Hurricane Katrina Research Paper

Hurricane Katrina: Destruction and Devastation Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States. The record of Atlantic hurricanes said it was the sixth strongest overall. Prior to Katrina, the most deadliest hurricane was the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane. Hurricane Katrina was formed on August 23, 2005 over the Bahamas as a moderate Category 1 hurricane. The storm weakened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 storm on August 29 in southeast Louisiana. The majority of lives lost and property damage happened in New Orleans, Louisiana. The storm was estimated to be responsible for $ 81.2 billion in damage due to its destructive
nature. Hurricane Katrina had many effects on American people such as levee failures, safety failures, governmental failures, and economy failures, in which the American people are still recovering today.
The levee failures in New Orleans were severely taxed by the city’s inadequate levee system built by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers.
The storm caused breaches in levees in approximately twenty places on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, which flooded nearly all of Saint Bernard Parish and the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish. There were three major breaches in the city that included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, The London Avenue Canal, and the wide, Industrial Canal. This left approximately 80% of the city flooded. Flooding from the breaches put the city under water for days and in many places for weeks. A June 2006 report on the disaster stated that the U.S Army Corps of Engineers admitted that the failures of the levee system were due to the incomplete sections and standard construction of levee segments. This aided the damage done to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. The flooding in the city could have been avoided if the American Corp of Engineers would have taken the time to complete and upgrade the levee system in New
Orleans. The safety precautions in New Orleans, Louisiana were very much tested during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Because of the lack of basic survival necessities, remaining residents of New Orleans began looting. Many were searching for food and water that was not available to them. There were reports of carjacking, murders, thefts, and rapes in New Orleans which flooded the news. Most news media later determined that reports were unfounded rumors. Louisiana’s Governor Kathleen Blanco sent thousands of National Guard and federal troops to Louisiana to ensure the safety of its residents. Congressman Bill Jefferson told ABC News: “There was shooting going on. There was sniping going on. Over the first week of September, law and order were gradually restored to the city.” There were numerous arrests made throughout the area and many offenders were jailed. The quick response of the governor helped the New Orleans community gradually restore its safety and restore its faith in the New Orleans’ residents.
The government’s failure response to Hurricane Katrina consisted of several problems including mismanagement and lack of leadership in the efforts to respond to the storm and aftermath.
More distinctively, the blame focused on the delay response to the flooding of New Orleans. Criticism came by way of televised images of frustrated political leaders and residents who remained stranded by the floods. There was criticism of Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco who failed to put into action the New Orleans evacuation plan and for ordering residents to shelter without any food, water, security or sanitary conditions. The most important government failure was Mayor Nagin who delayed his emergency evacuation order until 19 hours before landfall, which led to hundreds of deaths. A quicker response for evacuation from the government would have saved many lives of New Orleans residents. Many people would not have suffered from loss of shelter, food or safety
conditions.
The economic effects of Hurricane Katrina were far-reaching. In April 2006, the Bush Administration required $ 105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S history. The damages to the economy were caused by possible disruption of the oil supply and exports of commodities such as grain. Hurricane Katrina damaged thirty oil platforms and caused the closure of nine refineries. Furthermore, hundred of thousands of residents of Louisiana and Mississippi were left unemployed. There were no paychecks being cashed and no money was being spent; so therefore, no taxes were being collected by local governments. The storm interrupted oil production which had a major effect on fuel prices. Power outrages in the wake of Katrina also cause distribution problems for oil and natural gas. Katrina forced many casinos along the Mississippi Gulf Coast to close and evacuate, For example, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the Beau Rivage was closed due to structural damage and severe water damage. This destruction of major oil refineries and other businesses caused the states of Mississippi and Louisiana to lose a lot of money.
Hurricane Katrina, one of the great tragedies of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, was a natural disaster in the United States. This tropical storm was responsible for altering the lives of many Americans. The failures of the economy, police force, levees, and government placed a lot of stress on families. Prices increased, crime increased, flooding was immense, and government procedures failed. These effects caused mayors, governors, and the presidential staff to reevaluate how individuals respond to and deal with natural disasters around the U.S.