Hurricanes Flashcards
When was katrina ?
2005
What is significant about it?
Most costly natural disaster to USA.
6th strongest Atlantic hurricane recorded.
So costly,
What happened to the hurricane ?
How did it develop?
Low pressure system - strengthened - tropical storm -hurricane.
Timeline?
Nearest Florida - 25th August
South Florida - Louisiana
New Orleans, Mississippi, 200km winds.
Bush declared emergency - 27th August.
Why New Orleans so badly affected?
Lake ponchartrain and mission river fuelled the hurricane.
Wetland - used to protect and absorb water - it’s sinking.
Levees only made to cope with level 3 not five - levees enhance the flooding once breached.
Social impacts
80 percent of New Orleans under water
Worst property damage to beach front houses in Mississippi.
- Water reached 6-12 miles inland from the beach.
Redistributed 1m + people from gulf to rest of USA.
Louisiana had pop loss of 5 percent.
Many victims - black America and tension rose.
Economic impacts
Cost - $105 bn for repair and reconstruction
Not including interception of oil supply from Gulf of Mexico, highway infrastructure and exports of commodities eg grain.
Oil supply - damaged Riggs on and refineries - 30 damaged
Affected global price for oil platforms and 9 refineries.
Total impact on Louisiana and Mississippi equals to $150 bn.
Insurers stopped insuring homes - too risky.
Environment
Spill in north Louisiana
Beach erosion from storm surge.
Dolphin island - 217 km turned land into water
Ground lost which was breeding ground for pelican, turtle and fish.
7m gallons of oil being leaked.
Management
Most aid came from within us. Recovery aid - some came before storm Military on scene Response was slow 70 countries helped India sent blankets and tarps and hygiene kits Taiwan America Red Cross is 1.8bn
Management
Most aid came from within USA
Due to accurate tracking from national hurricane centre - evacuation, but many stayed regardless
- some recovery regime began before storm
60,000 stranded in New Orleans - coast guard
Military at scene
Troops from all 50 states.
Govt criticism
Response
Too slow and lacked coordination
Evacuation centres used eg Louisiana SuperDrive - made for 800 and 30,000 turned up.
Most stranded - African American.
Background
27th April
