![]() ![]() ![]() CT - Katrina intensifies to a Category 2.ĥ p.m. The White House deploys National Guard troops to the Gulf Coast.ġ0:30 a.m. Kathleen Blanco declares a State of Emergency. Hurricane Katrina hits the Florida coast as a Category 1 with winds at 80 mph. Key events show the progression and setbacks of the damage, rescue and rebuilding. Image courtesy of NOAA.Hurricane Katrina changed the Gulf Coast landscape and face of its culture when it hit in 2005. Map of America showing highest wind speeds. Vast quantities of materials, such as sandbags, were airlifted in by the army and air force and the levees were eventually repaired and strengthened.Īlthough the USA is one of the wealthiest developed countries in the world, it highlighted that when a disaster is large enough, even very developed countries struggle to cope. One of the first challenges in the aftermath of the flooding was to repair the broken levees. The broken levees and consequent flooding were largely responsible for most of the deaths in New Orleans. The broken levees were repaired by engineers and the flood water in the streets of New Orleans took several months to drain away. Many people have moved to live in other parts of the USA and many may never return to their original homes.Major highways were disrupted and some major road bridges were destroyed.A significant part of the USA oil refining capacity was disrupted after the storm due to flooded refineries and broken pipelines, and several oil rigs in the Gulf were damaged.Three million people were left without electricity for over a week.Cotton and sugar-cane crops were flattened. Agricultural production was damaged by tornadoes and flooding.Thousands of jobs lost and millions of dollars in lost tax incomes.Criminal gangs roamed the streets, looting homes and businesses and committing other crimes.Thousands of homes and businesses destroyed.1,500 deaths in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.Thirty-three tornadoes were produced by Hurricane Katrina over a five-day period, although only one person died due to a tornado which affected Georgia. Hurricane Katrina also produced a lot of rainfall, which also contributed to the flooding. This allowed water to flood into New Orleans, and up to 80% of the city was flooded to depths of up to six metres. The levees were overwhelmed by the extra water, with many collapsing completely. The hurricane’s storm surge, combined with huge waves generated by the wind, pushed up water levels around the city. Hurricane Katrina tracked over the Gulf of Mexico and hit New Orleans, a coastal city with huge areas below sea-level which were protected by defence walls, called levees. There is more about hurricanes in the weather section of the Met Office website It is especially dangerous in low-lying areas close to the coast. This is often the most dangerous characteristic of a hurricane, and causes the most hurricane-related deaths. Hurricanes can cause the sea level around them to rise, this effect is called a storm surge. Arriving in late August 2005 with winds of up to 127 mph, the storm caused widespread flooding. At least 1,500 people were killed and around $300 billion worth of damage was caused when Hurricane Katrina hit the south-eastern part of the USA. ![]()
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