Hurricane Katrina Case Study Flashcards
Where did this storm take place?
New Orleans, Louisiana (USA)
When did this storm take place?
Made landfall on 29th August, 2005
What was the nature of the storm?
- Began as CAT 3 in the Atlantic and passed over Florida
- Rapidly intensified to CAT 5 in the Gulf of Mexico
What impact did the CAT 3 storm have on Florida?
100,000 homes lost power
How high were the wind speeds?
200 km/h - caused extensive beach erosion
How much of New Orleans is built below sea level?
50%
Which two bodies of water present flood risk to New Orleans?
- Mississippi River
- Lake Pontchartrain
How many levees failed?
Atleast 50
How much of New Orleans was flooded?
80%
How much flooding was caused by the failure of levees?
80%
Which neighbourhood was disproportionately affected?
Ninth Ward - two canals were breached due to poor maintenance
Why was the Ninth Ward significantly impacted?
Economic and political neglect had led to derivation and poor maintenance of flood defences
How many deaths were caused?
1800
How much did the state population decrease between 2005-2006?
5%
How much economic damage was caused?
$81 billion
What was the impact on infrastructure?
Gulf Coast Highway infrastructure was destroyed, presenting issues of access for emergency vehicles and aid
What was the main environmental impact of the storm?
Flood waters which were pumped back into Lake Pontchartrain contained sewage, pesticides and toxic chemical
Why did a large number of levees fail?
- They were poorly maintained
- They had only been built to withstand CAT 3 storms
How much money did the Bush administration seek for recovery efforts?
$105 billion
Which three states declared a state of emergency?
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama (27th August - 2 days prior to landfall)
When did the mayor of New Orleans issue an evacuation order?
28th August - 1 day prior to landfall
How many people remained in the city?
150,000
How many of the remaining people sheltered in the Louisiana Superdome?
30,000
Why was sheltering in the Superdome ineffective?
They only had basic food and water supplies to last for 3 days
Which organisation coordinated the government response?
FEMA
What was FEMA’s initial response?
Sent over 2000 trucks containing food, water and mobile homes
How many people in the Gulf Coast region were relocated?
1 million
How many people relocated to Houston, TX?
240,000
What occurred following criticism of the government’s management of the storm?
The FEMA chief stood down
What was the long-term recovery strategy of the New Orleans city government?
Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan (GNOUWP) - $6 million scheme to improve stormwater management and drainage systems
