The Importance of Human Life

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Recommended: Recovering from natural disasters

In late August of 2005, the United States suffered one of the worst natural disasters to hit our country, Hurricane Katrina. With sustained winds during landfall of 125 mph, which read as a category three hurricane, Hurricane Katrina caused widespread devastation along the central Gulf Coast. U.S. Cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Gulfport, Mississippi bore the brunt of Hurricane Katrina's force. (2. Hurricane Katrina) The total property damage was estimated at $108 billion, making it the costliest U.S. Atlantic hurricane recorded. At least 1,800 people died in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane. (2. Hurricane Katrina) The loss of life and property damage was worsened by breaks in the levees that separate New Orleans from surrounding lakes. At least 80% of New Orleans was under flood water. The combination of strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge led to breaks in the earthen levee after the storm passed, leaving some parts of New Orleans under 20 feet of water. Also, large portions of Mobile, Alabama and Gulfport, Mississippi were underwater at least 20 to 30 feet as a result of a storm surge that flooded the cities. (2. Hurricane Katrina) To this day these cities will still need time to recover and to restore themselves back to normality.

The point of discussing this hurricane is to show the severity of these disasters. The force of nature is humongous and leaves us as humans to realize that there is nothing we could do to stop it. When natural disasters such as the ones described hit land, it shows us humans that we are tiny in comparison with the force that they bring. Our survival instinct then kicks in and we come together as nation, as...

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...ial, economical, gender, or any other differences that matter. All that matters at that moment is the preservation of human life. Viewers are left with that sense of humanity and the will to fight for life. Using the emotional appeal from this image, viewers now have the sense of helping one another. The ultimate reassurance is that we will always be there for each other.

" The Pulitzer Prizes | Works ." The Pulitzer Prizes | What's New. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2011. .

"Hurricane Katrina." NCDC: * National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) *. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2011. .

"Quotes About Life (7366 quotes)." Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2011. .

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