Hurricane Katrina

Question 1

Impacts

Answer 1

Storm surge + 8 m to sea level
Some parts sea level in New Orleans below sea level
= made worse

Question 2

Social impacts

Answer 2

1836 deaths
300,000 houses destroyed
3 m no electricity
1-10 bridge closed + main route New Orleans closed
Water supplies polluted = 5 died
Education suffered New Orleans - 18 destroyed + 74 badly destroyed
1 m left region

Question 3

Economic impacts

Answer 3

Storm surge + rain = levees gave way 50 places
80% flooded Greater New Orleans
US$81 b
230,000 jobs lost 
Hard to find insurance by damage caused

Question 4

Environmental impacts

Answer 4

Dauphin island breached + sand across barrier island
560km sq land Chandeleur Islands submerged by Rita + Katrina
20% marshlands inundated by sea water
Affected migrating birds/turtles/fish

Question 5

Management

Answer 5

Sophisticated warning system to predict when + where
NHC in Florida tracks
Satellite images + hurricane hunter planes

Question 6

Short term responses

Answer 6

Search + rescue
FEMA had refrigerated trucks to deal with bodies
Coast guard rescued 33,500/60,000 stranded in New Orleans
70 countries pledged monetary donations
Kuwait US$500 m
80% Pop evacuated BUT 60,000 stayed behind

Question 7

Long term responses

Answer 7

Gov support people of New Orleans
Only 1/5th houses provided out of 700,000
Damaged properties repaired/rebuilt
1 month after evacuees registered in all 50 states
Most stayed within 400 km but 60,000 further than 1200km away

Question 8

Date + causes

Answer 8

Bahamas 29 August  
W to Florida 25 August 
Weakened as passed BUT strengthened when over Gulf of Mexico 
Category 3 to 5
Winds max 280 kmph 
Pressure 902mb
Travelled 240 km inland before storm