Geography - Hazards - Hurricane Katrina

Question 1

Key Information

Answer 1

23rd August 2005
reached category 5 on 28th as it headed from the Bahamas towards Mississippi and Louisiana
dissipate on the 31st august

Question 2

Beginnings of the storm

Answer 2

• Tropical depression over the Bahamas
• Originating South of the Tropic of Cancer
• ocean temps over 27DegC
• as storm moved towards Florida the storm strengthened into a hurricane as of the warm air rising and vapour condensing
• Coriolis force to spin it

Question 3

Reaching the Coastline

Answer 3

• as it passed over Florida the land extended the frictional drag as there was no warm water to provide the storm energy
• as it reached Gulf of Mexico on 26th august, it intensifies rapidly
• weakened to a category 3 on the 29th August

Question 4

Impacts - New Orleans

Answer 4

-storm surges and flooding
-50% of the city below sea level
-levee failure was cause of 80% of flooding
economic - damaged oil rigs oil prices rose rapidly

Question 5

Responses - New Orleans

Answer 5

• evacuation
• looting
• water removal and defence repair
• federal and public aid
• criticisms of gov.s response
• 30,000 people stayed in the Superdome