Hurricane Katrina happened on the 23rd of August 2005 which hit New Orleans as a category five storm. The storm was formed in the Atlantic travelling in a northwesterly direction towards the US. It became a tropical storm near the Bahamas . It then hit Florida travelling through in a western direction. In this time the storm had not dissipated and when it hit the Gulf of Mexico, it recharged obtaining the category 5 status, before making landfall in New Orleans within a few days.
Impacts
- 1833 people dead
- $50 billion in damages
- 600,000 people displaced
- 3 million people without electricity
- 80% of the population evacuated
- 80% of the city inundated
- Those stranded went to the Superbowl stadium which was inadequate for their needs, sexual assault and rape cases
- States of emergency declared late
- Looting and rioting by locals hindered rescue efforts
Responses
- US. government provided $16 billion for recovery
- Levees were rebuilt costing 14.5 billion dollars completed in 2013
- Thousands of people never returned