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Hurricane Katrina was the costliest and one of the deadliest Hurricanes in the history of the United States . It was the sixth-strongest Atlantic Hurricane ever recorded and the third-strongest hurricane on record that made landfall in the United States. Katrina formed on August 23 during the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season and caused devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast . The most severe Loss Of Life And Property Damage occurred in New Orleans , Louisiana , which flooded as the Levee system catastrophically failed, in many cases hours after the storm had moved inland. The hurricane caused severe destruction across the entire Mississippi coast and into Alabama , as far as 100 miles (160 km) from the storm's center. Katrina was the eleventh tropical storm, fifth hurricane, third Major Hurricane , and second Category 5 Hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic season. It formed over the Bahamas on August 23 , 2005 , and crossed southern Florida as a moderate Category 1 Hurricane , causing some deaths and flooding there, before strengthening rapidly in the Gulf Of Mexico and becoming one of the strongest hurricanes on record while at sea. The storm weakened before making its second and third landfalls as a Category 3 storm on the morning of August 29 in southeast Louisiana and at the Louisiana/Mississippi state line, respectively. The storm surge caused severe damage along the Gulf Coast, devastating the Mississippi cities of Waveland , Bay St. Louis , Pass Christian , Long Beach , Gulfport , Biloxi , Ocean Springs , and Pascagoula . In Louisiana, the flood protection system in New Orleans failed in 53 different places. Nearly every levee in metro New Orleans breached as Hurricane Katrina passed east of the city, subsequently flooding 80% of the city and many areas of neighboring Parishes for weeks.1 At least 1,836 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina and in the subsequent floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane . The storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion (2005 U.S. Dollars ) in damage, making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. History . Criticism of the federal, state and local governments' reaction to the storm was widespread and resulted in an investigation by the U.S. Congress and the resignation of Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael D. Brown . The storm also prompted Congressional review of the Army Corps Of Engineers and the failure of the Levee protection system. Conversely, the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service were widely commended for accurate forecasts and abundant lead time. STORM HISTORY See Also: Meteorological history of Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina formed as Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas on August 23 , 2005 as the result of an interaction of a Tropical Wave and the remains of Tropical Depression Ten . The system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Status on the morning of August 24 and at this point, the storm was given the name '' Katrina .'' The tropical storm continued to move towards Florida, and became a hurricane only two hours before it made Landfall between Hallandale Beach and Aventura, Florida on the morning of August 25 . The storm weakened over land, but it regained hurricane status about one hour after entering the Gulf Of Mexico .2 The storm of 902 Mbar . The pressure measurement made Katrina the fourth most intense Atlantic Hurricane on record at the time, only to be surpassed by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma later in the season; it was also the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico at the time (a record also later broken by Rita ). Katrina made its second landfall at 6:10 a.m. CDT on August 29 as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana . At landfall, hurricane-force winds extended outward 120 miles (190 km) from the center and the storm's central pressure was 920 mbar. After moving over southeastern Louisiana and Breton Sound , it made its third landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border with 120 mph (195 km/h) sustained winds, still at Category 3 intensity. Katrina maintained hurricane strength well into Mississippi, but weakened thereafter, finally losing hurricane strength more than 150 miles (240 km) inland near Meridian, Mississippi . It was downgraded to a tropical depression near Clarksville, Tennessee , but its remnants were last distinguishable in the eastern Great Lakes region on August 31 , when it was absorbed by a Frontal Boundary . The resulting Extratropical storm moved rapidly to the northeast and affected Ontario and Quebec . PREPARATIONS See Also: Preparations for Hurricane Katrina Florida Many people living in the area were unaware when Katrina strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane in one day and struck southern Florida near the Miami-Dade – Broward county line. The hurricane struck between the cities of Aventura , in Miami-Dade County, and Hallandale , in Broward County, on August 25 , 2005 . However, National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts had correctly predicted that Katrina would intensify to hurricane strength before landfall, and Hurricane Watches And Warnings were issued 31.5 hours and 19.5 hours before landfall, respectively — only slightly less than the target thresholds of 36 and 24 hours. Florida Governor , 2005 . URL accessed on 2006-06-06 . Federal government , Secretary Of Homeland Security , left, and Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld , President George W. Bush meets with members of the White House Task Force on Hurricane Katrina Recovery on August 31 , 2005 , in the Cabinet Room of the White House .]] On the morning of . That afternoon the NHC extended the watch to cover the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines as well as the Louisiana coast to Intracoastal City . The .'' Accessed May 30 , 2006 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Aircrews from the Aviation Training Center, in Mobile, staged rescue aircraft from Texas to Florida.4 All aircraft were returning back towards the Gulf of Mexico by the afternoon of August 29 . Air Crew s, many of whom lost their homes during the hurricane, began a round-the-clock rescue effort in New Orleans, and along the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines.5 .'' August 27 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . (These declarations later proved to be a point of controversy; see below.) That same evening, the NHC upgraded the section of the hurricane watch from Morgan City, Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border to a hurricane warning, 12 hours after it was issued, and also issued a tropical storm warning for the westernmost Florida Panhandle. During video conferences involving the President on August 28 and 29, the director of the National Hurricane Center at the time, Max Mayfield , expressed concern that Katrina might push its storm surge over the city's levees and flood walls. In one conference, he stated, "I do not think anyone can tell you with confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but that's obviously a very, very great concern."6 On / New Orleans, Louisiana .'' August 28 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2007-07-30 . Voluntary and mandatory evacuations were issued for large areas of southeast Louisiana as well as coastal Mississippi and Alabama . About 1.2 million residents of the Gulf Coast were covered under a voluntary or mandatory evacuation order. Emergency declarations In a September 26, 2005 hearing, Michael Brown was questioned by Republican members of Congress about FEMA's response. During that hearing, Representative , 2005 . Retrieved on 2007-09-01 . Gulf Coast On on August 28 , 11 counties and eleven cities issued evacuation orders, a number which increased to 41 counties and 61 cities by the following morning. Moreover, 57 emergency shelters were established on coastal communities, with 31 additional shelters available to open if needed.8 Louisiana's hurricane evacuation plan calls for local governments in areas along and near the coast to evacuate in three phases, starting with the immediate coast 50 hours before the start of tropical storm force winds. Persons in areas designated Phase II begin evacuating 40 hours before the onset of tropical storm winds and those in Phase III areas (including New Orleans) evacuate 30 hours before the start of such winds.9 Many private care-taking facilities that relied on bus companies and ambulance services for evacuation were unable to evacuate their charges. Fuel and rental cars were in short supply and many forms of public transportation had been shut down well before the storm arrived.Rulon, Malia; Scott, Katerine Hutt. " Evacuation plan failed to consider those without transportation ." ''Burlington Free Press.'' .'' August 29 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . By Sunday, .'' September 1 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . The NHC maintained the coastal warnings until late on August 29 , by which time Hurricane Katrina was over central Mississippi. Greater New Orleans area See Also: Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans By .'' October 2004. Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . At a news conference at 10:00 a.m. on .'' August 28 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . IMPACT See Also: Hurricane Katrina effects by region Hurricane Katrina death toll by locality On August 29 , Katrina's Storm Surge caused several Breach es in Levees around New Orleans . Most of the city was subsequently Flood ed, as the breached drainage and navigation canals allowed water to flow from the lake into low areas of the city and Saint Bernard Parish . The storm surge also devastated the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama , making Katrina the most destructive and costliest Natural Disaster in the history of the United States , and the deadliest hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane . The total damage from Katrina is estimated at $81.2 billion (2005 U.S. Dollars ), nearly double the cost of the previously most expensive storm, Hurricane Andrew , when adjusted for inflation.10 As of , 2006 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . and many of the deaths are indirect, but it is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of some of the fatalities. .'' September 3 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . South Florida and Cuba following Hurricane Katrina.]] Hurricane Katrina first made landfall on August 25 , 2005 in South Florida where it hit as a Category 1 hurricane, with 80 mph (130 km/h) winds. Rainfall was heavy in places and exceeded 14 inches (350 mm) in Homestead, Florida , and a Storm Surge of 3–5 feet was measured in parts of Monroe County . More than 1 million customers were left without Electricity , and damage in Florida was estimated at between 1 and 2 billion dollars, with most of the damage coming from flooding and overturned trees. There were 14 fatalities reported in Florida as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Most of the . Although Hurricane Katrina stayed well to the north of Cuba , on August 29 it brought tropical-storm force winds and rainfall of over 8 inches (200 mm) to western regions of the island. Telephone and power lines were damaged and around 8,000 people were evacuated in the Pinar Del Río Province . According to Cuban television reports the coastal city of Surgidero de Batabano was 90% underwater.Staff Writer. " Hurricane Katrina batters western Cuba ." Louisiana .]] On August 29 Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras, Louisiana with 125 mph (205 km/h) winds, as a strong Category 3 storm. However, as it had only just weakened from Category 4 strength and the radius of maximum winds was large, it is possible that sustained winds of Category 4 strength briefly impacted extreme southeastern Louisiana. Although the storm surge to the east of the path of the eye in Mississippi was higher, a very significant surge affected the Louisiana coast. The height of the surge is uncertain because of a lack of data, although a tide gauge in Plaquemines Parish indicated a storm tide in excess of 14 feet (4.3 m) and a 12 foot (3 m) storm surge was recorded in Grand Isle . Hurricane Katrina also brought heavy rain to Louisiana, with 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) falling on a wide swath of the eastern part of the state. In the area around .'' August 30 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Hard-hit , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . New Orleans See Also: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans Levee failures in Greater New Orleans, 2005 and surrounding area of northwest New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana]] As the eye of Hurricane Katrina swept to the northeast, it subjected the city to hurricane conditions for hours. Although power failures prevented accurate measurement of wind speeds in New Orleans, there were a few measurements of hurricane-force winds. From this the NHC concluded that it is likely that much of the city experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or Category 2 strength. Katrina's storm surge led to 53 levee breaches in the levee system protecting metro New Orleans. Failures occurred in .'' October 4 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only routes out of the city were the westbound .'' August 31 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . On .'' August 30 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . The .'' accessed May 28 , 2006 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Katrina also caused widespread loss of life, with over 700 bodies recovered in New Orleans by .'' September 9 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . The first deaths reported from the city were reported shortly before midnight on .'' September 26 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Mississippi See Also: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi Bay St. Louis Bridge on Pass Christian was destroyed as a result of Katrina.]] The Gulf coast of Mississippi suffered massive damage from the impact of Hurricane Katrina on August 29 , leaving 238 people dead, 67 missing, and billions of dollars in damage: bridges, barges, boats, piers, houses and cars were washed inland.11 Katrina traveled up the entire state, and afterwards, all counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance, 47 for full assistance. After making a brief initial landfall in Louisiana , Katrina had made its final landfall near the state line, and the eyewall passed over the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). Katrina's powerful right-front quadrant passed over the west and central Mississippi coast causing a powerful 27 foot (8.2 m) Storm Surge , which penetrated 6 miles (10 km) inland in many areas and up to 12 miles (20 km) inland along bays and rivers; in some areas, the surge crossed Interstate 10 for several miles. Hurricane Katrina brought strong winds to Mississippi which caused significant tree damage throughout the state. The highest unofficial reported wind gust recorded from Katrina was one of 135 mph (217 km/h) in Poplarville , in Pearl River County . following Hurricane Katrina.]] The storm also brought heavy rains with 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) falling in southwestern Mississippi and rain in excess of 4 inches (100 mm) falling throughout the majority of the state. Katrina caused eleven tornadoes in Mississippi on August 29 , some of which damaged trees and power lines. Battered by wind, rain and storm surge, some beachfront neighborhoods were completely leveled. Preliminary estimates by Mississippi officials calculated that 90% of the structures within half a mile of the coastline were completely destroyed,Staff Writer. " Mississippi Coast Areas Wiped Out ." '' CBS News .'' September 1 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . and that storm surges traveled as much as six miles (10 km) inland in portions of the state's coast. One apartment complex with approximately thirty residents seeking shelter inside collapsed. More than half of the 13 casinos in the state, which were floated on barges to comply with Mississippi land-based gambling laws, were washed hundreds of yards inland by waves. A number of streets and bridges were washed away. On - Pass Christian bridge, and the Biloxi - Ocean Springs bridge. In addition, the eastbound span of the I-10 bridge over the Pascagoula River estuary was damaged. In the weeks after the storm, with the connectivity of the coastal U.S. Highway 90 shattered, traffic traveling parallel to the coast was reduced to two lanes on the remaining I-10 span. .]] All three coastal counties of the state were severely affected by the storm. Katrina's surge was the most extensive, as well as the highest, in the documented history of the United States; large portions of both Hancock , Harrison , and Jackson Counties were inundated by the storm surge, in both cases affecting most of the populated areas.12 Surge covered almost the entire lower half of Hancock County, destroying the coastal communities of Clermont Harbor and Waveland , much of Bay St. Louis , and flowed up the Jourdan River, flooding Kiln . In Harrison County, Pass Christian was completely inundated, along with a narrow strip of land to the east along the coast, which includes the cities of Long Beach and Gulfport ; the flooding was more extensive in communities such as D'Iberville , which borders Back Bay. Biloxi , on a peninsula between the Back Bay and the coast, was particularly hard hit, especially the low-lying Point Cadet area. In Jackson County, storm surge flowed up the wide river Estuary , with the combined surge and freshwater flooding cutting the county in half. Remarkably, over 90% of Pascagoula , the easternmost coastal city in Mississippi, and about east of Katrina's landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border, was flooded from surge at the height of the storm. Other large Jackson County neighborhoods such as Porteaux Bay and Gulf Hills were severely damaged with large portions being completely destroyed, and St. Martin was hard hit; Ocean Springs , Moss Point , Gautier , and Escatawpa also suffered major surge damage. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials also recorded deaths in Forrest , Hinds , Warren , and Leake counties. Over 900,000 people throughout the state experienced power outages. Southeast United States : Downtown parking lot flooded during ''Hurricane Katrina''.]] Although Hurricane Katrina made landfall well to the west, . An Oil Rig under construction along the Mobile River broke its moorings and floated 1.5 miles (2 km) northwards before striking the Cochrane Bridge just outside Mobile. No significant damage resulted to the bridge and it was soon reopened. The damage on Dauphin Island was severe, with the surge destroying many houses and cutting a new canal through the western portion of the island. An offshore oil rig also became grounded on the island. As in Mississippi, the storm surge caused significant beach erosion along the Alabama coastline. More than 600,000 people lost power in Alabama as a result of Hurricane Katrina and two people died in a traffic accident in the state. Along the Florida Panhandle the storm surge was typically about five feet (1.5 m) and along the west-central Florida coast there was a minor surge of 1–2 feet (0.3–0.6 m). In Pensacola, Florida 56 mph (90 km/h) winds were recorded on August 29 . The winds caused damage to some trees and structures and there was some minor flooding in the Panhandle. There were two indirect fatalities from Katrina in Walton County as a result of a traffic accident. In the Florida Panhandle, 77,000 customers lost power.Associated Press, "Katrina at a Glance" (August 31, 2005), page 4A, ''Mobile Register'', web: MobileRegister-083105-PDF . : cargo ship and fishing boats were grounded (''click image to enlarge, or see: '')]] Northern and central .'' December 1 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . Other U.S. States and Canada area are not available.]] Hurricane Katrina weakened as it moved inland, but tropical-storm force gusts were recorded as far north as , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . A number of tornadoes associated with Katrina formed on August 30 and August 31 , which caused minor damages in several regions. In total, 62 tornadoes formed in eight states as a result of Katrina. Eastern .'' Accessed May 30 , 2006 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . The remnants of Katrina were absorbed by a new cyclone to its east across .'' September 1 , 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-06-05 . AFTERMATH See Also: Social effects of Hurricane Katrina Political effects of Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina disaster relief IDPs in the United States Economic effects See Also: Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina |
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