Hurricane Katrina - Management Strategies Flashcards
Positive - Early warning system What is it called
National Hurricane Centre
It was able to do what
Give accurate forecasts and warn of major impacts
Evacuation Plan and its issue
New Orleans had a comprehensive evacuation plan but many ignored the warnings
Emergency service preparation what happened
Had a practice hurricane - Called Hurricane Pam in 2004
Problems with Hurricane Pam
Only a category 3 - not considered levee collapse killing 60,000 people
FEMA assisted the local authorities for more than 6 months before
FEMA chief said there was no plan
Evacuation planning - cars
25% of population did not have a car - but there were also loads of tailbacks
Mayor Nagin
Criticized for leaving evacuation until 19 hours before
Stranded People
Images in the media or stranded people and deaths rates began to rise - many felt that the government were to slow to response
Emergency service preparation - what had happened and what was used for shelter
Levees were breached and the Louisiana Superdome was used - 26,000 people
Levee protection
Built by US Corps of Engineers around the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico - much of the city was built 10m below sea level
Problems
Built to withstand category 3 not five and funding refused to upgrade
Building design and insurance
Buildings were made to withstand winds and not floods
