Hurricane Katrina- a Natural Disaster

Did you know that a hurricane is basically a small tornado? When warm air and cool air collide over a large water source such as a sea or ocean, a hurricane is made. Hurricane Katrina just happened to be the second largest hurricane in United States history. Being formed in the Caribbean Sea, it was at first a category 1 hurricane. It gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico, placing it's rank at category 5. After hitting Louisiana at it's highest peak, it decreased to category 3. Winds at 120 miles per hour and waves as tall as three stories high put together the most horrifying event ever known to Americans. During evacuation, many people fled to a safe area in search of shelter. Texas was one place that most people went to since they welcomed them more than any other state. However, after the victims got there, crime soared and Texans had no way to control or deal with so much crime. Because of this, it is very unlikely that Texans will welcome victims with such hospitality next time. There was, however, a dome built to house the Katrina victims: the Astrodome. Even though the Katrina victims had so many places to go, some were forced to stay behind because of hospitalization, they were abandoned by their caretakers, a lack of transportation, e.t.c. Out of all areas that were hit by Katrina, New Orleans suffered the most damage. 80% of the city was flooded. About 204,000 homes were either damaged permanently or temporarily and more than 800,000 citizens uprooted from New Orleans. The population shrunk to 75% of it's original population. The number of homeless people doubled to 12,000 people within two years. Experts have estimated that it will take 8 to 11 years for New Orleans to fully recover from Katrina. Most people think of hurricane deaths as direct, but in reality, deaths caused by hurricanes are mainly indirect. Some examples of indirect deaths caused by Katrina are suicide, illness, murder, starvation, and dehydration. Mental illness and