| Effect Of Hurricane Katrina On New Orleans |
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The effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans was catastrophic and long-lasting. The storm, which was the Costliest Hurricane as well as one of the deadliest Natural Disaster s in U.S. History , made it's second and third landfalls in the Gulf Coast region on August 29 , 2005 as a Category 3 Hurricane . By August 31 , 2005 , eighty percent (80%) of the city was flooded, with some parts under 20 feet (6.1 meters) of water. Four of the city's protective Levee s were breached, including the 17th Street Canal levee, the Industrial Canal levee, and the London Avenue Canal floodwall. Many refugees were trapped in flooded houses and rooftops waiting to be rescued. The Louisiana Superdome , used as a temporary shelter for many that could not evacuate during the hurricane, also sustained significant damage, including two sections of the roof that were compromised, and the dome's waterproof membrane had essentially been peeled off. The disaster had major implications for a large segment of the Population , Economy and Politics of the entire United States , which lasted for several months, well into 2006 . BACKGROUND See Also: Drainage in New Orleans Flooding due to rain and storms has long been an issue since the New Orleans' early settlement due to the city's location on a Delta Marsh , much of which sits below sea level. The city is surrounded by the Mississippi River to the south, Lake Pontchartrain to the north, and Lake Borgne to the east. The first settlements by the French during colonial times in the area were above Sea Level , a trend that continued until the 19th Century . Construction of the levees along the River began soon after the city was founded, and more extensive river levees were built as the city grew. The levees were originally designed to prevent damage caused by seasonal flooding. Today, the modern 17th Street and London Avenue Canals are used for drainage, while the wide, navigable Industrial Canal is used for shipping. The heavy flooding caused by Hurricane Betsy in 1965 brought concerns regarding flooding from hurricanes to the forefront. There were many predictions of hurricane risk in New Orleans before , 2004 . As it turned out, Katrina was Category 3 when it made landfall and most of New Orleans experienced Category 1 or 2 strength winds. However, due to the slow moving nature of the storm in its pass over New Orleans, several floodwalls lining the shipping and drainage canals in New Orleans collapsed and the resulting flood water from Lake Ponchartrain inundated the city within the two days following the storm, causing costly damage to buildings and resulting in many deaths. Furthermore, the region's natural defenses, the surrounding .'' October , 2004 . Much of the land was undeveloped Swamp on the lake side, and only small levees were constructed in the 19th century. A much larger project to build up levees along the lake and extend the shoreline out by Dredging began in 1927 . As the city grew, there was increased pressure to urbanize lower areas, and, as a result, a large system of canals and pumps was constructed to drain the city. Drainage of the formerly swampy ground allowed more room for the city to expand, but also resulted in Subsidence of the local soil. Outside of the city, the Mississippi River's natural Deposition of suspended sediment built up the river's Delta marshlands during periodic flooding episodes. However, the lower Mississippi was later restricted to channels for the benefit of shipping, which interrupted the process that continued to build the Mississippi Delta and prevented its erosion. As the swampy lands of Southern Louisiana shrank, the land began to sink. Entire barrier islands disappeared during periodic storms as the land of the vast delta slowly settled without river Silt to replenish the wetlands. Approximately one-third of the land subsidence has been attributed to the large number of canals through the delta. Barge traffic and tides erode the earth around the edge of the canals, and salty Gulf water seeps in along them, slowly salinating the ground and killing the vegetation that the land previously depended on to anchor it. PRE-KATRINA PREPARATIONS See Also: Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans The eye of Hurricane Katrina was forecast to pass to the east of New Orleans. In that event, the wind would come back from the north as the storm passed, forcing large volumes of water from Lake Pontchartrain against the levees and possibly into the city. It was also forecast that the storm surge in Lake Pontchartrain would reach 14 to 18 feet (4 - 5 meters), with waves reaching seven feet (2 meters) above the storm surge. On .'' September 8 , 2005 . It was also predicted that the standing water caused by the storm surge would render most of the city uninhabitable for weeks and that the destruction of oil and petrochemical refineries in the surrounding area would spill waste into the flooding. The resulting mess would coat every surface, converting the city into a toxic marsh until water could be drained. Some experts said that it could take six months or longer to pump all the water out of the city.Galle, Julie. " Special Report: Vulnerable Cities: New Orleans, LA ." '' The Weather Channel .'' Accessed on April 30 , 2006 . Evacuation order In anticipation of widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, Max Mayfield, the director of the .'' August 30 , 2005 . Nagin first called for a voluntary evacuation of the city at 5:00 PM on .'' August 28 , 2005 . Although .'' September 8 , 2005 . Several hundred school buses were also available, yet they were not deployed as the city was unable to find drivers. By the time Hurricane Katrina came ashore early the next morning, approximately one million people had fled the city and its surrounding suburbs by the evening of August 28 , while about 20,000 to 25,000 people remained in the city, taking shelter at the Louisiana Superdome , along with 550 National Guard troops. While supplies of MRE s and bottled water were available at the Superdome, Nagin told refugees to bring blankets and enough food for several days, warning that it would be a very uncomfortable place. As the elevation of the Superdome is about three feet (1 m) above sea level, the forecasted storm surge was predicted to cause flooding on that site. Refugees were told to keep out of the lower levels of the structure, for fear it would be flooded. The Superdome had been used as a shelter in the past, such as during 1998 's Hurricane Georges , because it was estimated to be able to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and water levels of 35 feet (10 m). The entire southeastern Louisiana region was declared a disaster area by the Federal Government before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, and FEMA prepositioned 18 disaster medical teams, medical supplies and equipment, urban search and rescue teams along with millions of MREs, liters of water, tarpaulins, and truckloads of ice. EFFECTS at the Industrial Canal . Only residents were allowed in to examine and salvage from their property during daylight. October 25 , 2005 .]] Hurricane Katrina made it's second and third landfalls in the Gulf Coast region on . December 20 , 2005 . On Monday August 29 , area affiliates of local television station WDSU reported New Orleans was experiencing widespread flooding due to several levee breaches, was without power, and that there were several instances of catastrophic damage in residential and business areas. By 2:00 PM, the east side of New Orleans was under 5 to 6 feet (1.5 - 1.8 meters) of water. Entire neighborhoods on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain were flooded. The extensive flooding stranded many residents were stranded long after Hurricane Katrina had passed. Stranded survivors dotted the tops of houses citywide. In the Ninth Ward , as many as 116 residents were seen on rooftops seeking aid. Many others were trapped inside attics, unable to escape. Some people reportedly chopped their way onto their roofs with hatchets and sledge hammers, which residents had been urged to keep in their attics in case of such events since Hurricane Betsy . Clean water was unavailable, and power outages were expected to last for weeks. By 11:00 PM on August 29 , Mayor Nagin described the loss of life as "significant" with reports of bodies floating on the water throughout the city, though primarily in the eastern portions. There was no clean water or electricity in the city, and some hotels and hospitals reported diesel fuel shortages. The National Guard began setting up temporary morgues in select locations. He also said many houses have been picked up and moved. Communications failures Coordination of rescue efforts August 29 and August 30 were made difficult by disruption of the communications infrastructure. Many telephones, including most cell phones, were not working due to line breaks, destruction of Base Stations , or power failures, even though some base stations had their own back-up generators. In a number of cases, reporters were asked to brief public officials on the conditions in areas where information was not reaching them any other way. All local television stations were disrupted. Local television stations, as well as newspapers, moved quickly to sister locations in nearby cities. Broadcasting and publishing on the Internet became an important means of distributing information to evacuees and the rest of the world. Amateur Radio provided tactical and emergency communications as well as health-and-welfare enquiries. By September 4 , a temporary communications hub was set up at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown New Orleans. Damage to buildings and roads is at center.]] Most of the major roads travelling into and out of the city were damaged. The only route out of the city was West on the Crescent City Connection as the I-10 (twin span) bridge travelling East towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was only carrying emergency traffic. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was closed before the storm and was flooded. By August 30 , it was reopened to humanitarian and rescue operations. Commercial Cargo flights resumed on September 10 , and commercial passenger service resumed on September 13 . On .'' August 29 , 2005 . The Hyatt was the most severely damaged hotel in the city, with beds reported to be flying out of the windows. Insulation tubes were exposed as the hotel's glass exterior was completely sheared off. The Superdome sustained significant damage, including two sections of the roof that were compromised, and the dome's waterproof membrane had essentially been peeled off. On .'' August 30 , 2005 . They were transported to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas . Levee failures See Also: Levee failures in Greater New Orleans, 2005 As of mid-day Monday, .'' October 4 , 2005 . There were three major breaches at the Industrial Canal ; one on the upper side near the junction with MR-GO, and two on the lower side along the Lower Ninth Ward , between Florida Avenue and Claiborne Avenue. The 17th Street Canal Levee was breached on the lower (New Orleans West End) side inland from the Old Hammond Highway Bridge, and the London Avenue Canal breached in two places, on the upper side just back from Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and on the lower side a block in from the Mirabeau Avenue Bridge. Flooding from the breaches put the majority of the city under water for days, in many places for weeks. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, engineers investigated the possibility that a failure in the design, construction, or maintenance caused much of the flooding. Originally, it was speculated that the levees had been overtopped by the storm surge, however this was later found not to be the case.Whoriskey, Peter; Warrick, Joby. " Shifting ground led to floodwall failure, investigators say ." ''.'' October 24 , 2005 . Loss of life As of , 2006 . The first deaths were reported shortly before midnight on August 28 , as three Nursing Home patients died during an evacuation to Baton Rouge , most likely due to dehydration. On September 4 , Mayor Nagin speculated that the death toll could rise into the thousands after the clean-up was completed. Some survivors and evacuees reported seeing dead bodies lying in city streets and floating in still-flooded sections, especially in the east of the city. The advanced state of decomposition of many corpses, some of which were left in the water or sun for days before being collected, hindered efforts by coroners to identify many of the dead. There were six deaths confirmed at the Superdome. Four of these were from natural causes, one was the result of a drug overdose, and one was a suicide. At the Convention Center, four bodies were recovered. One out of these four is believed to be the result of a homicide.Thevenot, Brian; Russell, Gordon. " Reports of anarchy at Superdome overstated ." '' Seattle Times .'' September 26 , 2005 . Body collection throughout the city began on approximately September 9 . Prior to that date, the locations of corpses were recorded, but most were not retrieved. There was a focus on living residents who refuse to evacuate. AFTERMATH Civil disturbances .]] In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, .'' August 30 , 2005 . The fighting in the city was comparable to downtown Baghdad, Iraq . Incapacitated by the breakdown of transportation and communication, as well as overwhelmed in terms of numbers, police officers could do little to stop crime, and shopkeepers who remained behind were left to defend their property alone.Staff Writer. " The looting is out of control ." ''.'' September 29 , 2005 . "Sniper fire" was also reported throughout the city, targeted at rescue helicopters, relief workers, and police officers. One of the possibilities of the sniper fire was possibly resistance to relocation or evacuation.Jonsson, Patrick. " In New Orleans, not everyone wants to be rescued ." '', 2005 . Looting and violence was also hampering efforts to evacuate the .'' September 6 , 2005 . Regaining control humvee patrols the streets outside of the Louisisana Superdome.]] On .'' September 1 , 2005 . Some concern over the availability and readiness of the Louisiana National Guard to help stabilize the security situation was questioned. Guardsman Lieutenant Colonel Pete had commented that, "dozens of high water vehicles, humvees, refuelers, and generators were abroad."Zunes, Stephen. " A Hurricane of Consequences ." ''.'' September 3 , 2005 . However, both the White House and the Pentagon argued that the depletion of personnel and equipment did not impact the ability of the Guard to perform its mission — rather, impassable roads and flooded areas were the major factors impeding the Guardsmen from securing the situation in New Orleans. Superdome refuge As one of the largest structures in the city, evacuees were brought to the .'' September 1 , 2005 . Despite increasingly squalid conditions, the population inside continued to grow. The situation inside the building was described as chaotic; reports of fights, rape, and filthy living conditions were widespread. As many as 100 were reported to have died in the Superdome, with most deaths resulting from heat exhaustion, but other reported incidents included an accused rapist who was beaten to death by a crowd and an apparent suicide.Staff Writer. " Britons describe hurricane ordeal ." '' BBC News .'' September 6 , 2005 . Despite these reports, though, the final official death toll was significantly less: six people inside (4 of natural causes, one overdose, and an apparent suicide) and a few more in the general area outside the stadium. , 2006 . New Orleans Convention Center The .'' September 2 , 2005 . Still, for two days, the evacuees' pleas were ignored. The Convention Center was completely evacuated by September 3 . Evacuation efforts (in the Metairie community) being helped by the Air National Guard.]] On August 31 , a public health emergency was declared for the entire Gulf Coast, and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco ordered a mandatory evacuation of all those remaining in New Orleans. Relief organizations scrambled to locate suitable areas for relocating refugees on a large scale. Many of the survivors in the Superdome were bussed to the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas . Houston agreed to shelter an additional 25,000 evacuees beyond those admitted to the Astrodome, including one, "renegade bus," that was commandeered by private citizen Jabbar Gibson . By September 1 , the Astrodome was declared full and could not accept any more evacuees. The George R. Brown Convention Center nearby was opened to house additional evacuees. San Antonio, Texas also agreed to house 25,000 refugees, beginning relocation efforts in vacant office buldings on the grounds of KellyUSA, a former air force base, and the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas was mobilized to house incoming refugees, and smaller shelters were established in towns across Texas and Oklahoma . Arkansas also opened various shelters and state parks throughout the state for evacuees. Expected to last only two days, the evacuation of remaining refugees proved more difficult than rescue organizations anticipated as transportation convoys struggled with damaged infrastructure and a growing number of evacuees. By the morning of September 1 , Governor Blanco reported that the number of evacuees in the Superdome was down to 2,500. However, by evening, eleven hours after evacuation efforts began, the Superdome held 10,000 more people than it did at dawn. Evacuees from across the city swelled the crowd to about 30,000, believing the arena was the best place to get a ride out of town. Evacuation efforts were hastened on September 2 by the wider dispersal of evacuees among newly-opened shelters. Louis Armstrong International Airport was reopened to allow flights related to relief efforts, and began to load evacuees onto planes as well. On .'' September 5 , 2005 . On .'' September 9 , 2005 . Health effects ]] There was a concern that the prolonged flooding would lead to an outbreak of health problems for those who remained in the city. In addition to Dehydration and Food Poisoning , there was also potential for the spread of Hepatitis A , Cholera and Typhoid Fever , all related to the growing contamination of food and drinking water supplies in the city compounded by the city's characteristic heat and stifling humidity. Survivors could also face long-term health risks due to prolonged exposure to the petrochemical tainted flood waters and mosquito-borne diseases such as Yellow Fever , Malaria and West Nile Virus . As of September 2 , an emergency Triage center has been set up at the airport. A steady stream of helicopters and ambulances brought in the elderly, sick, and injured. Baggage equipment was used as gurneys to transport people from the flight line to the hospital, which was set up in the airport terminal. The scene could be described as, "organized chaos," but efficient. By September 3 , the situation started to stabilize. Up to 5,000 people had been Triaged and fewer than 200 remained at the medical unit. Hospital evacuations continued from other area hospitals that were flooded or damaged. Reports from the Methodist Hospital indicated that people were dying of dehydration and exhaustion while the staff worked unendingly in horrendous conditions. The first floor of the hospital flooded and the dead were stacked in a second floor operating room. Patients requiring ventilators were kept alive with hand-powered resuscitation bags. On .'' September 7 , 2005 . SEE ALSO
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