Hurrican Katrina

• Occurred


  29th August 2005
• New Orleans


  • Worse effected
  • Located in Louisiana on the Mississippi River
• Pathway


  1. Hit Bahamas as a category 2

  2. Then hit Florida as a category 3 (killing 6)

  3. Then went back into gulf (reaching cat 4/5)

  4. Finally hit New Orleans @ 2:30 am as category 4 (reduced from cat 5 as river ejected cold water)
• Highest wind speed = 175mph
• $125 billion worth of damage
• FEMA


  The organisation that organises and co-ordinates all emergency work in the USA
• FEMA before the event


  1. Used models to see the possible pathways of the hurricane which is passed on to emergency services

  2. Designed a fake category 5 storm using technology to predict the impacts on the area (This model didn't involve breaking of the levees so was very unrealistic)
• FEMA believed to fail community as not support dropped 4 days after event
• FEMA has provided more than £3 billion directly to Louisiana victims of Hurricanes Katrina
• FEMA has carried out 81,000 roof repairs by the "Blue roof" programme
• FEMA has approved £102 million in unemployment assistances
• FEMA has completed 1 million house inspection on houses effected
• By the 5th of September 363,500 people had evacuated
• The super dome


  • Opened as a shelter for people who couldn't evacuate (150,000)
  • 100mph winds ripped of the roof meaning water was getting in
  • There was no electricity, water or functioning toilets
  • Thefts and rapes were reported and even one attempted suicide (exaggerated by media)
  • People "clapped it up" to try and boost morale
• 25, 000 took sanctuary in Houston which had more hospitable conditions but quickly reached capacity so moved people to different areas
• The American Red cross set up 275 shelters in 9 states. Which had shelters, emergency vehicles, relief workers, food and medic
• Emergency services response


  1. It started on 31 August, but police were made to stop the rescue process to control the looting and increase in crime

  2. $10.5 Billion in aid was approved by congress

  3. On 3rd September-military took over rescue mission and transport planes were used to rescue the injured and sick to Houston and dead bodies started to be removed
• Churches and private homes were opened up for people to refugees
• Schools took in out of state children to help with pressures
• US coast guard workers worked double shifts (16 hours) to help rescue people
• 911 calls were NOT taken
• Evacuation process


  Agencies had put bus pick up points to help people get out the area (But these were delayed, and people became desperate so tried to walk. Military and police with guns on Lake Pontchartrain bridge stopping people from crossing)
• The hurricane itself killed 11 people
• 1 million people were without electricity for several days
• At least 236 people died in Mississippi, with storm surges of 9m penetrating 10km inland
• Water was contaminated
• 2,260 stayed in the official shelters that were opened
• People ran out of food and medicine
• The levees broke meaning 80% of the city was flooded with depths of 8 metres in some places, trapping many people in
• The population blamed engineers for the natural disaster due to their incorrect building
• Crime increased (looting from shops and homes, racism increased (shootings))
• It took police and army a couple of days to regain control
• Months later people remained homeless and unemployed
• People are unable/unwilling to return home (50% of the half million evacuees wont return home)
• People don't have house insurance so not covered for damage and don't have the money to rebuild their homes
• State population is believed to have reduced by 8.4%
• Preparation and management


  1. A state of emergency was declared 48 hours after the event

  2. Hurricane warnings being issued on all radios and TV channels

  3. School were closed down

  4. Shelters with feeding facilities being opened

  5. Compulsory evacuation order being issued to make people living in low lying areas leave

  6. All emergency services being on standby to help people

  7. Aid was given by Canada and Venezuela