Impact Of Hurricane Katrina
analytical Essay
1195 words
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina On New Orleans and Surrounding States
What was Hurricane Katrina
(Introduction)
Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters to happen in the United States. The storm resulted in more then US$100 billion in damage when the cities flood protection broke and 80% of the city was flooded (1). The protection failure was not the only cause for the massive flooding, the hurricanes clockwise rotation pulled water from north of New Orleans into the city. 330,000 homes were destroyed and 400,000 people from New Orleans were displaced, along with 13,00 killed (1). Although the population quickly recovered, the rate of recovery slowed down as the years went on leading us to believe not everyone
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In this essay, the author
- Explains hurricane katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters to happen in the united states. the hurricanes clockwise rotation pulled water from north of new orleans into the city.
- Explains that hurricane katrina changed the lives of the residence who lived there forever. the category 3 storm cost around us$135 billion in damages.
- Analyzes the decline in the population of new orleans after hurricane katrina.
- Analyzes how hurricane katrina added to the many push factors of new orleans such as high unemployment rates and poverty.
- Opines that the rate of recovery is slowing down due to the multiple push factors of new orleans and the pull factors or nearby states.
The category 3 storm changed the lives of the residence who lived there forever. The storm in combination with the fault of the man-made flood protection walls (levee’s) resulted in the death of at least 1,300 people (1). With nearly half the victims over the age of 74, deaths were caused by; drowning, injury/ trauma and heart conditions (2). Hurricane Katrina was one of the most costliest storms to land on American soil, costing around US$135 billion in damages (3). Although the number of deaths caused by Hurricane Katrina are not as high as other natural disasters, Katrina displaced a massive amount of people from their homes, around 85% of the population were displaced directly after the storm hit (6). Being one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the United States, Hurricane Katrina impacted not only the residence of New Orleans by also many of the surrounding …show more content…
The population of New Orleans was steadily decreasing, between the years of 2000 and 2005, 30,000 (6%) of the population left New Orleans in search for better lives (4). The declining population shows us that before Hurricane Katrina residence were already considering leaving the city, some push factors leading them away from the city include poverty and unemployment (5). Accord to the U.S 2005 Census Bureau around 23% of the residence lived in poverty, this can be a result of the nearly 12% unemployment rate (5). With an unemployment rate double the national standard and nearly one forth the population living in poverty, the city of New Orleans had many push factors against it resolution in a decline population prier to Hurricane Katrina. At the time of the storm nearly 400,000 residents were displaced from their homes too near by safe areas or other states. The population reming in the city as decreased to a few thousand (6). A month after the disaster when the levee breaches were repaired and the flood water was pumped out of the city, residence were allowed to return to what was left of their homes. The first reliable estimate of the New Orleans population after Hurricane Katrina was an ‘American Community survey’. The survey projected that by the start of 2006 around one third or 158,000 of the population returned. By the middle of f2006 the city
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- Hurricane Katrina Social Disaster Essayanalytical essayAugust 2005 marked an extremely devastating time for the citizens of New Orleans, Louisiana, after being hit by “one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States” as described by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Waple 1). The real destruction occurred only after the hurricane had passed though and the levees separating New Orleans from surrounding lakes were breached leaving over 80% of the city under water. Although it is easy to claim the failure in the levees could not have been anticipated, multiple authors beg to differ. Hurricane Katrina was “one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent US history” (Waple 5), but one must acknowledge that the government’s obvious disregard for the unstable levees in New Orleans and their poor handling of the aftermath made Hurricane Katrina a social disaster overall.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the government's disregard for the unstable levees in new orleans and their poor handling of the aftermath made hurricane katrina a social disaster overall.
- Analyzes how the noaa report published just months after hurricane katrina made landfall repeatedly compared and ranked it with other major hurricanes.
- Analyzes how michael eric dyson's "levees and lies" chapter of his book, "come hell or high water: hurricane katrina and the color of disaster" highlights how bush and his administration ignored the problem, leaving thousands of citizens at risk.
- Opines that hurricane katrina will always be remembered as an immensely devastating natural disaster, especially by those still struggling, 10 years later, to rebuild their lives.
713 wordsRead More - Some of the damage done by Hurricane Katrina could have potentially been avoided if protection systems were installed to the proper extents. In Louisiana, “some parts of the metro area continue to lack hurricane protection built to federal standards” (Webster). Had the greater Louisiana area been better protected, it is very likely that more people would have survived and the total cost of the storm been less. Even in areas where levees...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the federal and state governments' failures in suppressing and repairing the damage caused by hurricane katrina are a denial of the rights citizens hold.
- Opines that hurricane katrina's damage could have been avoided if protection systems were installed to the proper extent.
- Analyzes how the federal government failed to provide the necessary resources to build protective infrastructure for u.s. citizens.
- Explains that the failure to adequately prepare for the storm led to increased and more widespread devastation, which harmed those living in the affected areas.
- Explains that the agencies put in place to protect citizens in the wake of a natural disaster failed in their efforts to ameliorate the damage.
- Explains that president bush's appointment of fema director michael brown was incapable of leading a large government agency through hurricane katrina. michael chertoff, director of homeland security until 2009, said that the largest problem was the lack of preparedness.
- Opines that the united states' failure to protect citizens from harm and assist them in the wake of hurricane katrina is a denial of the rights of those people.
- Cites canney, donald l., in katrina's wake: the u.s. coast guard and the gulf coast hurricanes of 2005.
- Opines that federal aid is criticized sharply by the washington times and the cdc foundation.
- Cites thomas, evan, holly bailey, richard wolffe, andrew murr, and keith naughton. rita's lessons.
999 wordsRead More - Hurricane Katrinaanalytical essayThere comes a time in the world where the outcome of certain events can cause a huge social change, one of those events is Hurricane Katrina. The events that took place prior to, during and after Katrina although impact only a few places physically it was left in the minds of everyone in the world. There were many actions that could have taken place to prevent the damage of such a catastrophic event, however nothing was done. Hurricane Katrina, a category 3 hurricane struck Louisiana and parts of the Mississippi. New Orleans in particular, due to various reasons received the most damage. Katrina first started off as a small hurricane formed in the Bahamas as it moved towards Louisiana and Mississippi it became a category 5, which is the strongest it can become, then decreased to category 3 once it finally struck. The storm caused an incredible amount of damage that Hurricane Katrina was noted as the most destructive and costly natural disaster in US history. The death toll was 1,836 people with 200 bodies left unclaimed as well as over 700 people unaccounted for. Hurricane Katrina was a source of social change as people have learned from the impact it had on the mind and body of the citizens of New Orleans, the mismanagement and lack of leadership the government showed, and the substantial immediate and long term economic damage it caused the country.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hurricane katrina, a category 3 hurricane struck louisiana and parts of the mississippi. the death toll was 1,836 with 200 bodies left unclaimed and over 700 people unaccounted for.
- Explains that hurricane katrina had a huge impact on the world and more specifically, new orleans.
- Explains that hurricane katrina caused elevated health and mental health difficulties among the survivors of the hurricane.
- Analyzes how the us government's mismanagement and lack of leadership in the relief effort, especially in new orleans, resulted in unnecessary risk and death.
- Analyzes how the government failed in managing and taking control of the situation prior to katrina, and during the hurricane the aftermath was handled no better.
- Explains that hurricane katrina devastated new orleans and the gulf coast, causing immediate and significant damage not only to that region's economy but to the countries as well.
1157 wordsRead More - Hurricane Katrina Essayargumentative essayHurricane Katrina, the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the United States of America, hit the Gulf Coast on the 29th of August 2005, leaving behind an estimated damage worth $125 billion US, and a total death toll of over 1800(Graumann et al., 2006). The essay will discuss why Hurricane Katrina had such a devastating effect on New Orleans, the worst affected area, and the post-disaster recovery process.
In this essay, the author
- Explains hurricane katrina, the most expensive natural disaster in the united states of america, hit the gulf coast on the 29th of august 2005, leaving behind an estimated damage worth $125 billion us and a total death toll of over 1800.
- Explains that geographical factors had a strong influence on hurricane katrina. warm weather and lack of strong winds resulted in an increase in intensity.
- Explains that new orleans was a very vulnerable community before katrina, where 30% of its citizens live under the national poverty line, making it extremely difficult for around 134,000 people to get access to transportation.
- Explains that the wetlands south of new orleans, naturally protect the area from floods, were vanishing due to excessive leveeing and damming around the mississippi river.
- Analyzes how the recovery process highlighted the country's dysfunctional disaster response system. government organisations such as the national guard focused their attention on re-establishing order.
- Concludes that hurricane katrina's total devastation was the result of a disorganised government and socioeconomically disadvantaged community that failed to maintain its natural and infrastructural defence against hazards.
546 wordsRead More - The Cause And Causes And Effects Of Hurricane Katrinaanalytical essayHurricane Katrina developed over the Bahamas and cut across southern Florida as a moderate Category 1 hurricane, causing a few deaths and flooding, prior to rapidly strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico. Over the warm Gulf water, the hurricane strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane but weakened prior to making its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in southeast Louisiana. It produced severe demolition along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas, a considerable amount was due to the storm surge. The most substantial number of deaths befell in New Orleans, Louisiana, which was flooded as a result of the catastrophic failure of the levee system. For the most part, this catastrophe continued hours after the storm had progressed inland. Ultimately 80 percent of the city and large amounts of neighborhood became flooded; the water from the flood lingered for weeks on end. Nevertheless, the worst damage occurred in coastal areas, such as Mississippi towns on the beachfronts, which were flooded over 90 percent in hours, as boats and casino barges struck buildings, tossing cars...
In this essay, the author
- Describes hurricane katrina as a category 3 hurricane that was produced in the warm waters of the western atlantic ocean southeast of bahamas.
- Explains that hurricane katrina developed over the bahamas and cut across southern florida as a moderate category 1 hurricane, causing some deaths and flooding, before rapidly strengthening in the gulf of mexico.
- Describes how the storm integrated with the warm waters of the gulf of mexico and became the third most intense atlantic basin hurricane ever documented.
- Analyzes how katrina's track was predicted by forecasters in the gulf of mexico, but computer models indicated it would make a northern turn. the forecast was relocated westward to mississippi or louisiana.
- Analyzes how hurricane katrina made the expected shift to the north. it became obvious that the computer models that targeted new orleans were accurate.
- Analyzes how hurricane katrina weakened to a category 3 hurricane, but the storm surge caused major flooding. the storm shifted slightly to the east and made its second landfall along the mississippi coast, placing new orleans on the westward side.
- Explains that the barrier islands and wet lands play a crucial role in protecting coastal communities from future hurricanes. the chandeleur islands resembles the multiple boned spine linking the mississippi gulf coast to the delta of the louisiana river.
- Explains that hurricane katrina's robust winds, storm surge, and hammering waves eroded the barrier islands, leaving them reduced or practically non-existent.
897 wordsRead More - The Causes Of Hurricane Katrinaexplanatory essayKatrina pummeled huge parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama but the desperation was most concentrated in New Orleans. Before the storm, the city’s population was mostly black (about 67 percent); moreover, nearly 30 percent of its people lived in poverty. Katrina exacerbated these conditions, and left many of New Orleans’s poorest citizens even more vulnerable than they had been before the
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hurricane katrina struck the gulf coast of the united states on august 29, 2005. the storm made landfall as a category 3, meaning sustained winds of 100–140 miles per hour.
- Explains that hurricane katrina formed over the bahamas on august 23, 2005, and meteorologists were able to warn people in the gulf coast states that a major storm was on its way.
- Explains that the army corps of engineers had built a system of levees and seawalls to keep the city from flooding.
- Explains that new orleans mayor ray nagin issued the city's first-ever mandatory evacuation order the day before katrina hit.
- Describes how hurricane katrina overwhelmed the city's unstable levees and drainage canals. by 9 a.m., low-lying places like st. bernard parish and the ninth ward were under water.
- Explains that fema took days to establish operations in new orleans, and even then did not seem to have a sound plan of action.
- Analyzes how katrina pummeled parts of louisiana, mississippi and alabama, but the desperation was most concentrated in new orleans. before the storm, the city's population was mostly black and nearly 30 percent of its people lived in poverty.
- Describes how hurricane katrina killed nearly 2,000 people and affected 90,000 square miles of the united states. people along the gulf coast have made great strides in returning to life as usual even as they continue to rebuild.
- Explains that most damage and loss of life concentrated in new orleans due to a lack of plan by the city/state government to evacuate the people. looting and criminal behavior followed quickly and the governor was slow to call for the national guard
974 wordsRead More - Environmental Causes And Environmental Impacts Of Hurricane Katrinaexplanatory essayOn August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans as a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds up to one-hundred and forty miles per hour. Katrina was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the United States. One-thousand eight hundred deaths, seven hundred missing and one-million displaced is evidence of the human toll that Katrina caused and $84 billion in cost makes Katrina the most expensive natural disaster in United States history. (Blackwell) While these numbers are devastating, the environmental impacts of Katrina still threaten the citizens of New Orleans today. The environmental impacts from Katrina were compounded by man-made environmental hazards. (West)
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hurricane katrina was one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the united states.
- Explains that many homes in new orleans had high levels of lead and arsenic in them due to an above average level of poverty. soil samples taken before and after katrina showed elevated levels.
- Explains that new orleans had a high concentration of hazardous material storage locations, environmental protection agency superfund sites, and toxic release inventory facilities.
- Explains that the flood waters of katrina caused the levees to break, which caused environmental impacts to become wide-spread.
- Opines that katrina had significant negative environmental impacts on new orleans. the extent of the impacts is unknown and continues to cause a risk to the population.
733 wordsRead More - Hurricane Katrina Impactopinion essayAccording to Hurricane Katrina At Issue Disasters, economic damages from Hurricane Katrina have been estimated at more than $200 billion… More than a million people were displaced by the storm… An estimated 120,000 homes were abandoned and will probably be destroyed in Louisiana alone (At * Issue). For this perspective, “Hurricane Katrina change the Gulf Coast landscape and face of its culture when it hit in 2005” (Rushton). A disaster like Katrina is something the victims are always going to remember, for the ones the lost everything including their love ones. Katrina became a nightmare for all the people that were surround in the contaminated waters in the city of New Orleans. People were waiting to be rescue for days,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hurricane katrina was the costliest and most destructive natural disaster in history, because of the strong winds and storm causing destruction of many towns and communities.
- Explains that hurricane katrina changed the gulf coast landscape and face of its culture when it hit in 2005.
- Opines that after 11 years of devastation, people are still struggling on putting their lives back together.
- Explains that many non-profit organizations and celebrities contributed to support the victims of hurricane katrina.
- Opines that the federal government was to slow on providing the necessary needs for the people affected by hurricane katrina.
- Analyzes how the famous couple tim mcgraw and his wife faith hill disagreed with the us government's slow response to hurricane katrina.
- Explains that hurricanes are powerful tropical storms with heavy rains, strong winds, and that they can damage buildings, cars, homes, etc.
- Explains that hurricane katrina was the most destructive storm to strike the united states and the costliest storm in u.s. history.
1498 wordsRead More - The Natural Causes Of Hurricane Katrinaexplanatory essayNew Orleans by far felt the biggest effect of Hurricane Katrina. Many people were rescued but had nowhere to go and the government was not prepared for the disaster. There was no plan for recovery. Communication failures were one of the major problems which included power failures and broken telephone lines. Homes were destroyed and many were left stuck on the roof of their broken homes. Most of the city’s major roads and buildings suffered extensive damage. Countless people were left unemployed and homeless. Above all, the worst effect caused by Hurricane Katrina was the final death toll of 1,836 people with 705 still reported
In this essay, the author
- Explains that when certain states and cities are at risk of a natural disaster, government and state officials form proper evacuation plans and ensure structures are made to prevent potential damages.
- Describes how the damage left by hurricane katrina was a true sight of horror. thousands of residents in new orleans were evacuated and took shelter in the earlier mentioned superdome.
- Explains that hurricane katrina was one of the greatest and most destructive natural disasters recorded to make landfall in the united states.
- Explains that new orleans felt the biggest effect of hurricane katrina. communication failures were one of the major problems, and the final death toll was 1,836 people.
993 wordsRead More - The History of Hurricane Katrinaanalytical essayOn August 29, 2005, the third strongest and biggest hurricane ever recorded in American history hit the Gulf Coast at eight o’clock a.m. The interaction between a tropical depression and a tropical wave created a tropical storm later referred to as Hurricane Katrina (FAQS, 2013). Forming over the Bahamas, Hurricane Katrina gradually strengthened as it moved closer and closer to the Gulf of Mexico. Recorded on August 28th, 2005, Katrina jumped from a category three storm to a category five storm with maximum sustained winds up to 160 miles per hour. Although other hurricanes, such as Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma, exceeded Katrina, this dominant storm was classified as the fourth most intense hurricane based its pressure capacity. Once Hurricane Katrina hit land, it was pronounced as a category four storm moving slowly. While people thought that the slow speed of this storm prevented trauma, records show that Katrina did more damage than any fast-moving storm could have ever achieved (Solanki, 2013). Katrina produced abundant debris. The debris was in such large quantity that if it was stacked together on a football field, the rubble would reach the elevation of ten and a half miles. The size of Katrina also caused 90,000 square miles to be affected. Once proclaimed a category three storm, Hurricane Katrina slowed to the speed of 155 miles per hour. At this point in time, Katrina proved to be the sixth most prevailing hurricane traced in history. (Solanki, 2013). Several different aspects of life were impacted by Hurricane Katrina such as availability of gasoline, economic issues, and the ability to have an adequate supply of drinking water (Solanki, 2013). Hurricane Katrina was a large storm ...
In this essay, the author
- Describes hurricane katrina as the third strongest and biggest hurricane ever recorded in american history.
- Explains how the ruckus of hurricane katrina affected seven states, including georgia, florida, alabama, mississippi, and louisiana.
- Explains that fema is a well-known organization in areas affected by katrina such as louisiana.
- Cites herman, charles (2006, august 25). katrina’s economic impact: one year later. abc news.
- Explains that unemployment rates were elevated due to katrina, and that the state of louisiana lost 214,000 jobs.
- Analyzes how 1.4 billion dollars was distributed to imposters by the u.s. government during this time of loss.
- Analyzes how pump prices jump across the u.s. after katrina. bush, george w. (president of the united states). president discusses hurricane relief
- Cites shah, anup, solanki, parul, thomas, hilton, sieger, m, gajilan, a, burger, t. j., roston, e.
1811 wordsRead More - Compare And Contrast Hurricane Katrina And Hurricane Harveycomparative essayHurricane Katrina was very devastating and ended up leaving 1,833 people without their lives. It was also “350 miles across and produced high storm surges” which is why it was so incredibly powerful. (Dewan) Because of the strength of this storm, it was labeled as a category 5, the highest a hurricane can be labeled. By the time it hit, Katrina lessened in it’s category; however, within the first twenty four hours there were twenty eight levees reporting failure. (Dewan) There was only 10 inches of rain recorded which made this storm more based on wind. Lastly, the Mayor of New Orleans ordered an evacuation a day before the storm possibly saving lives.
In this essay, the author
- Compares the effects of hurricane harvey and katrina in new orleans and houston.
- Explains that hurricane katrina was devastating and left 1,833 people without their lives. it was also 350 miles across and produced high storm surges, which is why it was so powerful.
- Compares how hurricane harvey took 39 lives compared to 1,833. harvey was also a category four hurricane and was downgraded by flooding and rain that ended up lasting several days.
- Explains that both hurricanes were quite different, but they also shared several common factors. both harvey and katrina experienced levee and dam breakage.
- Opines that both hurricanes have had a historical impact in their magnitude and devastation. humanitarian relief came to both places and that made significant difference.
487 wordsRead More - What Really Happens After Hurricane Katrinaexplanatory essayDuring the 8 days Katrina ravaged, approximately 1.883 people died, which made it one of the deadliest hurricanes ever to hit the United States. The humongous rainfall caused millions of people left homeless on the flooded streets along the Gulf Coast. Due to Hurricane Katrina, both the government of USA and the rest of the world learned a lot of lessons, in terms of preparing for future hurricanes.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hurricane katrina surfaced on the bahamas, about 500 km east for miami. the wind took strength and made landfall on miami on thursday.
- Explains that the hurricane was at its worst in new orleans where more than a thousand people died.
- Opines that the us government has received a lot of criticism for slow reaction after the hurricane's raid, as many believe the city easily could have been evacuated in time.
- Explains that hurricane katrina killed 1.883 people, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes ever to hit the united states.
- Explains how the army corp of engineers rebuilt and improved the levee system after the hurricane.
454 wordsRead More - The Causes Of Katrin Katrinaexplanatory essayKatrina was one of the largest natural disasters in the history of the U.S. It was a Category 3 when it landed in the Bahamas but quickly turned into a Category 5 when it travelled closer to Louisiana. Katrina had packed winds of 100-140 mph. The “storm surge” was as high as 9 meters (almost 30 feet high). The mayor of New Orleans sent out a mandatory evacuation and by nighttime 80% of the city was evacuated. Katrina was a very powerful and destructive storm. (History.com), (CNN.com)
In this essay, the author
- Describes how hurricane katrina cost the u.s. billions of dollars. it was a powerful and devastating hurricane.
- Explains that katrina was one of the largest natural disasters in the u.s.
- Explains that katrina was the costliest storm in u.s. history. 70% of new orleans' houses were destroyed by the hurricane.
- Explains that katrina is the 3rd deadliest storm in u.s. history. 1,577 people died in new orleans, louisiana.
- Explains that hurricane katrina affected many people's lives and made a huge impact on society. it taught coastal communities to invest money to make levees stronger.
445 wordsRead More - Hurricane Katrinaanalytical essayOn August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina forced its way into New Orleans, Louisiana with winds of more than 140 mph. This storm was a strong category three when it hit New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina destroyed homes, businesses, and factories from the high winds and flooding. The devastation that the city suffered was terrible; many people lost family members young and old and also their most prized possessions. Most of all it displaced families and caused an abundance of damage to properties. Due to the costly destruction that the city of New Orleans faced after Katrina, they must now find a way to alleviate the blighted properties from their environment and also face the challenges.
In this essay, the author
- Defines "blighted property" as commercial or residential premises, including lots, which have been declared vacant, uninhabitable, and hazardous by an administrative hearing officer.
- Explains that blighted homes are considered a public nuisance by the louisiana state legislature because they are only creating an hazard for the environment.
- Opines that the environment must be protected from the spread of disease so that we can live healthy.
- Explains that hurricane katrina was devastating to the community and the environment. the levee system failed, causing tons of water to enter the city.
- Describes jonassen, wendi, "7 years after katrina, new orleans is overrun by wild dogs." atlantic media company.
- Explains that hurricane katrina destroyed homes, businesses, and factories in new orleans, causing blighted properties to become breeding grounds for crime, infestation of rodents and other animals.
- Argues that blighted homes are a breeding ground for drugs and this harmful to the environment.
- Cites martin, naomi, and orleans, jesse hardman. "abandoned but not uninhabited: the blighted homes of new orleans."
- Cites williams, timothy, and singer, merrill. "blighted cities prefer razing to rebuilding."
1533 wordsRead More