina near peak strength on ], ] | |||
| | formed=], ] | |||
| | dissipated=], ] | |||
| | highest winds=175 ] (280 ]) | |||
| | lowest pressure=902 ] (]; 26.6 ]) | |||
| | total damages=$81.2 billion (2005 ]) (costliest ] in history) | |||
| | total fatalities=≥1,836 total | |||
| | areas affected=], ], ], ] (especially ]), ], ], ], most of eastern ] | |||
| | hurricane season=] | |||
| }} | |||
| {{Katrina}} | |||
| '''Hurricane Katrina''' was the costliest and one of the deadliest ]s in the history of the ]. It was the sixth-strongest ] ever recorded and the third-strongest landfalling U.S. hurricane on record. Katrina formed in late August during the ] and caused devastation along much of the north-central ]. Most notable in media coverage were ] on the city of ], and in coastal ]. Katrina's sheer size devastated the ] as far as 100 miles (160 km) from the storm's center. | |||
| Katrina was the eleventh named storm, fifth hurricane, third ], and second ] of the 2005 Atlantic season. It formed over the ] on ], ], and crossed southern ] as a moderate ], causing some deaths and flooding there, before strengthening rapidly in the ] and becoming one of the strongest hurricanes on record. The storm weakened considerably before making its second and third landfalls as a Category 3 storm on the morning of ] in southeast Louisiana and at the Louisiana/Mississippi state line, respectively. | |||
| The storm surge caused severe and catastrophic damage along the Gulf coast, devastating the cities of ], ] and ]/] in Mississippi, and ] and other towns in Louisiana. ]s separating ] from New Orleans were breached by the surge, ultimately flooding 80% of the city and many areas of neighboring ] for weeks. Severe wind damage was reported well inland. | |||
| At least 1,836 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the ]. The storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion (2005 ]) in damage, making it the costliest natural disaster in ]. Criticism of the federal, state and local governments' reaction to the storm was widespread and resulted in an investigation by the ] and the resignation of ] director ]. | |||
| ==Storm history== | |||
| {{main|Meteorological history of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| {{storm path|Katrina 2005 track.png}} | |||
| Hurricane Katrina formed as Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas on ], ] as the result of an interaction of a ] and the remains of ]. The system was upgraded to ] on the morning of ] and at this point, the storm was given the name ''].'' The tropical storm continued to move towards Florida, and became a hurricane only two hours before it made ] between ] and ] on the morning of ]. The storm weakened over land, but it regained hurricane status about one hour after entering the ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR">{{cite web|last=Knabb|first=Richard D|coauthors=Rhome, Jamie R.; Brown, Daniel P|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL122005_Katrina.pdf|format=PDF|title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Katrina: 23-30 August 2005|publisher=]|date=], ]|accessdate=2006-05-30}}</ref> | |||
| The storm ] after entering the Gulf, partly because of the storm's movement over the warm ]s of the ].<ref>Leben, Robert; Born, George; Scott, Jim. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> On ], 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. Katrina again rapidly intensified, attaining Category 5 status on the morning of ] and reached its peak strength at 1:00 p.m. CDT that day, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a minimum central ] of 902 ]. The pressure measurement made Katrina the fourth most intense ] 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 Gulf of Mexico at the time (a record also later broken by Rita).<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| Katrina made its second landfall at 6:10 a.m. CDT<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> on ] as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) near ]. At landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward 120 miles (190 km) from the center and the storm's central pressure was 920 mbar. After moving over southeastern Louisiana and ], it made its third landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border with 120 mph (195 km/h) sustained winds, still at Category 3 intensity.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| Katrina maintained hurricane strength well into Mississippi, but weakened thereafter, finally losing hurricane strength more than 150 miles (240 km) inland near ]. It was downgraded to a tropical depression near ], but its remnants were last distinguishable in the eastern ] region on ], when it was absorbed by a ]. The resulting ] storm moved rapidly to the northeast and affected ] and ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| ==Preparations== | |||
| {{main|Preparations for Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| ===Florida=== | |||
| Many people living in the area were unaware of when Katrina strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane in one day and struck southern ] near the ]–] county line. The hurricane struck between the cities of ], in Miami-Dade County, and ], in Broward County, on ], ]. However, ] (NHC) forecasts had correctly predicted that Katrina would intensify to hurricane strength before landfall, and ] were issued 31.5 hours and 19.5 hours before landfall, respectively — only slightly less than the target thresholds of 36 and 24 hours.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| Florida Governor ] declared a state of emergency on ] in advance of Katrina's landfall in Florida. Shelters were opened and schools closed in several counties in the southern part of the state. A number of evacuation orders were also issued, mostly voluntary, although a mandatory evacuation was ordered for at-risk housing in ].<ref name="Florida-preps">Staff writer. "." ''Florida State Emergency Response Team.'' ], ]. URL accessed on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Federal government=== | |||
| ], ], left, and ] ], President ] meets with members of the ] Task Force on Hurricane Katrina Recovery on ], ], in the Cabinet Room of the ].]] | |||
| On the morning of ], at 10 a.m. ] (1500 ]), Katrina had strengthened to a ] storm in the Gulf of Mexico. Later that afternoon, 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>Spann, James. August 26, 2005. URL accessed July 23, 2006</ref><ref name="NHC disc 014">{{cite web | author = Stewart, Stacy | publisher = ] | title = Hurricane Katrina Discussion No. 14, 5:00 p.m. EDT | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-09-16 | url = http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al122005.discus.014.shtml?}}</ref> The NHC issued a hurricane watch for southeastern Louisiana, including the New Orleans area at 10 a.m. CDT ]. That afternoon the NHC extended the watch to cover the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines as well as the Louisiana coast to Intracoastal City. | |||
| The ] began pre-positioning resources beyond the expected impact zone starting on ], and activated more than 400 reservists.<ref name="CG response">Staff Writer. "." ''].'' Accessed ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Aircrews from the Aviation Training Center, in Mobile, staged rescue aircraft from Texas to Florida.<ref name="CG leadership">{{cite web | author = Bruce Jones and David Callahan | title = Leadership Talent Emerges During Hurricane Katrina Aviation Rescue Operations | url = http://www.uscg.mil/leadership/news/fall05/katrina.htm | publisher = ] | accessdate = 2006-08-27}}</ref> All aircraft were returning back towards the Gulf of Mexico by the afternoon of ]. Air ]s, many who 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 = http://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 | author = Stephen Barr | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-08-29 | publisher = ]}}</ref> | |||
| ] ] declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi two days before the hurricane made landfall.<ref>Bush, George W. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> That same evening, the NHC upgraded the section of the hurricane watch from ] to the Alabama-Florida border to a hurricane warning, 12 hours after it was issued, and also issued a tropical storm warning for the westernmost Florida Panhandle.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| On ], as the sheer size of Katrina became clear, the NHC extended the tropical storm warning zone to cover most of the Louisiana coastline and a larger proportion of the ]. The ]'s New Orleans/Baton Rouge office issued a ] predicting that the area would be "uninhabitable for weeks" after "devastating damage" caused by Katrina, which at that time rivaled the intensity of ].<ref>"." '']/].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Voluntary and mandatory evacuations were issued for large areas of southeast ] as well as coastal ] and ]. About 1.2 million residents of the Gulf Coast were covered under a voluntary or mandatory evacuation order.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| ===Gulf Coast=== | |||
| ] | |||
| On ], the state of Mississippi activated its ] in preparation of the storm's landfall. Additionally, the state government activated its Emergency Operations Center the next day, and local governments began issuing evacuation orders. By 7:00 p.m. ] on ], 11 counties and eleven 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=] | year = ], ] | title = A Failure of Initiative: Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina | publisher = ] | location = ] | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-04-10 |url=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/katrinareport/fullreport.pdf}}</ref> | |||
| Louisiana'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 | author = Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness | title = Louisiana Citizen Awareness and Disaster Evacuation Guide | accessdate = 2006-07-20 | url = http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/evacinfo/stateevacrtes.htm}}</ref> | |||
| However, many private care-taking facilities who relied on bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation were unable to evacuate their charges. Fuel and rental cars were in short supply and many forms of public transportation had been shut down well before the storm arrived.<ref>Rulon, Malia; Scott, Katerine Hutt. "." ''Burlington Free Press.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</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>Brown, Aaron. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| By Sunday, ], most infrastructure along the ] had been shut down, including all ] and ] rail traffic into the evacuation areas as well as the ].<ref>"." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> The NHC maintained the coastal warnings until late on ], by which time Hurricane Katrina was over central Mississippi.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| ===Greater New Orleans area=== | |||
| {{seealso|Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans}} | |||
| ] | |||
| By ], the possibility of unprecedented cataclysm was already being considered. Many of the computer models had shifted the potential path of Katrina 150 miles westward from the Florida Panhandle, putting the city of ] right in the center of their track probabilities; the chances of a direct hit were forecast at 17%, with strike probability rising to 29% by ].<ref>"," & "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> This scenario was considered a potential catastrophe because 80% of the city of New Orleans and 20% of the New Orleans metropolitan area is below sea level along ]. 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), 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> This risk of devastation was well known; previous studies by ] and the ] had warned that a direct hurricane strike on New Orleans could lead to massive flooding, which would lead to thousands of drowning deaths, as well as many more suffering from disease and dehydration as the flood waters slowly receded from the city.<ref>Bourne, Joel K. "." ''].'' October 2004. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| At a news conference at 10:00 a.m. on ], shortly after Katrina was upgraded to a ] 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. "." '']/].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ==Impact== | |||
| {{main|Hurricane Katrina effects by region|Hurricane Katrina death toll by locality}} | |||
| {|class="wikitable" style="float: left; margin:1em;" | |||
| ! colspan="2" | Deaths by state | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 2 | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 14 | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 2 | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 1 | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 1,577* | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 238 | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] || 2 | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Total !! 1,836 | |||
| |- | |||
| | Add'l missing<!-- remove "Add'l" when missing becomes less than total deaths --> || 705 | |||
| |- | |||
| |colspan=2 | <small>*Includes out-of-state evacuees <br>counted by Louisiana</small> | |||
| |} | |||
| On ], Katrina's ] caused several ] in ] around ]. Most of the city was subsequently ]ed, as the breached drainage and navigation canals allowed water to flow from the lake into low areas of the city and ]. Storm surge also devastated the coasts of ] and ], making Katrina the most destructive and costliest ] in the history of the ], and the deadliest hurricane since the ]. The total damage from Katrina is estimated at $81.2 billion (2005 ]), nearly double the cost of the previously most expensive storm, ], when adjusted for inflation.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/><ref name="katreport">{{cite web | author=] | year=2006 | title=Hurricane Katrina Service Assessment Report | date=June 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-14 | format = PDF | url=http://www.weather.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/Katrina.pdf}}</ref> | |||
| As of ], ], the confirmed death toll (total of direct and indirect deaths) stood at 1,836, mainly from Louisiana (1,577) and Mississippi (238).<ref>"." ''Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref><ref>"." ''New Orleans Times-Picayune.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> However, 705 people remain categorized as missing in Louisiana, so this number is not final even a year after the storm.<ref>Michelle Krupa "" ''Times-Picayune'', ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Many of the deaths are indirect, but it is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of some of the fatalities. | |||
| ] disaster declarations covered 90,000 ]s (]) of the United States, an area almost as large as the ]. The hurricane left an estimated three million people without electricity. 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.<ref>"." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===South Florida and Cuba=== | |||
| ] following Hurricane Katrina.]] | |||
| Hurricane Katrina first made landfall on ] in ] where it hit as a ] hurricane, with 80 mph (130 km/h) winds. Rainfall was heavy in places and exceeded 14 inches (350 mm) in ],<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> and a ] of 3–5 feet was measured in parts of ].<ref name="katreport"/> More than 1 million customers were left without ], and damage in Florida was estimated at between 1 and 2 billion dollars, with most of the damage coming from flooding and overturned trees. There were 11 fatalities reported in Florida as a result of Hurricane Katrina.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| Most of the ] experienced tropical-storm force winds from Katrina as the storm's center passed to the north, with hurricane force winds reported in the ]. Rainfall was also high in the islands, with 10 inches (250 mm) falling on ]. On ], a strong ] ] formed from an outer rainband of Katrina and struck ]. The tornado damaged a hangar at the airport there and caused an estimated 5 million dollars in damage.<ref name="Marathon Tornado">Devenas, Andy "." ''.'' Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Although Hurricane Katrina stayed well to the north of ], on ] it brought tropical-storm force winds and rainfall of over 8 inches (200 mm) 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 city of Surgidero de Batabano was 90% underwater.<ref name="Cuba damage">Staff Writer. "."</ref> | |||
| ===Louisiana=== | |||
| ].]] | |||
| On ] Hurricane Katrina made landfall near ] with 125 mph (205 km/h) winds, as a strong Category 3 storm. However as it had only just weakened from Category 4 strength and the radius of maximum winds was large, it is possible that sustained winds of Category 4 strength briefly impacted extreme southeastern Louisiana. Although the storm surge to the east of the path of the eye in ] was higher, a very 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 14 feet (4.3 m) and a 12 foot (3 m) storm surge was recorded in ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| 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 ], 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 ] rose and caused significant flooding along its northeastern shore, affecting communities from Slidell to ]. Several bridges were destroyed, including the ] connecting Slidell to ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> Almost 900,000 people in Louisiana lost power as a result of Hurricane Katrina.<ref name="Power failures">Staff Writer. "." ''Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) ].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| In hard-hit ], which was entirely flooded by Katrina, the search for the missing was slow. According to an interview in the '']'', the coroner was still trying to get a list of missing from the ] in November 2005. While there were some victims on this list whose bodies were found in their homes, the vast majority were tracked down through word-of-mouth and credit card records. As of December 2005, the official missing list in the Parish stood at 47.<ref>Cannizaro, Steve. "" ''St. Bernard Parish Government (press release).'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ====New Orleans==== | |||
| {{main|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans|Levee failures in Greater New Orleans, 2005}} | |||
| ] 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. From this the NHC concluded that it is likely that much of the city experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or Category 2 strength. However, wind speeds increase with height, and therefore the winds experienced on upper floors of high rise structures were likely to have been significantly higher.<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| The heavy winds and storm surges from Katrina severely weakened the city's levee system, and there were reports of extensive failures of the ]s and flood walls protecting ] and surrounding communities. The ] (MR-GO) breached its levees in approximately 20 places, flooding much of east 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only routes out of the city were the westbound Crescent City Connection and the Huey P. Long Bridge, as the ] traveling eastbound towards ] had collapsed. The ] only carried emergency traffic.<ref>Gordon, Meghan. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| On ], at 7:40 a.m. 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.<ref>Transcript from, ''].'' "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> 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.<ref>Mowbray, Rebecca. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ] | |||
| The ], which was sheltering a large number of people who had not evacuated, sustained significant damage. Two sections of the Superdome's roof were compromised and the dome's waterproof membrane had essentially been peeled off. ] was closed before the storm but did not flood. On ], it was reopened to humanitarian and rescue operations. Limited commercial passenger service resumed at the airport on ] and regular carrier operations resumed in early October. <ref name="New Orleans Airport">Staff Writer. "." ''].'' accessed ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Katrina also caused widespread loss of life, with over 700 bodies recovered in New Orleans by ].<ref>Warner, Coleman; Travis, Robert. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| The first deaths reported from the city were reported shortly before midnight on ], as three ] patients died during an evacuation to ], most likely from dehydration. 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 out of these four is believed to be the result of a homicide.<ref name="thevenot">Thevenot, Brian; Russell, Gordon. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Mississippi=== | |||
| {{main|Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi}} | |||
| ]'s Bay St. Louis Bridge on Pass Christian was destroyed as a result of Katrina.]] | |||
| The Gulf coast of ] suffered massive damage from the impact of Hurricane Katrina on ], leaving 238 people dead, 67 missing, and billions of dollars in damages. Afterwards, the lower 47 counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance.<ref name=HBrecov>{{cite web | title =Information Relating to the Federal Appropriations for Katrina Recovery | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-09-27 | author = Haley Babour | publisher = Office of the Governor, Mississippi | url = http://www.governorbarbour.com/Recovery/news/2006/jan/information.html}}</ref> | |||
| After making a brief initial landfall in ], Katrina made its final landfall near the state line and the eyewall passed over the cities of ] and ] as a ] hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h).<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> Katrina's powerful right-front quadrant passed over the west and central Mississippi coast causing a powerful 27 foot (8.2 m) ], which penetrated 6 miles (10 km) inland in many areas and up to 12 miles (20 km) inland along bays and rivers; in some areas, the surge crossed Interstate 10 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 135 mph (217 km/h) in ], in ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| ] following Hurricane Katrina.]] | |||
| 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 ], 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> and that storm surges travelled as much as six miles 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"/> | |||
| ].]] | |||
| A number of streets and bridges were washed away. On ] along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, two major bridges were completely destroyed: the ] - ]<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> bridge, and the ] - ] bridge. In addition, the eastbound span 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 travelling parallel to the coast was reduced to two lanes on the remaining I-10 span. | |||
| 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 both ] and ] Counties were inundated by the storm surge, in both cases affecting most of the populated areas.<ref>{{cite web|author=] | title = Mississippi Hurricane Katrina Surge Inundation and Advisory Base Flood Elevation Map Panel Overview | date = November 2005 | accessdate = 2006-07-16 | format = PDF | publisher = FEMA | url = http://www.fema.gov/pdf/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/ms_overview.pdf}}</ref> Surge covered almost the entire lower half of Hancock County, destroying the coastal communities of ] and ], much of ], and flowed up the Jourdan River, flooding ]. In Harrison County, ] was completely inundated, along with a narrow strip of land to the east along the coast, which includes the cities of ] and ]; the flooding was more extensive in communities such as ], which borders ]. ], 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 ], the easternmost coastal city in Mississippi, and about 75 miles east of Katrina's landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border, was flooded from surge at the height of the storm. Other Jackson County communities such as Porteaux Bay and Gulf Shores were destroyed, and ] was hard hit; ], ], ], and ] also suffered major surge damage. | |||
| Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials also recorded deaths in ], ], and ] counties. Over 900,000 people through the state experienced power outages. <ref name="Power failures"/> | |||
| ===Southeast United States=== | |||
| Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall well to the west, ] and the ] were both affected by a significant storm surge and tropical-storm force winds. Sustained winds of 67 mph (107 km/h) were recorded in ] and the storm surge there was approximately 10 feet (3 meters). The surge caused significant flooding several miles inland along ]. Four tornadoes were also reported in ].<ref name="KatrinaTCR"/> | |||
| An ] under construction along the ] broke its moorings and floated 1.5 miles (2 km) northwards before striking the ] 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.<ref name="Power failures"/> | |||
| Along the Florida Panhandle the storm surge was typically about five feet (1.5 m) and along the west-central Florida coast there was a minor surge of 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 m). In ] 56 mph (90 km/h) winds were recorded on ]. The winds caused damage to some trees and structures and there was some minor flooding in the Panhandle. 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: .</ref> | |||
| Northern and central ] were affected by heavy rains and strong winds from Hurricane Katrina as the storm moved inland, with more than 3 inches (75 mm) of rain falling in several areas. At least 18 tornadoes formed in Georgia on ], the most on record in that state for one day in August. The most serious of these tornadoes was a ] tornado which affected ] and ]. This tornado caused 3 injuries and one fatality and damaged several houses. In addition this tornado destroyed several poultry barns, killing over 140,000 chicks. 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Other U.S. States and Canada=== | |||
| ] | |||
| Hurricane Katrina weakened as it moved inland, but tropical-storm force gusts were recorded as far north as ] on ], and the winds damaged trees in ]. The remnants of the storm brought high levels of rainfall to a wide swath of the ], and rain in excess of 2 inches (50 mm) fell in parts of 20 states.<ref name="HPCrainfall">Staff Writer. "." ''The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> A number of tornadoes associated with Katrina formed on ] and ], which caused minor damages in several regions. In total, 62 tornadoes formed in eight states as a result of Katrina.<ref name="katreport"/> | |||
| In ], a storm that had moved through the weekend before had already produced flooding and the rainfall from Katrina added to this. As a result of the flooding, Kentucky's ] ] declared 3 counties disaster areas and a statewide state of emergency.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' Accessed on ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref><ref>Blanton, Carla; Goins, Michael; Whitaker, Jodi. "." ''Commonwealth of Kentucky'' (Press Release). ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> One person was killed in ] and part of a high school collapsed.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Flooding also prompted a number of evacuations in ] and ], the rainfall in Ohio leading to two indirect deaths. Katrina also caused a number of power outages in many areas, with over 100,000 customers affected in ], primarily in the ] and ] areas.<ref>"." ''Satellite and Information Service; ].'' Accessed ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| The remnants of Katrina merged with a frontal system over Ohio, but the moisture continued north and affected ] on ]. In ] there were a few isolated reports of rain in excess of 4 inches (100 mm) and there were a few reports of damage from fallen trees.<ref>Perreault, Bob. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Flooding also occurred both in Ontario and ], cutting off a number of isolated villages in Quebec.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ==Aftermath== | |||
| {{seealso|Social effects of Hurricane Katrina|Political effects of Hurricane Katrina|Hurricane Katrina disaster relief}} | |||
| ===Economic effects=== | |||
| {{main|Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| The economic effects of the storm were far-reaching. As of April 2006, the Bush Administration has sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region,<ref>St. Onge, Jeff; Epstein, Victor. "." ''Boston.com.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> and this does 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 ] 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. "." ''.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> The forestry industry in Mississippi was also affected, as 1.3 million acres of forest lands were destroyed.<ref name="CRS environment">{{cite web | last = Sheikh | |||
| | first = Pervaze A. | date = ], ] | url = http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33117_20051018.pdf | title = The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Biological Resources | format = ] | publisher = ] | |||
| | accessdate = 2006-06-05}}</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, which will have a trickle-down effect as less taxes are paid to local governments. Before the hurricane, the region supported approximately one million non-farm jobs, with 600,000 of them in ]. It is estimated that the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi may exceed $150 billion.<ref>Burton, Mark L.; Hicks, Michael J. "." '']: Center for Business and Economic Research.'' September, 2005. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Katrina redistributed New Orleans' population across the southern United States. ], had an increase of 35,000 people; ], gained over 24,000; ], over 15,000; and ] received over 10,000, nearly doubling its size. ], received over 6,000 people, the most of any non-southern city. In 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 | first=Greg | last=Stone | coauthors= Time Grant and Nathaniel Weaver | year = 2006 | title = Rapid Population Estimate Project: January 28-29, 2006 Survey Report | publisher = Emergency Operations Center, City of New Orleans | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-06-22 |url=http://www.cityofno.com/Resources/RPEP_Draft%20Report_Jan2.pdf}}</ref> Additionally, ] have stopped insuring the area because of the high costs from Hurricanes Katrina and ], or have raised insurance premiums to cover their risk.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Environmental effects=== | |||
| ], before Katrina (left) and after (right), showing the impact of the storm along coastal areas.]] | |||
| Katrina also had a profound impact on the environment. The storm surge caused substantial ], in some cases completely devastating coastal areas. In ], approximately 90 miles (150 ]) to the east of the point where the hurricane made landfall, the sand that comprised the ] was transported across the island into the ], pushing the island towards land.<ref>{{cite web | author = ] | date = ], ] | url = http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/lidar/dauphin-island.html | title = Daupin Island - Pre- and Post-Storm 3D Topography | work = Hurricane Katrina Impact Studies | publisher = ] | accessdate = 2006-06-05}}</ref> The storm surge and waves from Katrina also obliterated the ], which had been affected by ] the previous year.<ref>{{cite web | author = ] | date = ], ] | url = http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-comparisons/chandeleur.html | title = Before and After Photo Comparisons: Chandeleur Islands | work = Hurricane Katrina Impact Studies | publisher = ] | accessdate = 2006-06-05}}</ref> | |||
| The lands that were lost were also breeding grounds for marine mammals, brown ]s, ]s, and ], as well as 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"/> | |||
| Katrina also forced the closure of 16 ]s, of which Breton National Wildlife Refuge received the worst damage, as half of its area was swept off.<ref name="FWS impact">{{cite web | author = ] | date = ], ] | 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 = ] | accessdate = 2006-06-05}}</ref> As a result, the hurricane affected the habitats of ]s, Mississippi ]s, ]s and ].<ref name="FWS impact"/> | |||
| Finally, as part of the cleanup effort, the flood waters that covered New Orleans were pumped into ], a process that took 43 days to complete.<ref name="katreport"/> These residual waters contained a mix of raw ], ], ], ]s, toxic chemicals, and about 6.5 million U.S. gallons (24.6 million L) of ], which has sparked fears in the scientific community of massive numbers of fish dying.<ref name="CRS environment"/> | |||
| ===Looting and violence=== | |||
| {{further|]}} | |||
| ] Special Response Team searches a hotel room-by-room in New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina.]] | |||
| Shortly after the hurricane moved away on ], some residents of New Orleans who remained in the city began ] stores, as did some Mississippi residents in their local stores and casinos. Many looters were in search of food and water that were not available to them through any other means. | |||
| <ref>] FOX 16, "." '']'' (]). ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Reports of carjacking, murders, thefts, and rapes in New Orleans flooded the news. Several news media later determined that most reports were based on rumors.<ref>Rosenblatt, Sarah; Rainey, James. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> 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 ] and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will," Louisiana Governor ] said. Congressman ] (D-LA) told ]: "There was shooting going on. There was sniping going on. Over the first week of September, law and order was gradually restored to the city."<ref>Tapper, Jake. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Several shootings were between police and New Orleans residents, including the fatal incident at ].<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| A number of arrests were made throughout the affected area, including near the New Orleans Convention Center. A temporary jail was constructed of chain link cages in the city train station.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| In Texas, where more than 300,000 evacuees are located, local officials have run 20,000 criminal background checks on the evacuees, as well as on the relief workers helping them and people who have opened up their homes. Most of the checks have found little for police to be concerned about.<ref name="WBOY WV records">Schubert, Elizabeth. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> The number of homicides in ] from September 2005 through ] ] went up by 23% relative to the same period a year before; 29 of the 170 murders involved displaced Louisianans as a victim, a suspect, or both.<ref>"." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Government response=== | |||
| ] ], ] ] and ] ] during a press confrerence from the ], regarding the devastation along the Gulf Coast caused by Katrina.]] | |||
| Within the ] 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 the problems that arose developed from inadequate planning and back-up communications systems at various levels. | |||
| Some ] response to Katrina began before the storm, with ] (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, and has continued for more than six months after the storm. | |||
| Of the 60,000 people stranded in New Orleans, the Coast Guard rescued over 33,500 <ref name="GAO-06-903">{{cite book | author = United States Government Accountability Office | authorlink = 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 | accessdate = 2006-08-27 | date = July 2006 | format = {{PDF}}}}</ref>. Congress recognized the Coast Guard's response with an official entry in the Congressional Record,<ref name="S. 246">{{cite book | author = ] | 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. | format = {{PDF}} | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-08-27 | publisher = ] | url = http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:sr246ats.txt.pdf}}</ref> and the ] was awarded the ].<ref>{{cite web | title = USCG Message Traffic: Award of the Presidential Unit Citation to the Coast Guard | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-08-27 | url = http://www.uscg.mil/RESERVE/msg06/alcoast/coast317_06.htm | publisher = ]}}</ref> | |||
| The ] established Joint Task Force (JTF) Katrina based out of ], ], to act as the military's on-scene command on Sunday, ].<ref>"". ''],'' News Transcript. ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Approximately 58,000 ] personnel were activated to deal with the storm's aftermath, with troops coming from all 50 states.<ref>Phillips, Kyra. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> The ] also activated volunteer members of the ]. | |||
| ], ] of the ], decided to take over the federal, state, and local operations officially on ], ], citing the ].<ref>California Political Desk. "." ''.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Early in September, Congress authorized a total of $62.3 billion in aid for victims.<ref>Baker, Peter; Goldstein, Amy. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</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. "." ''],'' Press Release. ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| FEMA provided housing assistance (rental assistance, trailers, etc.) to over 700,000 applicants - families and individuals. However, only one-fifth of the trailers requested in Orleans Parish have been supplied resulting in an enormous housing shortage in the city of New Orleans.<ref>''],'' ], ], page A-12. Retrieved on ].</ref> To provide for additional housing, FEMA has also paid for the hotel costs of 12,000 individuals and families displaced by Katrina through ], ], 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> As of early July 2006, there are still about 100,000 people living in 37,745 FEMA-provided trailers.<ref name="FEMA update 2006-07-07">{{cite web | author = Federal Emergency Management Agency | title = Hurricane Katrina Recovery Update: Week 44 | date = ], ] | accessdate=2006-07-08 | publisher = ] | url = http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=27504}}</ref> | |||
| Law enforcement and public safety agencies, from across the ], provided a "]" response to ] and ] in the weeks following the disaster. Many agencies responded with manpower and equipment from as far away as ], ], ], ], and ]. This response was welcomed by local ] authorities as their staff were either becoming fatigued, stretched too thin, or even quitting from the job.<ref>{{cite web | last = Treaster | first = Joseph B. | title = Law Officers, Overwhelmed, Are Quitting the Force | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04police.html?ei=5090&en=8bf8550c348bbc33&ex=1283486400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print | publisher = ] | date = ], ] | accessdate=2006-06-24}}</ref> | |||
| ] takes on supplies at ] en route to the Gulf Coast.]] | |||
| Two weeks after the storm, over 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 away and another 60,000 households went over 750 miles (1,200 km) away.<ref>Quigley, Bill. "" ''.'' Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===International response=== | |||
| {{main|International response to Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| Over seventy countries pledged monetary donations or other assistance. ] made the largest single pledge, $500 million; other large donations were made by ] ($100 million), ] ($30 million), ], ] (both $5 million), ] ($1.5 million),<ref>Staff Writer. "."''Embassy of the United States. ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> and ] ($1 million).<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Countries like ], which was still recovering from the ], ] and ], also offered to help. Countries including ], ], ], and ] sent supplies, relief personnel, troops, ships and water pumps to aid in the disaster recovery. ]'s donation of 350,000 emergency meals did not reach victims because of laws regarding mad cow disease.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. </ref> ]'s ] of two jets was declined by the U.S. State Department but accepted later. The ] ] was also declined and requested later.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Despite receiving aid from around the world, there was also a heavy dose of criticism from around the world describing the racism that was revealed at the international level across global press. Quotations from the UK Mirror such as "Many things about the United States are wonderful, but it has a vile underbelly which is usually kept well out of sight. Now in New Orleans it has been exposed to the world." were common.<ref>"." ''Tolerance.org.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ===Non-government organization response=== | |||
| The ], ], ], ], ], and many other charitable organizations provided housing, food, and water to the victims of the storm. These organizations also provided an infrastructure for shelters throughout Louisiana and other states that held thousands of evacuees. They were not, however, allowed into New Orleans proper by the National Guard for several days after the storm because of safety concerns. These organizations raised $4.25 billion in donations by the public, with the Red Cross receiving over half of the donations.<ref name = "Charity Navigator report">{{ cite web | author = Staff writer | publisher= ] | title = Where Did The Money Go? | date = 2006 | accessdate = 2006-08-05 | work = Hurricane Katrina: One Year Later | url = http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/katrina.main.htm}}</ref> | |||
| Volunteers from ]'s emergency service wing, the ], provided emergency communications for federal, state and local officials. Over 1,000 volunteer operators traveled to affected areas to provide communications in areas where the communications infrastructure had been damaged or totally destroyed, relaying everything from 911 traffic to messages home.<ref>Staff Writer. "" ''The American Radio Relay League.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> In ], ham radio operators provided the only communications into or out of the area, and even served as 911 dispatchers.<ref>Staff Writer. "." ''The American Radio Relay League.'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ] personnel unload ] relief supplies from a Canadian transport aircraft in ].]] | |||
| Many corporations also contributed to relief efforts. On ], it was reported that corporate donations to the relief effort were $409 million, and were expected to exceed $1 billion.<ref>"." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| During and after the Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita, the ] had opened 1,470 different shelters across and registered 3.8 million overnight stays. A total of 244,000 Red Cross workers (95% of which were non-paid volunteers) were utilized to provide sheltering, casework, communication and assessment services throughout these three hurricanes. In addition, 346,980 comfort kits (which contain hygiene essentials such as toothpaste, soap, washclothes and toys for children) and 205,360 clean up 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 their 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, which encompassed a total of 4 million people. Hurricane Katrina was the first natural disaster in the United States that the American Red Cross utilized their "Safe and Well" family location website.<ref name="ARC 1 yr">{{cite web | publisher = ] | title = A Year of Healing | date = August 2006 | date = ] | url = http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/Katrina_OneYearReport.pdf}}</ref><ref name = "ARC 2005AHS facts">{{cite web | publisher = ] | title = Hurricane Season 2005: Facts and Figures | date = ], ] | date = ] | url = http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/hurricanes/2005/facts.html}}</ref> | |||
| In the year since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, The ] has allocated donations of more than $365 million to serve more than 1.7 million people in nearly every state. The Army’s immediate response to Hurricane Katrina included the mobilization of more than 178 canteen feeding units and 11 field kitchens which together have served more than 5.7 million hot meals, 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks & drinks. Its SATERN network of amateur ham-radio operators picked up where modern communications left off to help locate more than 25,000 survivors. And, 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 have contributed more than 900,000 hours of service.<ref name="Salvation Army">{{cite web | url = http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn%5Cwww_usn.nsf/vw-news/FB0167FE449EC0C4802571D8004B5FEE | title = Salvation Army Reflects on Largest Disaster Response Ever at One-Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina | accessdate = 2006-08-28 | date = ], ] | publisher = ]}}</ref> | |||
| ===Analysis of New Orleans levee failures=== | |||
| {{main|Levee failures in Greater New Orleans, 2005}} | |||
| ]' levee failures were found to be primarily the result of system design flaws, combined with the lack of adequate maintenance. Those responsible for the conception, design, construction, and maintenance of the region's flood-control system apparently failed to pay sufficient attention to public safety, according to an investigation by the ].<ref>Myers, Lisa. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| According to new modeling and field observations by a team from ], the ] (MRGO), a 200-meter (660 ft) wide canal designed to provide a shortcut from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico, helped provide a funnel for the storm surge, making it 20% higher and 100%-200% faster as it crashed into the city. St. Bernard Parish, one of the more devastated areas, lies just south of the MRGO. The ] disputes this causality and maintains Katrina would have overwhelmed the levees with or without the contributing effect of the MRGO.<ref>Warrick, Joby; Grunwald, Michael. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| On ], ], months after independent investigators had demonstrated that levee failures were not caused by natural forces beyond intended design strength, Lieutenant General Carl Strock 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." He also testified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not know of this mechanism of failure prior to ], ]. The claim of ignorance is refuted, however, by the National Science Foundation investigators hired by the Army Corps of Engineers, who point to a 1986 study by the Corps itself that such separations were possible in the I-wall design.<ref>{{cite news| title = Corps chief admits to 'design failure' | author = Walsh, Bill | publisher = ] | date = ], ] | accessdate=2006-04-09 | url = http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1144306231230500.xml}}</ref> | |||
| Additionally, various ] began floating around that the levees were in fact deliberately demolished. The most commonly cited culprit in these conspiracy theories is the ] Biosphere program, in an attempt to "re-wild" the region. These theories arose when several New Orleans residents described hearing "explosions" coming from the levees before the floodwaters rushed in, and by a National Guard worker who claims he was sworn to secrecy upon finding explosives residue at the site of the break. <ref> http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/orleans_levees.html</ref> | |||
| ===Criticism of government response=== | |||
| {{main|Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| ] accused President Bush of racism during a Hurricane Katrina ], '']''.]] | |||
| The criticisms of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina primarily consisted of condemnations 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 ], and the subsequent state of chaos in the Crescent City.<ref name="thevenot">Thevenot, Brian; Russell, Gordon. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> The neologism ''Katrinagate'' was coined to refer to this controversy, and was even a runner-up for "2005 word of the year."<ref>Clark, Heather. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> | |||
| Within days of Katrina's ], ] landfall, public debate arose about the local, state and federal governments' role in the ] for and response to the hurricane. ] was prompted largely by televised images of visibly shaken and frustrated political leaders and of residents who remained in New Orleans without ], ] or ]. The deaths of citizens by ], ], and ] days after the storm itself had passed also fueled the criticism, as did the treatment of people who had been evacuated to facilities such as the ]. Others alleged that ], ], and other factors could have contributed to delays in government response. The percentage of black victims among storm-related deaths (49%)<ref name=LaDHH>{{cite web | title = Updated Number of Deceased Victims Recovered Following Hurricane Katrina | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-08-01 | publisher = Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals | url = http://www.dhh.state.la.us/news.asp?Detail=758}}</ref> was below their proportion in the area's population (approx. 60% <ref>"." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| ); nonetheless, criticisms focused mostly on the response ''after'' the initial flooding (i.e. after most of the deaths had already occurred). | |||
| The government was accused of making things worse, instead of making things better—perhaps even deliberately—by preventing help by others while delaying its own response. In accordance with federal law, President ] directed 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 initially came under harsh criticism for what some perceived as a lack of planning and coordination. 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received praise from Bush with the now-well-known phrase, ''"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."''<ref>{{cite web | author = Office of the Press Secretary | title = President Arrives in Alabama, Briefed on Hurricane Katrina | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-07-19 | publisher = ] | url = http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050902-2.html}}</ref> | |||
| Subsequently, criticism from politicians, activists, pundits and journalists of all stripes has been directed at the local and state and governments headed by Mayor ] of New Orleans and Louisiana Governor ]. Nagin and Blanco were criticized for failing to implement New Orleans' 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 is that he delayed his ] order until 19 hours before landfall, which led to hundreds of deaths of people who (by that time) could not find any way out of the city.<ref name="CongressInvestigation"/> | |||
| The destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina has raised other, more general public policy issues about ], ], ], and ]. The discussion of both the immediate response and of the broader public policy issues may affect ] and ] enacted at various ]. The storm's devastation also caused 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 ] ] conducted on ], showed slightly more blame is being directed at state and local governments (75 percent) than at the Federal government (67 percent), with 44 percent blaming President Bush's leadership directly.<ref name="abcnewspoll">Langer, Gary. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> A later ]/]/] ] showed that respondents disagreed widely on who is to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane -- 13 percent 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> | |||
| ===Media involvement=== | |||
| {{main|Media involvement in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina}} | |||
| ] reporting from the New Orleans Convention Center on ], ].]] | |||
| Many representatives of the ] 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>"." -- ''Video.'' 2005. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| The storm also brought a dramatic rise in the role of ] - especially ] and community journalism. One example was the effort of ''NOLA.com'', the web affiliate of the ], which was awarded the Breaking News ],<ref name="Pulitzer BN">{{cite web | author = The Pulitzer Board | title = 2006 Pulitzer Prize Winners - Breaking News Reporting | date = 2006 | accessdate = 2006-08-02 | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2006/breaking-news-reporting/}}</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 | date = 2006 | accessdate = 2006-08-02 | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2006/public-service/}}</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 | author = Mark Glaser | title = NOLA.com blogs and forums help save lives after Katrina | date = ], ] | publisher = Online Journalism Review | accessdate = 2006-08-02 | url = http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/050913glaser/}}</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 | author = ] | title = Remarks at Pulitzer Prize luncheon | date = ], ] | accessdate = 2006-08-02 | publisher = The Pulitzer Board | url = http://www.pulitzer.org/resources/steigerspeech.html}}</ref> | |||
| As the U.S. military and rescue services regained control over the city, there were restrictions on the activity of the media. On ], 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, ] 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. "." ''].'' ], ]. Retrieved on ].</ref> | |||
| Hurricane Katrina has also been the centerpiece of several documentary films including ]'s film, "]", and ]'s film, "Hellp"<ref>Britt, M. "Las Vegas Teen Helps Hurricane Victims In New Orleans", ''Las Vegas Daily Optic'', ], ].</ref> | |||
| ===Retirement=== | |||
| {{seealso|List of retired Atlantic hurricanes}} | |||
| Because of the large loss of life and property along the ], the name Katrina was officially retired on ], ] by the ] at the request of the U.S. government. It was replaced by Katia on List III of the ], which will next be used in 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|accessmonthday = ]|accessyear = ]|date = ], ]|publisher = NOAA}}</ref> | |||
| ==See also== | |||
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| ==External links== | |||
| <!-- 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 isn't 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. --> | |||
| ], ], as seen from a ] ] ] aircraft before the storm made landfall on the United States ].]] | |||
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