Hurricane Katrina 2005

 Hurricane Katrina 2005    

    During the summer of 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit the southeastern portion of the United States. The hurricane struck the Gulf of Mexico and caused extensive damages throughout Louisiana, and Mississippi. New Orleans was hit particularly hard by the weather event. The hurricane continued strong from August 23rd to August 31st. 

A tropical depression formed over the Bahamas on August 23rd, 2005. When this storm was forming it was obvious that it would make landfall and citizens were already being evacuated on August 28th, 2005; but some predicted that the area would be “uninhabitable” after the damage (History.com, 2009). This depression would soon form into Hurricane Katrina and would make landfall on the morning of August 29th, 2005 (History.com, 2009). When the hurricane hit land on August 29th it was a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (History.com, 2009). Winds were as strong as 170 miles per hour (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020). Much of Louisiana was affected by the storm but New Orleans, in particular, had acquired heavy amounts of damage. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes, and thousands more were not even able to go to a shelter (History.com, 2009). By the afternoon of August 29th, roughly 20 percent of the city was covered in water (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020). The human environment for that area was destroyed, people were without basic necessities like food, water, and shelter some people resorted to looting in order to survive (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020). The hurricane caused gas and chemical spills all over the area, which resulted in severe pollution and human illnesses brought on by the toxins in the water (Olson, 2005). The extreme weather also caused extensive damage to the coastal wetlands, causing erosion which washed away much of the soil (Palaseanu-Lovejoy, 2018). 

Extreme weather cannot be controlled by humans, humans just have to live with the consequences of these weather events. Hurricane Katrina was not managed in a way that everyone was helped, thousands of people were homeless during a flood. Those of low socioeconomic status were greatly impacted by the hurricane because many people were unable to evacuate the area (History.com, 2009). The federal government was not prepared enough for the damage of this event; The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) took several days to set up an operation in New Orleans (History.com, 2009). Next time an extreme weather event happens, the federal government should plan for the worst, “planners have an obligation to take an active role and advocate for the funding and full participation necessary to achieve these goals” (Campanella, 2008). The flooding that occurred during the hurricane was because the levees were overwhelmed with the sheer amount of water. The New Orleans area would benefit from new levees and other forms of water management that would be inspected regularly for quality (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020). Hurricane season happens every year, that is why it is important to find ways to take part in preventative measures such as strengthening barriers or even relocating homes and businesses. Many people lost their lives and their homes due to Hurricane Katrina but it is important to make sure it does not happen again.

Images:

This is a satellite image of Hurricane Katrina, the eye of the hurricane is clearly defined. The storm system is large and spans across the Gulf of Mexico. It shows how large the storm was, and why it did so much damage.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Hurricane-Katrina 

Serious flooding occurred from the hurricane, many people lost their homes and were displaced. It is important to remember the people that were personally affected by this natural disaster.

https://morningconsult.com/2015/08/30/hurricane-katrina-and-the-politics-of-disaster/ 

The levees flooded due to the hurricane and New Orleans suffered from severe flooding. Infrastructure precautions are an important step to keeping a population safe from the weather patterns of the region.

https://www.vox.com/2015/8/23/9191907/hurricane-katrina 

   

Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7unlPvNxLLA&ab_channel=NationalGeographic 

This video describes the reasons that New Orleans was struck so hard by hurricane Katrina. There are protections for the city that are manmade and natural, such as the wetlands. New Orleans is currently sinking because sediment is not able to wash up naturally onto land. 

Sources: 

Campanella, Thomas J. “Planning After Hurricane Katrina.” Taylor & Francis, 29 Jan. 2008, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01944360608976735.

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Hurricane Katrina.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2020, www.britannica.com/event/Hurricane-Katrina.

History.com Editors. “Hurricane Katrina.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/hurricane-katrina.

Lopez, German. “Hurricane Katrina, in 7 Essential Facts.” Vox, Vox, 23 Aug. 2015, www.vox.com/2015/8/23/9191907/hurricane-katrina.

Olson, Erik D. “The Environmental Effects of Hurricane Katrina.” Nrdc.org, 6 Oct. 2005, www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/leg_05100601A.pdf.

Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica. How Hurricanes Shape Wetlands in Southern Louisiana, 17 May 2018, ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/coasts-shallow-water/how-hurricanes-shape-wetlands-southern-louisiana.