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What was significant about Hurricane Katrina?
Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States. An estimated 1,833 people died in the hurricane and the flooding that followed. Millions of people were left homeless along the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans.
What are 3 interesting facts about Hurricane Katrina?
Hurricane Katrina Facts01Hurricane Katrina was a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane.02The highest wind speed achieved was 280 kilometers per hour.03Hurricane Katrina started to form on August 23, 2005.04It dissipated on August 31, 2005.05Hurricane Katrina was one of the most deadly hurricanes with over 1,800 fatalities.
Whats the worst hurricane in history?
the Galveston Hurricane of 1900A storm with a slightly lower maximum wind speed, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, is the deadliest weather disaster in U.S. history. According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm killed between 6,000 and 12,000 people.
Was Katrina the worst hurricane ever?
It is the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States, surpassing the record previously held by Hurricane Andrew from 1992. In addition, Katrina is one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever strike the United States....Hurricane Katrina - August 2005.Location48 hour rainfall (inches)Oak Grove6.008 more rows
What are 5 facts about hurricanes?
Check out these 10 facts about hurricanes...A hurricane is a tropical storm. ... The word hurricane comes from the word Huracan. ... The eye is the centre of a hurricane. ... The eye wall is around the eye. ... The rainbands are the outer part of the hurricane. ... Hurricanes can be very dangerous.More items...•
How long did Katrina last?
August 23, 2005 – August 31, 2005Hurricane Katrina / Date
Where did Katrina hit the hardest?
New OrleansKatrina caused over 1,800 deaths and $100 billion in damage. New Orleans was particularly hit hard due to flooding. The hurricane's 19-foot storm surge broke through the city's flood walls and the levees.
What is Hurricane Katrina for kids?
It formed on August 23rd 2005 and lasted until August 31, 2005. It originated as a tropical storm over the Bahamas. Katrina had a maximum wind speed of 175 mph. It was the third deadliest hurricane in the US history after Galveston in 1900 and Okeechobee in 1928.
When did Hurricane Katrina form?
Hurricane Katrina formed as Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas on August 23, 2005, as the result of the merger of a tropical wave and the remnants of Tropical Depression Ten four days earlier. The storm strengthened into Tropical Storm Katrina on the morning of August 24.
What was the maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Katrina?
After attaining Category 5 hurricane status on the morning of August 28, Katrina reached its peak strength at 1800 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 902 mbar (26.6 inHg ).
Why did the New Orleans flood walls fail?
A June 2007 report released by the American Society of Civil Engineers determined that the failures of the levees and flood walls in New Orleans were found to be primarily the result of system design and construction flaws. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been federally mandated in the Flood Control Act of 1965 with responsibility for the conception, design, and construction of the region's flood-control system. All of the major studies in the aftermath of Katrina concluded that the USACE was responsible for the failure of the levees. This was primarily attributed to a decision to use shorter steel sheet pilings during construction in an effort to save money. According to a report published in August 2015 in the official journal of the World Water Council, the Corps misinterpreted the results of a 1985 study and wrongly concluded that sheet piles in the flood walls needed to be driven to depths of only 17 feet (5 m) instead of between 31 and 46 feet (9 and 14 m). That decision saved approximately US$100 million, but significantly reduced overall engineering reliability.
How long did it take for Katrina to become a Category 5 hurricane?
Thereafter, Katrina rapidly intensified over the "unusually warm" waters of the Loop Current from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in just nine hours. Katrina on August 28, nearing the Gulf Coast.
What category was Hurricane Katrina in 2005?
Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 2005. Not to be confused with Hurricane Catarina or Hurricane Karina. For other storms of the same name, see Tropical Storm Katrina. Hurricane Katrina. Category 5 major hurricane ( SSHWS / NWS) Hurricane Katrina at peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on August 28. Formed.
How long to evacuate Louisiana during a hurricane?
In Louisiana, the state's hurricane evacuation plan calls for local governments in areas along and near the coast to evacuate in three phases, starting with the immediate coast 50 hours before the start of tropical-storm-force winds. Persons in areas designated Phase II begin evacuating 40 hours before the onset of tropical storm winds and those in Phase III areas (including New Orleans) evacuate 30 hours before the start of such winds. Many private caregiving facilities that relied on bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation were unable to evacuate their charges because they waited too long. Louisiana's Emergency Operations Plan Supplement 1C (Part II, Section II, Paragraph D) calls for use of school and other public buses in evacuations. Although buses that later flooded were available to transport those dependent upon public transportation, not enough bus drivers were available to drive them as Governor Blanco did not sign an emergency waiver to allow any licensed driver to transport evacuees on school buses.
What were the criticisms of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina?
The criticisms of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina primarily consisted of criticism of mismanagement and lack of leadership in the relief efforts in response to the storm and its aftermath. More specifically, the criticism focused on the delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, and the subsequent state of chaos in the city. The neologism Katrina gate was coined to refer to this controversy, and was a runner-up for "2005 word of the year."
How much damage did Hurricane Katrina cause?
With top winds of around 80 mph, the storm was relatively weak, but enough to knock out power for about 1 million and cause $630 million of damage. 2. Katrina Stalled over the Gulf of Mexico, gaining strength. After passing over Florida, Katrina again weakened, and was reclassified as a tropical storm.
Where did Hurricane Katrina hit?
Katrina first made landfall in South Florida. The storm initially formed as a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas on August 23. By the evening of August 25, when it made landfall north of the Broward-Miami-Dade county line, it had intensified into a category 1 hurricane.
What led to the flooding in New Orleans?
In 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which was responsible for the design of the levee system in New Orleans, acknowledged that outdated and faulty engineering practices used to build the levees led to most of the flooding that occurred due to Katrina. On the state and local level, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin were criticized for not ordering mandatory evacuations sooner. Blanco declined to seek reelection in 2007, and died in 2019. Nagin left office in 2010, and was later convicted on charges of bribery, fraud and money laundering committed while in office.
What hurricane weakened Florida?
2. Katrina Stalled over the Gulf of Mexico, gaining strength. After passing over Florida, Katrina again weakened, and was reclassified as a tropical storm. But over the Gulf of Mexico, some 165 miles west of Key West, the storm gathered strength above the warmer waters of the gulf.
How fast did Hurricane Katrina move?
Though downgraded to a category 3, the storm’s relatively slow forward movement (around 12 mph) covered the region with far more rain than a fast-moving storm would have. Winds of 125 mph and storm surges of 28 feet devastated much of Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi. 4 .
How many people were trapped in New Orleans during Katrina?
By some estimates, between 80 and 90 percent of New Orleans’ population was able to evacuate the city prior to Katrina. Still, about 100,000 people were trapped in the city when the storm hit, and many took last-ditch refuge in the New Orleans Superdome and the Ernest J. Morial Convention Center as the storm approached.
How many people died in Hurricane Katrina?
With maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, the storm killed a total of 1,833 people and left millions homeless in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, ...
What were the problems caused by Hurricane Katrina?
The devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina exposed a series of deep-rooted problems, including controversies over the federal government's response, difficulties in search-and-rescue efforts, and lack of preparedness for the storm, particularly with regard to the city's aging series of levees—50 of which failed during the storm, significantly flooding the low-lying city and causing much of the damage. Katrina's victims tended to be low income and African American in disproportionate numbers, and many of those who lost their homes faced years of hardship.
How fast did Hurricane Katrina hit?
Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. It hit land as a Category 3 storm with winds reaching speeds as high as 120 miles per hour. Because of the ensuing destruction and loss of life, the storm is often considered one of the worst in U.S. history. An estimated 1,200 people died as ...
How fast did Hurricane Katrina blow through Miami?
The tempest blew through Miami at 80 miles per hour, where it uprooted trees and killed two people. Katrina then weakened to a tropical storm, since hurricanes require warm ocean water to sustain speed and strength and begin to weaken over land.
What is the most powerful storm?
Hurricanes 101. Hurricanes are the most powerful storms known to man. Find out when hurricane season peaks, how the storms form, and the surprising role they play in the larger global ecosystem. On August 27, the storm grew to a Category 3 hurricane.
How much of New Orleans was underwater during Katrina?
The following day, Katrina weakened to a tropical storm, but severe flooding inhibited relief efforts in much of New Orleans. An estimated 80 percent of the city was soon underwater.
When did Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans?
Adding to the destruction following Hurricane Katrina, fires burn in parts of New Orleans in an apocalyptic scene from early on September 3, 2005. The storm struck the Gulf Coast with devastating force at daybreak on Aug. 29, 2005, pummeling a region that included New Orleans and neighboring Mississippi. Photograph by Vincent Laforet, The New York ...
How many people died in Katrina?
Hurricane death tolls are debated, and for Katrina, counts can vary by as much as 600. Collected bodies must be examined for cause of death, and some argue that indirect hurricane deaths, like being unable to access medical care, should be counted in official numbers.
What was the impact of Katrina on New Orleans?
Katrina exacerbated these conditions, and left many of New Orleans’s poorest citizens even more vulnerable than they had been before the storm.
How much damage did Katrina cause?
Hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were displaced from their homes, and experts estimate that Katrina caused more than $100 billion in damage.
What was the hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005?
Changes Since Katrina. Early in the morning on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. When the storm made landfall, it had a Category 3 rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale–it brought sustained winds of 100–140 miles per hour–and stretched some 400 miles across. ...
What was the failure of the government during Katrina?
Chief among them was a requirement that all levels of government train to execute coordinated plans of disaster response. In the decade following Katrina, FEMA paid out billions in grants to ensure better preparedness.
How many times has New Orleans been hit by hurricanes?
Did you know? During the past century, hurricanes have flooded New Orleans six times: in 1915, 1940, 1947, 1965, 1969 and 2005.
How many people were rescued from Hurricane Katrina?
Many people acted heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Coast Guard rescued some 34,000 people in New Orleans alone, and many ordinary citizens commandeered boats, offered food and shelter, and did whatever else they could to help their neighbors. Yet the government–particularly the federal government–seemed unprepared for the disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) took days to establish operations in New Orleans, and even then did not seem to have a sound plan of action.
When did Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans?
By the time Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans early in the morning on Monday, August 29, it had already been raining heavily for hours. When the storm surge (as high as 9 meters in some places) arrived, it overwhelmed many of the city’s unstable levees and drainage canals. Water seeped through the soil underneath some levees and swept others away altogether.
How many deaths did Hurricane Katrina cause?
In addition, Katrina is one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever strike the United States. In all, Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 1,833 fatalities and approximately $108 billion in damage (un-adjusted 2005 dollars).
What was the pressure of Hurricane Katrina?
The central pressure at landfall was 920mb - ranking 3rd lowest on record for a US landfalling hurricane, behind Hurricane Camille in 1969 (900mb) and the Labor Day Hurricane that struck the Florida Keys in 1935 (892mb).
How fast was Katrina?
Katrina’s maximum windspeeds at landfall near Grand Isle, LA may have been as high as 140mph. As Katrina moved further north and made a second landfall along the Mississippi/Louisiana border, the NWS Doppler Radar in Mobile (KMOB) measured winds up to 132mph between 3,000-4,000 feet above ground level in the morning. It is estimated that 80-90% (approximately 104-119mph) of the maximum wind speed value actually reached the ground.
How long were tornadoes in Katrina?
A majority of the tornadoes in the outerbands of Katrina were brief and on the ground for 1/2 mile to two miles. The largest tornado path occurred in Santa Rosa County near Munson, FL and was on the ground for three miles. Further inland across areas covered by the NWS Offices in Jackson, MS and Birmingham, AL, tornadoes were rated F1-F2 with slightly longer paths.
What was the most devastating hurricane in the US?
A Killer Hurricane Our Country Will Never Forget. Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) became a large and extremely powerful hurricane that caused enormous destruction and significant loss of life. It is the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States, surpassing the record previously held by Hurricane Andrew from 1992.
What was the costliest hurricane in the US?
Hurricane Katrina - August 2005. Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) became a large and extremely powerful hurricane that caused enormous destruction and significant loss of life. It is the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States, surpassing the record previously held by Hurricane Andrew from 1992. In addition, Katrina is one of the five ...
How much rain did Katrina's eye get?
KMOB radar showed the greatest rainfall amounts occurred east of Katrina’s eye and very close to the coast. A general 5-10 inches of rain fell with isolated amounts exceeding 12 inches. Rain bands extending well east of Katrina’s eye brought isolated rainfall totals of 3-6 inches over extreme northwest Florida.
Overview
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the costliest tropical cyclone on record and is now tied with 2017's Hurricane Harvey. The storm was the twelfth tropical cyclone, the fifth hurricane, and the third m…
Meteorological history
Hurricane Katrina originated from the merger of a tropical wave and the mid-level remnants of Tropical Depression Ten on August 19, 2005, near the Lesser Antilles. On August 23, the disturbance organized into Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas. The storm strengthened into Tropical Storm Katrina on the morning of August 24. The tropical storm moved towards Florida and became a hurricane only two hours before making landfall between H…
Preparations
The United States Coast Guard began pre-positioning resources in a ring around the expected impact zone and activated more than 400 reservists. On August 27, it moved its personnel out of the New Orleans region prior to the mandatory evacuation. Aircrews from the Aviation Training Center, in Mobile, staged rescue aircraft from Texas to Florida. All aircraft were returning towards the Gulf of M…
Impact
On August 29, 2005, Katrina's storm surge caused 53 breaches to various flood protection structures in and around the greater New Orleans area, submerging 80% of the city. A June 2007 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers indicated that two-thirds of the flooding was caused by the multiple failures of the city's floodwalls. The storm surge also devastated the coasts of Mississip…
Aftermath
The economic effects of the storm reached high levels. The Bush Administration sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region, which did not account for damage to the economy caused by potential interruption of the oil supply, destruction of the Gulf Coast's highway infrastructure, and exports of commodities such as grain. Katrina damaged or destroyed 30 oil platforms an…
Reconstruction
Reconstruction of each section of the southern portion of Louisiana has been addressed in the Army Corps LACPR (Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration) Final Technical Report, which identifies areas to not be rebuilt and areas where buildings need to be elevated.
The Technical Report includes:
Records
Katrina is the costliest tropical cyclone on record, tying with Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The storm was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, Hurricane Camille in 1969, and Hurricane Michael in 2018. Katrina was also the earliest eleventh named storm in the Atlantic until Tropical Storm Kyle surpassed it on August 14, 2020, beating Katrina by 10 days, as it was named on August 24, 2005.
See also
• List of Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
• Wetlands of Louisiana
Timeline of A Storm
- Katrina first formed as a tropical depression in Caribbean waters near the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. It officially reached hurricane status two days later, when it passed over southeastern Miami as a Category 1 storm. The tempest blew through Miami at 80 miles per hour, where it uprooted trees and killed two people. Katrina then weakened to a tro...
Geography of New Orleans
- The city of New Orleans was at a disadvantage even before Hurricane Katrina hit, something experts had warned about for years, but it had limited success in changing policy. The region sits in a natural basin, and some of the city is below sea level so is particularly prone to flooding. Low-income communities tend to be in the lowest-lying areas. Just south of the city, the powerful Mi…
Levees
- Levees can be natural or manufactured. They are essentially walls that prevent waterways from overflowing and flooding nearby areas. New Orleans has been protected by levees since the French began inhabiting the region in the 17th century, but modern levees were authorized for construction in 1965 after Hurricane Betsy flooded much of the city. The U.S. Army Corps of Eng…
The Aftermath
- An assessment from the state of Louisiana confirmedthat just under half of the 1,200 deaths resulted from chronic disease exacerbated by the storm, and a third of the deaths were from drowning. Hurricane death tolls are debated, and for Katrina, counts can vary by as much as 600. Collected bodies must be examined for cause of death, and some argue that indirect hurricane d…
Hurricane Katrina: Before The Storm
Levee Failures
- Before the storm, officials worried that surge could overtop some levees and cause short-term flooding, but no one predicted levees might collapse below their designed height. Neighborhoods that sat below sea level, many of which housed the city’s poorest and most vulnerable people, were at great risk of flooding. The day before Katrina hit, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued t…
Hurricane Katrina: The Aftermath
- Many people acted heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Coast Guard rescued some 34,000 people in New Orleans alone, and many ordinary citizens commandeered boats, offered food and shelter, and did whatever else they could to help their neighbors. Yet the government–particularly the federal government–seemed unprepared for the disaster. The Fede…
Failures in Government Response
- For one thing, many had nowhere to go. At the Superdome in New Orleans, where supplies had been limited to begin with, officials accepted 15,000 more refugees from the storm on Monday before locking the doors. City leaders had no real plan for anyone else. Tens of thousands of people desperate for food, water and shelter broke into the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center c…
Political Fallout from Hurricane Katrina
- In the wake of the storm's devastating effects, local, state and federal governments were criticized for their slow, inadequate response, as well as for the levee failures around New Orleans. And officials from different branches of government were quick to direct the blame at each other. "We wanted soldiers, helicopters, food and water," Denise Bottcher, press secretary f…
Changes Since Katrina
- The failures in response during Katrina spurred a series of reforms initiated by Congress. Chief among them was a requirement that all levels of government train to execute coordinated plans of disaster response. In the decade following Katrina, FEMA paid out billions in grants to ensure better preparedness. Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers built a $14 billion network of leve…