August 2005

Hurricane Katrina Leaves a Trail of Destruction

August 2005 - New Orleans lies under water following Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina started as a very low-pressure weather system and finally developed into a hurricane on the evening of 25th August. Having past through southern Florida, the Hurricane continued on its path eventually hitting the Gulf Coast of the United States on the 29th August. In the wake of the hurricane, the officially declared disaster zone covers an area the size of Britain. Areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have all been affected by severe flooding with a number of towns, including Biloxi and Gulfport suffering extreme damage. The city of New Orleans has also been particularly severely, and by the 31st August 80% of the city was estimated to be underwater.

Why has New Orleans been particularly affected?

On average parts of the city of New Orleans are up to 8ft below sea level, it is only the presence of large levees to the North and South that have kept the waters of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain which flank the city from flooding the area. The city also has a system of pumping stations and canals to maintain drainage and keep New Orleans above water. The hurricane and subsequent storm surges resulted in the breeching of several key levees, which left the low-lying city open to flood waters pouring in. Although many of the cities 500,000 population had evacuated the city when intial warnings were given, up to 100,000 people have been left stranded in the city following the flooding. Many of these are the poorest inhabitants who had been unable to evacuate.

The Aftermath of the Hurricane

The death toll from the hurricane continues to rise but estimates currently stand at up to 1000 and may well rise. Many homes and businesses across the southern states affected by the hurricane have been left without electricity. In New Orleans, much of the city remains flooded. Conditions in the city have deteriorated rapidly due to the lack of sanitation and proper supplies with people still with virtually no food or water, four days after the hurricane. Fires in the city have had to be left to burn as ironically, despite the city being filled with water, there is too little water pressure for hoses to be used to douse the flames. New Orleans has become a city in chaos. Looting is rife and armed police have now been told to shoot to kill if necessary to halt looters. Armed criminals have shot at police and soldiers from the National Guard have been called in to try and resume order.

The Response to the Hurricane

The response to the hurricane, both by the government and by FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) has been heavily criticized. It has been well known that New Orleans is particular vulnerable to flooding and hurricane damage and the experts and computer models had already predicted the events that have occurred following Hurricane Katrina. Questions are being asked as to why therefore there was such a lack of preparation by the authorities. The government has been criticised for the slow military response and for the cut in government funds in 2003 which left the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project (SELA), under funded with a number of essential projects relating to strengthening levees and building pumping stations incomplete.

Article Entry: September 1st 2005

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Satellite image of the devastated area of New Orleans: