hurricane katrina essay introduction

Hurricane Katrina Essay

Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes to ever hit the United States. The storm made landfall on August 29, 2005, causing widespread damage across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. In all, more than 1,800 people lost their lives and tens of billions of dollars in property damage was done.

Katrina was particularly devastating for the city of New Orleans, which saw its levees fail and floodwaters inundate much of the city. In the aftermath of the storm, many residents were left stranded without food or water for days.

The response to Hurricane Katrina was widely criticized, with many people pointing to the slow federal response as a major failing. In the years since, however, much has been done to improve disaster response in the United States. Hurricane Katrina was a tragic event that will be remembered for years to come.

Our environment and ecosystem allow us to thrive and enjoy our planet. Natural catastrophes are not affected by man’s will or desire. They might happen at any time and in any place, but we may choose how to protect our environment by acting responsibly for these natural disasters.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history. It hit the Gulf Coast region on August 29th, 2005 and caused catastrophic damage, particularly in the city of New Orleans and the state of Mississippi. The hurricane killed over 1,800 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

The physical damage from Hurricane Katrina was widespread and devastating. Entire neighborhoods were leveled, leaving nothing but debris behind. Houses were torn from their foundations, trees were uprooted, and cars were thrown about like toys. Floodwaters inundated entire communities, causing even more damage as they rose and receded. In all, it is estimated that Hurricane Katrina caused over $100 billion in damage.

But the damage from Hurricane Katrina was not just physical. The storm also had a profound psychological effect on those who lived through it. Many people who survived the hurricane recounted feeling traumatized by their experiences. They described a sense of loss, displacement, and grief that was overwhelming. For many, the stormrepresented not just the destruction of their homes and belongings but also the loss of their community and way of life.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there was a great deal of discussion about how to rebuild the affected communities. Some argued that it was important to rebuild as quickly as possible in order to restore a sense of normalcy for residents. Others argued that rebuilding should be done thoughtfully and with an eye towards creating more resilient communities that could better withstand future storms.

What is clear is that Hurricane Katrina was a major disaster with far-reaching implications. The physical and psychological damage caused by the storm will be felt by those who lived through it for many years to come.

The aquatic ecosystem of the nearby lakes was devastated by the levee failure in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The breach of the dikes caused water to rapidly flood the region and become contaminated with city sewage, chemicals, medical waste, and human remains, which were then pumped into the lakes.

The main body of water effected was Lake Pontchartrain which provides much of the city’s drinking water. The hurricane also destroyed the coastal wetlands which act as a natural buffer from storms, these wetlands have not yet recovered.

New Orleans is situated in a bowl-shaped area surrounded by levees that protect it from flooding. The bowl is actually below sea level, so when Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29, 2005, and the levees failed, the entire city was flooded. More than 80% of New Orleans was under water, with some areas being submerged under 20 feet of water.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many people were left stranded without food or clean water. As conditions in the city deteriorated, looting and violence became widespread. The federal government was criticized for its slow response to the disaster.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in US history. It caused more than $100 billion in damage, and left thousands of people homeless. More than 1,800 people were killed, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in US history.

Water bearing all sorts of pollutants was pumped into any available destination, as long as it didn’t submerge the city, after Katrina. Apart from Katrina causing havoc, one of the most significant flaws in government and army Corps of Engineers efforts was the lack of protection and efficiency of the levees. The consequences of the levees’ failure and water eventually engulfing the city were only amplified.

The water that submerged New Orleans following Katrina was filled with all types of contaminants. Oil from cars and boats, animal carcasses, and even human remains were all mixed in the murky water. This water not only destroyed homes and buildings, but also seeped in to the soil and groundwater. The long-term effects of this contaminated water are still being studied, but it is safe to say that they will be felt for many years to come.

In addition to the contaminated water, there was also a great deal of air pollution caused by Katrina. As the storm ripped through houses and buildings, it generated a tremendous amount of dust and debris which contained harmful toxins like asbestos and lead. This debris was then sent airborne where it was inhaled by residents, further exacerbating the health problems caused by the storm.

All of this pollution had a devastating effect on the environment of New Orleans. The contaminated water destroyed plant and animal life, as well as the natural habitats that they lived in. The air pollution tainted the air quality for miles around, making it difficult for people and animals to breathe. And the debris left behind clogged up waterways and made it difficult for new vegetation to grow. It will take many years for the environment of New Orleans to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

We must recognize that the traditional “levee solution” is more detrimental than beneficial, and it must be rethought. According to the Association of State Floodplain Managers, “There are only two kinds of levees: ones that have failed and ones that will fail.” To protect and safeguard our ecosystems more effectively, levi structure and design must be significantly altered.

We have to think long-term when it comes to these things. In 2005, one of the most infamous natural disasters occurred in the United States. Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi hard, causing many fatalities and leaving thousands homeless. This hurricane was different than any other because of the widespread damage that it did.

It is important to note that while hurricanes are a common occurrence in this area, the devastation caused by Katrina was Unprecedented. In order to understand how such destruction could happen, we must first understand what goes into making a hurricane and the different types of storms.

A tropical cyclone is “a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters” (National Hurricane Center). These storms are fueled by warm, moist air and can grow to be very large. There are three main types of tropical cyclones: tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes.

A tropical depression is the weakest type of storm and has winds that range from 22-38 mph. A tropical storm is a bit stronger, with winds reaching 39-73 mph. The last and most severe type of storm is the hurricane. These storms have winds that surpass 74 mph and can cause catastrophic damage (National Hurricane Center).

Now that we know what goes into making a hurricane, we can begin to understand how Katrina formed. The conditions for this particular hurricane were just right; it had all of the necessary ingredients to turn into a category 5 storm.

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Hurricane Katrina, explained

Hurricane Katrina was the costliest storm in U.S. history, and its effects are still felt today in New Orleans and coastal Louisiana.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. It hit land as a Category 3 storm with winds reaching speeds as high as 120 miles per hour . Because of the ensuing destruction and loss of life, the storm is often considered one of the worst in U.S. history. An estimated 1,200 people died as a direct result of the storm, which also cost an estimated $108 billion in property damage , making it the costliest storm on record.

The devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina exposed a series of deep-rooted problems, including controversies over the federal government's response , difficulties in search-and-rescue efforts, and lack of preparedness for the storm, particularly with regard to the city's aging series of levees—50 of which failed during the storm, significantly flooding the low-lying city and causing much of the damage. Katrina's victims tended to be low income and African American in disproportionate numbers , and many of those who lost their homes faced years of hardship.

Ten years after the disaster, then-President Barack Obama said of Katrina , "What started out as a natural disaster became a man-made disaster—a failure of government to look out for its own citizens."

( What are hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons ?)

The city of New Orleans and other coastal communities in Katrina's path remain significantly altered more than a decade after the storm, both physically and culturally. The damage was so extensive that some pundits had argued, controversially, that New Orleans should be permanently abandoned , even as the city vowed to rebuild.

The population of New Orleans fell by more than half in the year after Katrina, according to Data Center Research . As of this writing, the population had grown back to nearly 80 percent of where it was before the hurricane.

Timeline of a Storm

Katrina first formed as a tropical depression in Caribbean waters near the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. It officially reached hurricane status two days later, when it passed over southeastern Miami as a Category 1 storm. The tempest blew through Miami at 80 miles per hour, where it uprooted trees and killed two people. Katrina then weakened to a tropical storm, since hurricanes require warm ocean water to sustain speed and strength and begin to weaken over land. However, the storm then crossed back into the Gulf of Mexico, where it quickly regained strength and hurricane status. ( Read a detailed timeline of how the storm developed .)

On August 27, the storm grew to a Category 3 hurricane. At its largest, Katrina was so wide its diameter stretched across the Gulf of Mexico.

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Before the storm hit land, a mandatory evacuation was issued for the city of New Orleans, which had a population of more than 480,000 at the time. Tens of thousands of residents fled. But many stayed, particularly among the city's poorest residents and those who were elderly or lacked access to transportation. Many sheltered in their homes or made their way to the Superdome, the city's large sports arena, where conditions would soon deteriorate into hardship and chaos .

Katrina passed over the Gulf Coast early on the morning of August 29. Officials initially believed New Orleans was spared as most of the storm's worst initial impacts battered the coast toward the east, near Biloxi, Mississippi, where winds were the strongest and damage was extensive. But later that morning, a levee broke in New Orleans, and a surge of floodwater began pouring into the low-lying city. The waters would soon overwhelm additional levees.

The following day, Katrina weakened to a tropical storm, but severe flooding inhibited relief efforts in much of New Orleans. An estimated 80 percent of the city was soon underwater. By September 2, four days later, the city and surrounding areas were in full-on crisis mode, with many people and companion animals still stranded, and infrastructure and services collapsing. Congress issued $10 billion for disaster relief aid while much of the world began criticizing the U.S. government's response .

What are hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones?

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Geography of new orleans.

The city of New Orleans was at a disadvantage even before Hurricane Katrina hit, something experts had warned about for years , but it had limited success in changing policy. The region sits in a natural basin, and some of the city is below sea level so is particularly prone to flooding. Low-income communities tend to be in the lowest-lying areas.

Just south of the city, the powerful Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. During intense hurricanes, oncoming storms can push seawater onto land, creating what is known as a storm surge . Those forces typically cause the most hurricane-related fatalities. As Hurricane Katrina hit, New Orleans and surrounding parishes saw record storm surges as high as 19 feet.

Katrina, Then and Now

New Orleans residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina seeking aid from National Guardsmen

Levees can be natural or manufactured. They are essentially walls that prevent waterways from overflowing and flooding nearby areas. New Orleans has been protected by levees since the French began inhabiting the region in the 17th century, but modern levees were authorized for construction in 1965 after Hurricane Betsy flooded much of the city . The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers then built a complex system of 350 miles of levees. Yet a report by the

Corps released in 2006 concluded that insufficient funding, information, and poor construction had left the flood system vulnerable to failure.

Even before Katrina made landfall off the Gulf, the incoming storm surge had started to overwhelm the levees, spilling into residential areas. More than 50 levees would eventually fail before the storm subsided. While the winds of the storm itself caused major damage in the city of New Orleans, such as downed trees and buildings, studies conducted in the years since concluded that failed levees accounted for the worst impacts and most deaths.

The aftermath

An assessment from the state of Louisiana confirmed that just under half of the 1,200 deaths resulted from chronic disease exacerbated by the storm, and a third of the deaths were from drowning. Hurricane death tolls are debated, and for Katrina, counts can vary by as much as 600. Collected bodies must be examined for cause of death, and some argue that indirect hurricane deaths, like being unable to access medical care, should be counted in official numbers.

Hurricane Katrina was the costliest in U.S. history and left widespread economic impacts. Oil and gas industry operations were crippled after the storm and coastal communities that rely on tourism suffered from both loss of infrastructure and business and coastal erosion.

An estimated 400,000 people were permanently displaced by the storm. Demographic shifts followed in the wake of the hurricane. The lowest-income residents often found it more difficult to return. Some neighborhoods now have fewer residents under 18 as some families chose to permanently resettle in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta. The city is also now more racially diverse, with higher numbers of Latino and Asian residents, while a disproportionate number of African-Americans found it too difficult to return.

Rebuilding part of New Orleans's hurricane defenses cost $14.6 billion and was completed in 2018. More flood systems are pending construction, meaning the city is still at risk from another large storm. A series of flood walls, levees, and flood gates buttress the coast and banks of the Mississippi River.

Simulations modeled in the years after Katrina suggest that the storm may have been made worse by rising sea levels and warming temperatures . Scientists are concerned that hurricanes the size of Katrina will become more likely as the climate warms. Studies are increasingly showing that climate change makes hurricanes capable of carrying more moisture . At the same time, hurricanes are moving more slowly, spending more time deluging areas unprepared for major flooding.

Hurricanes are escalating more quickly than ever. Here’s why.

This bird can predict the intensity of a hurricane season. Here’s how.

No state is losing land like Louisiana—but no other state has a bolder plan

Portraits of Katrina

Five Years On, Superstorm Sandy Houses Rise Up

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Home — Essay Samples — History — History of the United States — Hurricane Katrina

Essays on Hurricane Katrina

What makes a good hurricane katrina essay topics.

When it comes to writing an essay on Hurricane Katrina, choosing a topic that is both engaging and informative is crucial. With such a devastating event, there are countless angles and perspectives to explore. Here are some recommendations on how to brainstorm and choose an essay topic, what to consider, and What Makes a Good essay topic.

When brainstorming essay topics, it's important to consider the impact of Hurricane Katrina on various aspects of society. Topics could focus on the environmental impact, the response and recovery efforts, the social and economic implications, or the political fallout. Consider the different perspectives and voices that emerged in the aftermath of the hurricane, and think about how these can be woven into an engaging and informative essay.

A good Hurricane Katrina essay topic should be thought-provoking and offer a fresh perspective on the event. It should invite the reader to think critically about the issues surrounding the hurricane and its aftermath. Additionally, a good essay topic should be well-researched and provide the opportunity to delve into the complexities of the event.

Best Hurricane Katrina Essay Topics

The Role of Climate Change in Hurricane Katrina
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans' Culture and Community
The Failures of the Government Response to Hurricane Katrina
The Long-Term Environmental Impact of Hurricane Katrina
The Displacement and Resettlement of Hurricane Katrina Survivors
The Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
The Role of Social Media in Disaster Response during Hurricane Katrina
The Psychological Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Survivors
The Economic Fallout of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
The Media Coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its Effects on Public Perception
The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Healthcare System in New Orleans
The Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina and their Application to Future Disasters
The Influence of Hurricane Katrina on Climate Change Policy
The Rebuilding and Revitalization of New Orleans in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
The Intersection of Race, Class, and Gender in the Response to Hurricane Katrina
The Role of the Arts in Healing and Rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Education System in New Orleans
The Ethical and Moral Dilemmas Faced by First Responders during Hurricane Katrina
The Resilience and Strength of the New Orleans Community in the Face of Disaster

Hurricane Katrina essay topics Prompts

Imagine you are a journalist reporting on the ground in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Describe the challenges, ethical dilemmas, and emotional toll of covering such a devastating event.
Write a letter from the perspective of a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, reflecting on the experience and the challenges of rebuilding and moving forward.
Create a timeline of the events leading up to, during, and after Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the key moments and decisions that shaped the outcome.
Design a public awareness campaign focused on the long-term environmental impact of Hurricane Katrina and the importance of sustainable disaster preparedness.
Write a fictional story set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, exploring the experiences of different individuals and communities as they navigate the challenges of rebuilding and recovery.

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The Devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and The Lack of Response by The Government

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Report on Natural Disaster: Hurricane Katrina

The role of american red cross in dealing with hurricane katrina, hurricane katrina and crisis counseling, role of social media during the hurricane katrina, hurricane katrina and flaws in american government.

$125 billion

1,836 total

August 23, 2005 - August 31, 2005

Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi, New Orleans, Eastern United States and Eastern Canada

The tropical depression that became Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005, approximately 350 miles (560 km) east of Miami. Early in the morning on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. Katrina had become one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record.

While the storm itself did a great deal of damage, its aftermath was catastrophic. The economic effects of the storm reached high levels. The Bush Administration sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction in the region. The emergency response from federal, state, and local governments was widely criticized. Katrina caused more than $125 billion in damage.

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Hurricane Katrina: an American tragedy

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Tee L. Guidotti, Hurricane Katrina: an American tragedy, Occupational Medicine , Volume 56, Issue 4, June 2006, Pages 222–224, https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqj043

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The true extent of the American tragedy that is Hurricane Katrina is still unfolding almost 12 months after the event and its implications may be far more reaching. Hurricane Katrina, which briefly became a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, began as a storm in the western Atlantic. Katrina made landfall on Monday, 29 August 2005 at 6.30 p.m. in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, turned north, gained strength and made landfall again at 7.10 a.m. in southeast Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane and rapidly attenuated over land to a Category 3 hurricane. New Orleans is below sea level as a consequence of subsidence and because of elevation of the Mississippi river due to altered flow. The storm brought a nearly 4 m storm surge east of the eye, where the winds blew south to the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, and gusts of 344 km/h at the storm's peak at ∼1.00 p.m. Levees protecting the city from adjacent Lake Pontchartrain failed, inundating 80% of the city to a depth of up to 8 m. Further east in the Gulf Coast, a storm surge of 10.4 m was recorded at Bay St Louis, Mississippi [ 1 , 2 ].

What followed was horrifying and discouraging. Poor residents and the immobilized were left stranded in squalor. Essential services failed. Heroic rescues were undertaken with wholly inadequate follow-up and resettlement [ 3 ]. Emergency response was feeble. It was only after the military intervened that the situation began, slowly, to improve. New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast to the east is still a depleted, devitalized, largely uninhabitable wreck. Less than a month later, on 24 September, Hurricane Rita followed. A much stronger storm in magnitude, Rita caused further displacement and disruption in Texas, where evacuation measures, undertaken in near-ideal conditions, were shown to be completely inadequate.

Floods usually conceal more than they reveal. Hurricane Katrina was an exception. It revealed truths about disaster response in the United States that had been concealed. Now, months later, one may assess the response and recovery to the disaster, evaluate how the country handled the challenge and determine what lessons were, or could have been, learned.

Katrina revealed that natural disasters and public health crises are as much threats to national security as intentional assaults. An entire region that played a vital role in the American economy and a unique role in the country's culture ground to a halt. During Katrina and Rita, ∼19% of the nation's oil refining capacity and 25% of its oil producing capacity became unavailable [ 4 ]. The country temporarily lost 13% of its natural gas capacity. Together, the storms destroyed 113 offshore oil and gas platforms. The Port of New Orleans, the major cargo transportation hub of the southeast, was closed to operations. Commodities were not shipped or accessible, including, in one of those statistics that are revealing beyond their triviality, 27% of the nation's coffee beans [ 5 ]. Consequences of this magnitude are beyond the reach of conventional terrorist acts.

Katrina revealed the close interconnection between the natural environment and human health risk. The capacity of wetlands in the Gulf Region to absorb precipitation and to buffer the effects of such storms has been massively degraded in recent years by local development. This has been known for a very long time [ 6 ], but development yielded short-term economic gain while mitigation was expensive. Katrina also revealed that understanding the threat and the circumstances that enable it means nothing if no concrete preparations are taken. The disaster that struck New Orleans, specifically, was not only foreseeable but also understood to be inevitable. Emergency managers had participated in a tabletop exercise that followed essentially an identical scenario just 13 months before, called ‘Hurricane Pam’ [ 7 ]. Had their conclusions and recommendations been acted upon, the actual event may have turned out differently. Although the levees would still have failed, perhaps those responsible for safeguarding the people would not have done so.

Katrina revealed that the federal agency designed to protect all Americans was incompetent. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reached its peak under President Clinton, when it enjoyed Cabinet-level rank. Post 9-11 FEMA was subordinated within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a department highly focused on terrorism and intentional homeland threats. The wisdom of combining the two was always in doubt. The logical solution is to move FEMA out of DHS but so far there has been no political will to do so and FEMA is so reduced and depleted as an agency that it probably could not now operate at a Cabinet level even were it to have the authority [ 5 , 8 ].

Katrina revealed how large and resilient the American economy has become overall. The evidence for this is how quickly the country has returned to economic growth and business as usual, despite the destruction of a region once economically important [ 9 ]. Katrina devastated ≥223 000 km [ 2 ] of the United States, an area almost as large as Britain. Yet, with one exception, the economy of the country barely registered an effect, even on psychologically volatile indicators such as stock market indices. It is projected that Katrina, as such, will only reduce growth in GDP for the United States by about one half of 1%. Although the southeast region served by New Orleans is very large geographically, it constitutes only 1% of the total American economy [ 10 ]. The lower Mississippi region adds little of its own economic value to GDP, other than tourism and as a source of energy. The exception noted above, of course, was the price of oil, as reflected in the prices of gasoline and refined petroleum products.

Katrina revealed how marginal the Gulf Region had become to the American economy, despite the wealth that passes through it. New Orleans itself was a poor city—it probably still is, although the returning citizens obviously have sufficient resources to allow them to return—and its neighbours in Mississippi and Alabama are not rich, either. The region is economically significant mainly for tourism, transshipment of cargo, oil and gas and for redistribution of wealth (in the form of legalized gambling). Reconstruction efforts may even fuel an economic expansion in the rest of the economy, although precious little prosperity resulting from it is likely to be seen in the devastated Gulf itself anytime soon. Astonishingly, the compounded effect of the war in Iraq, the high price of crude oil and the direct effects of Hurricane Katrina did not set back growth in the American economy, although it may have kept stock market prices level to the end of 2005.

Katrina revealed the great divide that remains between people living next to one another but differing in the clustered characteristics of race, poverty, immobility and ill-health [ 11 , 12 ]. Those who lacked the resources, who could not fend for themselves, who were left behind, who happened to be sick were almost all African–American, and therefore so were the ones who died. Relatively, well off residents near the shore of Lake Pontchartrain also sustained many deaths [ 2 ]. However, the brunt of the storm was clearly borne by the poor and dispossessed. That this was not intentional does not make it any more acceptable.

Honour in this dishonourable story came from the role of rescue, medical, public health and occupational health professionals. Rescuers took personal risks to save the stranded citizens of New Orleans. Public health agencies quickly identified and documented the risks of water contamination [ 13 ], warned of risks from carbon monoxide from portable generators [ 14 ], identified dermatitis and wound infections as major health risks [ 15 ] and identified outbreaks of norovirus-induced gastroenteritis [ 16 ]. Occupational health clinics and occupational health physicians and nurses treated the injured, from wherever they came [ 17 ]. Occupational health professionals returned critical personnel to work as soon as it was possible, to hasten economic recovery and rebuilding. Occupational Safety and Health Administration professionals warned against hazards in the floodwaters and the destroyed, abandoned houses but supplies for personal protection were nowhere to be found. The American College of Occupational and Environmental Health served as a clearing-house for information and provided almost 200 participants with web-supported telephone training on Katrina-related hazards and measures to get workers back on the job safely.

It was not enough. No human effort could have been by then. But what can we, as a medical speciality, do better next time? The occupational health physician is not, as such, a specialist in emergency medicine, an expert in emergency management and incident command or a safety engineer, although many do have special expertise in these areas because of personal interest, prior training or military experience. The occupational health physician is, however, uniquely prepared to work with management and technical personnel at the plant, enterprise or corporate level. We can assist in preparing for plausible incidents, planning for an effective response, identifying resources that will be required, and advising on their deployment.

The occupational physician has critical roles to play in disaster preparedness and emergency management. Our role in disaster preparedness is distinct from those of safety engineering and risk managers. Our role in emergency management is distinct from those of emergency medicine and emergency management personnel. Our roles in both are complementary, sometimes overlapping and predicated on the value that we bring to the table as physicians familiar with facilities. We have the means to protect workers in harm's way and from the many hazards already so familiar from our daily work. Katrina demonstrates that occupational health professionals can translate experience of the ordinary to play an integral role in dealing with the extraordinary.

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Economist. When government fails, 2005 .

Bamberger RL, Kumins L. Oil and Gas: Supply Issues after Katrina. CRS Report for Congress RS222233. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, 2005 .

Time 2005 ; 166 : 34 –41.

Louisiana Wetlands Protection Panel. Towards a Strategic Plan: A Proposed Study. Chapter 5. Report of the Louisiana Wetlands Protection Panel. Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Report No. 230-02-87-026, April 1987 . http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BURRY/$File/louisiana_5.pdf (6 January 2006, date last accessed).

Grunwald M, Glasser SB. Brown's turf wars sapped FEMA's strength. Washington Post 2005 ; 129 : A1 ,A8.

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Samuelson RJ. Waiting for a soft landing. Washington Post 2006 ; 167 : A17 .

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Greenough PG, Kirsch TD. Hurricane Katrina: Public health response—assessing needs. N Engl J Med 2005 ; 353 : 1544 –1546.

Joint Taskforce. Environmental Health Needs and Habitability Assessment: Hurricane Katrina Response. Initial Assessment. Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA: US Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005 .

MMWR. Surveillance for Illness and Injury After Hurricane Katrina—New Orleans, Louisiana , 2005 .

MMWR. Infectious Disease and Dermatologic Conditions in Evacuees and Rescue Workers after Hurricane Katrina—Multiple States, August–September, 2005 , 2005 ; 54 : 1 –4.

MMWR. Norovirus among Evacuees from Hurricane Katrina—Houston, Texas , 2005 .

McIntosh E. Occupational medicine response to Hurricane Katrina crisis. WOEMA Quarterly Newsletter (Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association) 2005 , pp. 2, 7.

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Essay on Hurricane Katrina

Students are often asked to write an essay on Hurricane Katrina in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Hurricane Katrina

What was hurricane katrina.

Hurricane Katrina was a big and very bad storm that hit the United States in August 2005. It was one of the worst disasters in the country’s history. The storm grew very strong before it reached land near New Orleans, Louisiana.

The storm caused a lot of destruction. It broke dams, and water flooded many homes and streets. Thousands of people lost their houses, and many had to leave the city. Sadly, some people also lost their lives.

The Response

After the storm, people from all over the country came to help. They gave food, clothes, and a place to stay to those who lost everything. The government and charities worked to rebuild homes and help the city recover.

Lessons Learned

Hurricane Katrina taught everyone a lot about preparing for big storms. Now, cities and people make better plans to keep safe when a hurricane is coming. It showed how important it is to help each other in tough times.

250 Words Essay on Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was a giant storm that hit the United States in August 2005. It was one of the strongest storms ever to strike the country. Katrina started over the ocean, where warm water made it grow bigger and stronger. It then moved towards the city of New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast.

The Impact of the Storm

When Katrina reached land, it brought very strong winds and huge waves. These waves, called storm surges, pushed water onto the land and flooded many areas. New Orleans was especially hard hit because it is built below sea level and relies on walls called levees to keep water out. Sadly, the levees broke, and most of the city was covered in water. Many homes were destroyed, and people had to leave their houses.

Helping After the Disaster

After the storm, many people needed help. They had no electricity, food, or clean water. Groups from all over the country came to give aid. They brought food, water, and clothes. They also helped people find places to stay. The whole country worked together to help those affected by the storm.

Hurricane Katrina taught us a lot about preparing for big storms. Now, cities have better plans for when such disasters happen. They make sure levees are strong and help people leave dangerous areas before the storm arrives. Katrina was a tragic event, but it made people realize how important it is to be ready for nature’s power.

500 Words Essay on Hurricane Katrina

Introduction to hurricane katrina.

Hurricane Katrina is remembered as one of the most powerful and destructive storms in the history of the United States. It struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005. This storm caused a lot of damage in many places, especially in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Many homes were destroyed, and a lot of people had to leave their homes and move to other places.

What is a Hurricane?

A hurricane is a huge storm that forms over warm ocean waters and has very strong winds. These winds spin around a calm center called the “eye” of the hurricane. Hurricanes can cause heavy rain, high winds, and big waves called storm surges. These storm surges can flood the land near the coast.

The Power of Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was very strong. It was a Category 5 hurricane, which is the highest level on the scale that measures how powerful hurricanes are. When it reached the coast, it was a Category 3, but it still had winds of up to 125 miles per hour. These winds and the storm surge caused the sea to rise and flood the coastal areas.

The Impact on New Orleans

New Orleans was one of the worst-hit areas. The city is built below sea level and is protected by walls called levees. But during Hurricane Katrina, the levees broke, and water flooded into the city. Many houses were covered with water, and people had to go to their rooftops to wait for help. The flood made it very hard for people to get food, water, and medical care.

Rescue and Help for People

After the storm, many people came to help those who were affected by the hurricane. The government, charities, and volunteers from all over the country worked together. They gave out food and water, and they helped people find safe places to stay. Rescue teams used boats and helicopters to save people who were trapped by the floodwaters.

Rebuilding and Remembering

It took a long time for New Orleans and other places to start to look like they did before the hurricane. People had to rebuild their homes and fix the damage. Even years after Hurricane Katrina, some areas were still working to get back to normal. The storm taught everyone a lot about being ready for such disasters and how to build stronger buildings and levees.

Hurricane Katrina was a very sad event that showed how powerful nature can be. It reminds us that we need to be prepared for big storms and help each other when they happen. Even though it was a time of trouble, it also showed how people can come together to help those in need. Katrina will always be remembered, not just for the damage it caused, but also for the strength and kindness people showed in the face of disaster.

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Introduction: Narrating Katrina in Context

Arin Keeble 2
First Online: 30 May 2019

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This introduction provides an in-depth outline of the book’s approach to six key narratives of Hurricane Katrina across literature, television and film. It introduces the argument that these texts narrate the human tragedy and political fallout of the Katrina crisis while simultaneously responding to issues that have characterized the wider, George W. Bush era of American history, notably the aftermath of 9/11 and the ensuing War on Terror. It works through an itinerary for exploring and examining the striking preoccupations of this cycle of Katrina narratives while addressing one of the urgent tasks of 9/11 studies: meaningfully understanding the impact and legacy of the attacks without reinforcing exceptionalist narratives. In doing so, it recognizes important challenges to trauma studies as an interpretive framework, opening up a discussion of the overlaps between traumatic rupture and systemic or “slow violence.” Finally, it outlines the theoretical frameworks and ideas that underpin this project of illuminating the fraught intersections and reverberations between two “cultural traumas” that have punctuated early twenty-first-century history.

Hurricane Katrina
The War on Terror
Neoliberalism
Slow violence

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Keeble, A. (2019). Introduction: Narrating Katrina in Context. In: Narratives of Hurricane Katrina in Context. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16353-2_1

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Hurricane Katrina

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 28, 2023 | Original: November 9, 2009

Early in the morning on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. When the storm made landfall, it had a Category 3 rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale–it brought sustained winds of 100–140 miles per hour–and stretched some 400 miles across.

While the storm itself did a great deal of damage, its aftermath was catastrophic. Levee breaches led to massive flooding, and many people charged that the federal government was slow to meet the needs of the people affected by the storm. Hundreds of thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were displaced from their homes, and experts estimate that Katrina caused more than $100 billion in damage.

Hurricane Katrina: Before the Storm

The tropical depression that became Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005, and meteorologists were soon able to warn people in the Gulf Coast states that a major storm was on its way. By August 28, evacuations were underway across the region. That day, the National Weather Service predicted that after the storm hit, “most of the [Gulf Coast] area will be uninhabitable for weeks…perhaps longer.”

Did you know? During the past century, hurricanes have flooded New Orleans six times: in 1915, 1940, 1947, 1965, 1969 and 2005.

New Orleans was at particular risk. Though about half the city actually lies above sea level, its average elevation is about six feet below sea level–and it is completely surrounded by water. Over the course of the 20th century, the Army Corps of Engineers had built a system of levees and seawalls to keep the city from flooding. The levees along the Mississippi River were strong and sturdy, but the ones built to hold back Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne and the waterlogged swamps and marshes to the city’s east and west were much less reliable.

Levee Failures

Before the storm, officials worried that surge could overtop some levees and cause short-term flooding, but no one predicted levees might collapse below their designed height. Neighborhoods that sat below sea level, many of which housed the city’s poorest and most vulnerable people, were at great risk of flooding.

The day before Katrina hit, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued the city’s first-ever mandatory evacuation order. He also declared that the Superdome, a stadium located on relatively high ground near downtown, would serve as a “shelter of last resort” for people who could not leave the city. (For example, some 112,000 of New Orleans’ nearly 500,000 people did not have access to a car.) By nightfall, almost 80 percent of the city’s population had evacuated. Some 10,000 had sought shelter in the Superdome, while tens of thousands of others chose to wait out the storm at home.

By the time Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans early in the morning on Monday, August 29, it had already been raining heavily for hours. When the storm surge (as high as 9 meters in some places) arrived, it overwhelmed many of the city’s unstable levees and drainage canals. Water seeped through the soil underneath some levees and swept others away altogether.

By 9 a.m., low-lying places like St. Bernard Parish and the Ninth Ward were under so much water that people had to scramble to attics and rooftops for safety. Eventually, nearly 80 percent of the city was under some quantity of water.

Hurricane Katrina: The Aftermath

Many people acted heroically in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Coast Guard rescued some 34,000 people in New Orleans alone, and many ordinary citizens commandeered boats, offered food and shelter, and did whatever else they could to help their neighbors. Yet the government–particularly the federal government–seemed unprepared for the disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) took days to establish operations in New Orleans, and even then did not seem to have a sound plan of action.

Officials, even including President George W. Bush , seemed unaware of just how bad things were in New Orleans and elsewhere: how many people were stranded or missing; how many homes and businesses had been damaged; how much food, water and aid was needed. Katrina had left in her wake what one reporter called a “total disaster zone” where people were “getting absolutely desperate.”

Failures in Government Response

For one thing, many had nowhere to go. At the Superdome in New Orleans, where supplies had been limited to begin with, officials accepted 15,000 more refugees from the storm on Monday before locking the doors. City leaders had no real plan for anyone else. Tens of thousands of people desperate for food, water and shelter broke into the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center complex, but they found nothing there but chaos.

Meanwhile, it was nearly impossible to leave New Orleans: Poor people especially, without cars or anyplace else to go, were stuck. For instance, some people tried to walk over the Crescent City Connection bridge to the nearby suburb of Gretna, but police officers with shotguns forced them to turn back.

Katrina 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 storm.

In all, Hurricane Katrina killed nearly 2,000 people and affected some 90,000 square miles of the United States. Hundreds of thousands of evacuees scattered far and wide. According to The Data Center , an independent research organization in New Orleans, the storm ultimately displaced more than 1 million people in the Gulf Coast region.

Political Fallout From Hurricane Katrina

In the wake of the storm's devastating effects, local, state and federal governments were criticized for their slow, inadequate response, as well as for the levee failures around New Orleans. And officials from different branches of government were quick to direct the blame at each other.

"We wanted soldiers, helicopters, food and water," Denise Bottcher, press secretary for then-Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Louisiana told the New York Times . "They wanted to negotiate an organizational chart."

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin argued that there was no clear designation of who was in charge, telling reporters, “The state and federal government are doing a two-step dance."

President George W. Bush had originally praised his director of FEMA, Michael D. Brown, but as criticism mounted, Brown was forced to resign, as was the New Orleans Police Department Superintendent. Louisiana Governor Blanco declined to seek re-election in 2007 and Mayor Nagin left office in 2010. In 2014 Nagin was convicted of bribery, fraud and money laundering while in office.

The U.S. Congress launched an investigation into government response to the storm and issued a highly critical report in February 2006 entitled, " A Failure of Initiative ."

Changes Since Katrina

The failures in response during Katrina spurred a series of reforms initiated by Congress. Chief among them was a requirement that all levels of government train to execute coordinated plans of disaster response. In the decade following Katrina, FEMA paid out billions in grants to ensure better preparedness.

Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers built a $14 billion network of levees and floodwalls around New Orleans. The agency said the work ensured the city's safety from flooding for the time. But an April 2019 report from the Army Corps stated that, in the face of rising sea levels and the loss of protective barrier islands, the system will need updating and improvements by as early as 2023.

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Katrina, One Year Later: Three Perspectives

This collection of three photographic essays documenting the 2006 Mississippi Gulf Coast offers multiple perspectives on Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. Bruce West, Todd Bertolaet, and David Wharton traveled to Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Biloxi, Waveland, and points in between uncovering the new post-Hurricane Katrina environment.

Photographer Bruce West's Statement

Two summers ago, my friend and colleague, David Wharton, Director of Documentary Studies at the University of Mississippi's Center for the Study of Southern Culture, asked me to participate in a photographic project documenting the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, exactly one year after Hurricane Katrina had touched down. The Katrina, One Year Later project would feature the work of David Wharton, Todd Bertolaet from Florida A&M University, and me. My immediate and enthusiastic response to David's invitation was motivated by my own curiosity (what would the coast look like one year later, how much work had been accomplished by various government agencies, was it really as bad as portrayed by the media, etc.), and my desire as an artist to somehow acknowledge and perhaps contribute in a positive manner to healing the loss and suffering that this great catastrophe entailed. Since I had been photographing in the state of Mississippi for over twelve years (mostly in the Delta and surrounding regions), I felt a special obligation to give something back in exchange for the many gifts of beauty and insight bestowed upon me over the years. Since I have largely photographed in a solitary fashion for many years, I was also intrigued by the creative and synergistic possibilities of working on a collaborative project with other photographers.

Before commencing this project, I did have one reservation: the fear of exploiting the suffering of others — a concern that was shared by both of my colleagues. The influx of so many photographers to the Gulf Coast and New Orleans immediately after Hurricane Katrina seemed callous and opportunistic to me. Photographing one year later, however, avoided such problems by placing our work in a somewhat historical context.

While I was obviously aware of the plethora of media accounts and images of Katrina's devastation, I was still amazed and overwhelmed when I actually saw the Gulf Coast. Collapsed buildings, empty foundations, and personal effects scattered throughout the landscape stood as silent testimony to the destruction. Several of my photographs ( Destroyed Aquarium , Collapsed Building between Gulfport and Biloxi , and Destroyed Condominiums ) reflect this awestruck appreciation of nature's power. Some of my other images, however, grow out of an attempt to relate to this tragedy on a more personal and intimate level, to show how Katrina touched the lives of specific yet unknown individuals. Photographs such as Church Interior, Interior of Firehouse Saloon, and Last Objects , Left on Porch of Evacuated House address particular issues of loss—the loss of a place to worship and pray; the loss of a place to socialize, drink, and have fun; the loss of personal possessions, including family snapshots.

Map of Mississippi Coastal Damage after Hurricane Katrina, September 2005

About Bruce West

Bruce West is a Professor in the Department of Art and Design at Missouri State University. He has received a number of awards for his photographic work including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ford Foundation for the Arts, and the Polaroid Corporation. His photographs are included in numerous public and corporate collections such as The Library of Congress, Saint Louis Art Museum, The Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum Ludwig, and the Paine Webber Corporation. Recent exhibitions include Acts of Faith at The Noorderlicht Photofestival in Groningen, The Netherlands; Contemporary American Photograph y at the Internationale Fototage in Mannheim, Germany; and Recent Acquisitions in Photography at The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. West was a featured speaker at the Midwest Conference of the Society for Photographic Education in 1994, the Delta Blues Conference sponsored by Arkansas State University in 2001, and the National Conference of the Society for Photographic Education in 2003. Recent publications include "Delta Blues" in the August 2005 issue of Foto Magazin , The Next Generation: Contemporary Expressions of Faith (William B. Eerdmans Publishing), and Internationale Fototage 7 (Edition Panorama). His series of photographs, Spiritual Advisor to the World , will be exhibited at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Museum in 2008.

Photographer Todd Bertolaet's Statement

For me, even though I live in Florida, hurricanes were something that happened to other communities and to other people. That changed in the summer of 2004 when Charley, Francis, Ivan, and Jeanne came to visit. Although my community was not hit directly by these hurricanes, everyone in Tallahassee was affected by them and the anxiety of not knowing where they would land. Having lived in the area for several years, my family and I had developed a fairly large network of friends in north Florida. In the summer of 2004 our network was in constant touch about who would be evacuating to where and coming to stay with whom. Hurricane Ivan was the storm that affected me the most.

After Ivan hit the Pensacola area friends called me to come over, not to photograph the aftermath but to bring over supplies and help make repairs on homes. Over a period of months I traveled from Tallahassee to Pensacola several times to help repair roofs, clear downed trees, repair hurricane walls, etc. During the down times, in between repair projects, I would go out and photograph. Along the beach and up the lagoons the devastation was severe. One late afternoon I was photographing in the Grand Lagoon subdivision when a woman in a silver car sped up to me, nearly hitting me in her approach. She rolled down her window and abruptly asked what I was doing. Usually I would be put off by such force and forwardness, but almost unthinkingly I responded to her by saying that I had appreciated all that she and her family had gone through, that I was not there as a representative of the media, or an insurance company, but rather I was photographing for historical purposes, and if she wished for me to pack up my cameras and leave I would do so. After I said that she broke into tears, then got out of her car and began to tell me about the storm. She made me promise to photograph her house before I left for the evening. After she left I went to her house. All that remained was the concrete slab and the front door in its frame propped up by two flowerpots in which she had just planted new flowers. Earlier she had told me that she and her neighbors were bound and determined to return and rebuild, that it wasn't so much Ivan that had killed their spirits but the storm of paperwork raining down on them from insurance companies and other bureaucracies. Everywhere I went to photograph in the months that followed I would look out over the devastation and wonder why anyone would come back after experiencing this.

When David Wharton asked if I would be interested in photographing the Mississippi Coast with him and Bruce West on the one year anniversary of Katrina's landfall, I agreed, not telling him that I had already reached Hurricane-anxiety overload months earlier. It had been a few years since I had visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast and this would be a good way to see the significance of Katrina's imprint, especially being that a year had elapsed since landfall. My oldest daughter accompanied me. The days that David, my daughter Emma, and I spent photographing the coastal communities were dreadfully hot and humid with a haze that didn't burn off until mid morning. Even a year after Katrina's landfall there were still areas that had not been cleaned up and others where restoration had begun and then been abandoned. We photographed and spoke with optimistic people who pledged they were going to rebuild. All during this time a familiar question — one that had been with me when I photographed the wake of Ivan — crept back into my thoughts: why would anyone want to come back here to live after having their lives so torn apart?

About Todd Bertolaet

Todd Bertolaet is professor of photography and the photography program coordinator at Florida A&M University, where he has taught since 1986. He is the author of Crescent Rivers: Waterways of Florida's Big Bend (University Press of Florida, 1998). He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography, three Individual Artist Fellowships from the State of Florida, and numerous Knight Foundation faculty development grants. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines and exhibited throughout the United States. His most recent project, Southern Autographics , incorporates hand-written drawings and text with photographic imagery to create narratives of historical, environmental, and personal significance. Many of his pieces are photographic collages that juxtapose the South's once-natural landscape with images of how human activity has altered that landscape. Bertolaet's drawings and texts, hand-written in white ink on the photographs black margins, are variously wry, poignant, and tongue-in-cheek disingenuous. The result is a body of work that is unfailingly beautiful and often funny and sad at the same time.

Photographer David Wharton's Statement

I didn't go to the Gulf Coast to photograph in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Part of me wanted to — or, more accurately, felt that I should — in order to "document" what was happening there. A larger part, however, was stunned by the enormity of the storm and knew that any such effort on my part would pale beside the actualities of what the region's residents were going through. Before long, of course, it became obvious that my not photographing there didn't matter. In the days and weeks after Katrina countless visual images of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast — some of them genuinely heart-rending, others gratuitously spectacular — were circulated worldwide via television broadcasts, newspaper and magazine articles, and the internet. The last thing the Gulf Coast needed in the wake of Katrina was another photographer.

The situation in New Orleans grabbed most of the world's attention. Images of a major American city in the midst of catastrophe — bodies floating in the floodwaters, people huddled on rooftops and highway overpasses, the grisly situation at the Superdome, the ever-increasing levels of chaos, and the unbelievably slow official response — made for exciting television, and the media could not gather enough such images or feed them to the news-consuming public fast enough. At the same time, however, conditions along the entire eighty-mile length of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where Katrina had come ashore with a twenty-eight-foot storm surge that had destroyed nearly everything in its path, were horrific as well. Hundreds of people were dead or missing. Those who had survived the storm had lost the physical underpinnings of their lives: their homes were gone, there was no electricity, communication and transportation systems were down, and there was very little in the way of food or water. At any other time, the situation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast would have been the focus of national attention. Given what was happening in New Orleans, though, the destruction of such Mississippi communities as Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, and Biloxi was relegated to secondary status in the public consciousness. Over the weeks and months that followed, this developed into something of a sore point for many Mississippians. The damage to their stretch of the Gulf Coast was more fundamental and longer lasting than what had occurred in New Orleans, they believed, yet relatively few people were paying much attention.

Whether they were right about that is, of course, arguable, and, in the long run, immaterial. More to the point was the fact that everything along the beach and for hundreds of yards inland had been destroyed, meaning that eighty miles of oceanfront would have to be rebuilt from the ground up, a process that would fundamentally redefine life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The pressing questions about Hurricane Katrina in regard to Mississippi were not "what happened?" and "why?" Instead, they were "what is going to happen?" and "how long will it take?"

About David Wharton

David Wharton is Director of Documentary Studies and Assistant Professor of Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture. He is the author of The Soul of a Small Texas Town: Photographs Memories, and History from McDade (University of Oklahoma Press, 2000). He has an MFA in photography and a PhD in American Studies, both from the University of Texas at Austin. Since coming to Mississippi in 1999, he has worked on a number of photographic projects, including "Local Legacies: the First Monday Sale and Trade Days in Ripley, Mississippi," "Old Ways: Church and Family," "Into the Twenty-First Century: Oxford's Second Baptist Church," and "Reconstructing Oxford: Development and Change." He is currently working on a book-length project about the evolving cultural and social landscapes of the Deep South. His photographs have been exhibited throughout the United States, in group exhibitions in Latin America and Europe, and are featured on several sites on the World Wide Web.

http://www.photosfromkatrina.com/

Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_Hurricane_Katrina_on_Mississippi

FEMA: Mississippi Hurricane Katrina http://www.fema.gov/disaster/1604?page=31%2C0%2C0

Hurricane Digital Memory Bank http://www.hurricanearchive.org/

Hurricane Katrina/Gulf Coast Recovery Hurricane Katrina/Gulf Coast Recovery

NBPC: Katrina Film Project http://web.archive.org/web/20110715023637/http://nbpc-online.com/webcasts/katrina/

Print Materials

Boyer, Peter J. "Gone With the Surge." The New Yorker (September 26, 2005), 76. check online archive

Brinkley, Douglas. The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast . New York: WIlliam Morrow, 2006.

Horne, Jed. Breach of Faith: Hurrican Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City . New York: Random House, 2006

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Hurricane Katrina Case Study

Hurricane Katrina is tied with Hurricane Harvey (2017) as the costliest hurricane on record. Although not the strongest in recorded history, the hurricane caused an estimated $125 billion worth of damage. The category five hurricane is the joint eight strongest ever recorded, with sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h).

The hurricane began as a very low-pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The system strengthened, forming a hurricane that moved west, approaching the Florida coast on the evening of the 25th August 2005.

A satellite image of Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina was an extremely destructive and deadly Category 5 hurricane. It made landfall on Florida and Louisiana, particularly the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas, in August 2005, causing catastrophic damage from central Florida to eastern Texas. Fatal flaws in flood engineering protection led to a significant loss of life in New Orleans. The levees, designed to cope with category three storm surges, failed to lead to catastrophic flooding and loss of life.

What were the impacts of Hurricane Katrina?

Hurricane Katrina was a category five tropical storm. The hurricane caused storm surges over six metres in height. The city of New Orleans was one of the worst affected areas. This is because it lies below sea level and is protected by levees. The levees protect the city from the Mississippi River and Lake Ponchartrain. However, these were unable to cope with the storm surge, and water flooded the city.

$105 billion was sought by The Bush Administration for repairs and reconstruction in the region. This funding did not include potential interruption of the oil supply, destruction of the Gulf Coast’s highway infrastructure, and exports of commodities such as grain.

Although the state made an evacuation order, many of the poorest people remained in New Orleans because they either wanted to protect their property or could not afford to leave.

The Superdome stadium was set up as a centre for people who could not escape the storm. There was a shortage of food, and the conditions were unhygienic.

Looting occurred throughout the city, and tensions were high as people felt unsafe. 1,200 people drowned in the floods, and 1 million people were made homeless. Oil facilities were damaged, and as a result, the price of petrol rose in the UK and USA.

80% of the city of New Orleans and large neighbouring parishes became flooded, and the floodwaters remained for weeks. Most of the transportation and communication networks servicing New Orleans were damaged or disabled by the flooding, and tens of thousands of people who had not evacuated the city before landfall became stranded with little access to food, shelter or basic necessities.

The storm surge caused substantial beach erosion , in some cases completely devastating coastal areas.

Katrina also produced massive tree loss along the Gulf Coast, particularly in Louisiana’s Pearl River Basin and among bottomland hardwood forests.

The storm caused oil spills from 44 facilities throughout southeastern Louisiana. This resulted in over 7 million US gallons (26,000 m 3 ) of oil being leaked. Some spills were only a few hundred gallons, and most were contained on-site, though some oil entered the ecosystem and residential areas.

Some New Orleans residents are no longer able to get home insurance to cover them from the impact of hurricanes.

What was the response to Hurricane Katrina?

The US Government was heavily criticised for its handling of the disaster. Despite many people being evacuated, it was a very slow process. The poorest and most vulnerable were left behind.

The government provided $50 billion in aid.

During the early stages of the recovery process, the UK government sent food aid.

The National Guard was mobilised to restore law and order in New Orleans.

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Introduction: Hurricanes

By John Pickrell

4 September 2006

Cyclone Catarina near Brazil seen from the International Space Station on 26 March, 2004

(Image: NASA)

A hurricane is a fiercely powerful rotating tropical storm that is 200 to 2000 kilometres across. Hurricanes have a calm central region of low pressure between 20 and 100 kilometres across, known as the eye . They occur in tropical regions around the world, and are called typhoons in south-east Asia and the Pacific, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Australia.

The term hurricane is derived from Huracan , the name of a Mayan storm god. Over its lifetime, one of these massive storms can release as much energy as a million Hiroshima nuclear bombs .

The brutality of each annual hurricane season shifts according to decadal variation , but there is now evidence to suggest global warming could be making hurricanes more frequent and unpredictable. As populations and economies grow along coastal regions, the damage from these storm is increasing .

In 2005, hurricane Katrina had a devastating impact on the Gulf Coast of the US, leaving a disaster zone of 230,000 square kilometres in its wake and causing damage estimated at $75 billion. Katrina whipped up sustained winds of 225 kilometres per hour and a 5- to 9-metre-high “storm surge” of sea water. The maelstrom tore through New Orleans’ flood defences and flooded 80% of the city . Thousands were killed or injured and more than half a million people were displaced in a humanitarian crisis not seen in the US since the great depression.

Forming a storm

The seed for hurricane formation is a cluster of thunderstorms over warm tropical waters. Hurricanes can only form and grow when sea-surface temperatures exceed 27°C and the surrounding atmosphere is calm. These requirements are met between June and November in the northern hemisphere. In Australia and the southern hemisphere, the cyclone season runs from October to May.

Under these conditions, large quantities of water evaporate and condense into clouds and rain – releasing heat in the process. It is this heat energy, combined with the rotation of the Earth, that drives a hurricane.

When the warm column of air from the sea surface first begins to rise, it causes an area of low pressure. This in turn creates wind as air is drawn into the area. This wind drags up more moisture-laden air from the sea surface in a positive feedback process that swells the storm. Cold air falls back to the ocean surface on the outside of the storm.

When wind speeds hit 37 kilometres per hour, these mild, wet and grey weather systems are called as tropical depressions . Hurricane Katrina formed in this way over the south-eastern Bahamas on 23 August 2005 and was labelled tropical depression 12 of that year.

If this process happens far enough from the equator – typically at latitudes of more than 10° – then the Coriolis force associated with the rotation of the Earth sets the massive weather system spinning, with winds spiralling in towards the centre.

The weather systems spin anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern. The rotation of the Earth also determines the direction in which these storms travel, so hurricanes in the north Atlantic move west towards Central and North America.

Categorically speaking

As winds increase to a sustained speed of 63 kilometres per hour, a tropical depression becomes a tropical storm . Such storms are then given a name – such as Charley , Frances , Gilbert, Isabel , Ivan , Jeanne or Mitch – which cycle through the alphabet each year.

A tropical storm becomes a category 1 hurricane (or cyclone or typhoon) when winds reach sustained speeds of 120kph. A hurricane becomes category 2 when sustained winds hit 154kph, category 3 at 179kph, category 4 at 210 kph, and finally the most devastating variety, category 5 , when wind speeds hit 250kph.

Category 5 hurricanes rarely make it to land – 2005’s Katrina briefly achieved category 5 status, but diminished slightly before landfall. This University of Wisconsin-Madison animation of infrared satellite images shows how hurricane Katrina grew in power as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricanes are characterised by high winds, torrential rain and sometimes tornadoes . These conditions cause massive damage to buildings and infrastructure and create flash floods , mudslides and storm surges of sea water. Storm surges are huge tsunami-like waves resulting from the acutely low pressure at the eye of the hurricane. The low pressure draws in water, raising sea levels by up to 4 metres. Hurricanes may even trigger weak earthquakes and set the Earth vibrating.

Hurricanes can also contain very tall clouds called hot towers that stretch up to the ceiling of the troposphere. Hurricanes can continue to grow in size and ferocity as long as they are over warm waters but in reality they rarely persist for more than a few weeks. As soon as they travel inland, their power diminishes rapidly , as they can no longer draw up warm, damp air from the sea – they run out of steam, or water vapour at least.

Climate linked

The storm season of 2005 was the busiest since records began in 1928: 26 tropical storms formed in the north Atlantic, 12 more than 2004 .

Fourteen of these – including Beta , Dennis , Emily , Epsilon , Ophelia , Rita and Stan – became hurricanes, setting another record as three developed to category 5. Wilma was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the north Atlantic.

The hurricane season in 2005 was remarkable in other ways too. An unusual south Pacific hurricane battered the coasts of Guatemala and El Salvador in May – the first ever to strike from the direction of the Pacific. More of a surprise was hurricane Catarina , the first ever known to come from the southern Atlantic – a place the textbooks claim is too cool for hurricanes to form.

Hurricane activity was predicted to be above average in 2006 as well.

This burst of activity has fuelled speculation that climate change may be responsible. There has been a string of studies suggesting that hurricanes have become more intense , powerful and unpredictable in the last 30 years – and that this is not just down to normal decadal variation in storm activity.

One controversial study argues that the number of intense hurricanes worldwide has almost doubled over the past 35 years and it pins the blame on rising sea-surface temperatures. As the world warms, the amount of sea surface that exceeds the 27°C required to spawn a hurricane will increase – but a lot of other factors are also required for hurricanes to form, so experts are not sure what the future holds .

If hurricanes do become more frequent and intense, we might be able to find ways to mitigate their effects or even modify the weather . Possible methods include sending them off course , using water-absorbent powder to mop up clouds , coating the sea surface with fish oil or surfactants to stop warm water evaporating, and even zapping the colder streams of air in hurricanes and tornadoes with microwaves to disrupt their structure.

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How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

Catch your reader’s attention.
Give background on your topic.
Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

Braille was an extremely important invention.
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly why the topic is important.

The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

Historical, geographical, or social context
An outline of the debate you’re addressing
A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

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Discover proofreading & editing

As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

Argumentative
Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
False cause fallacy
Sunk cost fallacy

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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 30, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/introduction/

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Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles Essay

Introduction, incident management principles.

This paper provides information about the possible implementation of four principles of incident management in the example of Hurricane Katrina. It investigates their applicability to the emergency case and suggests the methods of their utilization, as well as reflects on the outcomes of their execution. The paper concludes that proper mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery measures may prevent and decrease the risks of adverse consequences of catastrophes.

The categorization of incident management principles serves as a guide for the prediction of damages and complications and prioritization of activities aimed to manage the adverse consequences (Huang & Xiao, 2015). During Katrina, these measures were not appropriately implemented, which led to severe outcomes. For example, the evacuations were not performed properly, the elements of the National Response Plan were executed ineffectively, and the Department of Homeland Security was not prepared for the catastrophe; there was a lack of communication and control (Davis, 2006). The proper implementation of incident management principles could have eliminated such consequences.

The primary objective of the mitigation principle is to reduce the risks of possible disaster and prevent its adverse consequences (Whybark, 2015). The utilization of this measure could have included research about the management of other similar disasters and the effectiveness of the measures taken. Analysis of previous achievements in the incident administration would have allowed for the adaption of several mitigation measures including the improvement of levees’ construction techniques and establishing building codes.

It is also crucial to develop early warning and crisis communication systems to prevent the terrible outcomes of the catastrophe (Kienzler, Pech, Kreibich, Müller, & Thieken, 2015). In the case of Katrina, such measures could have improved the situational awareness, and the response efforts would have been more effective, resulting in a decrease in losses.

Moreover, it might have been useful to assess the communities’ vulnerability to severe winds and floods and develop measures for improvement of the situation. As a mitigation measure, the government could have encouraged architectural design and roof shape standards to increase their resistance to strong winds. The states could have improved the location or the design of power lines to provide an uninterrupted electricity supply for shelters and hospitals in case the incident occurs. This measure could have prevented the power cut in Mississippi and severe wind and water damages.

Preparedness

The terrible consequences caused by Hurricane Katrina could have been decreased if staff had received proper emergency training before the catastrophe. As a measure of preparedness, it would have been necessary to provide educational programs for the police, medical professionals, firefighters, and other personnel involved in future incident management. Moreover, as the government had been aware of the coming catastrophe several days before it occurred, it would have been effective to rehearse evacuation plans. Arranging timely distribution of equipment and supply kits to possibly affected areas before the catastrophe would have reduced the number of preventable deaths.

Private preparedness may play a crucial role in the management of the consequences of the catastrophe as well (Kienzler et al., 2015). For example, before the emergency, the government could have informed individuals about possible precautionary methods. These include the adaption of building use and furnishing and purchasing water barriers, as well as stressing the significance of evacuation in case of emergency (Kienzler et al., 2015). It is crucial to note that during the hurricane, many people assumed that they would not be affected by it, which reveals the problem of risk perception. To ensure a high level of preparedness, it would have been necessary to increase the level of awareness of the population.

The effective response measures imply the implementation of preparedness principles. For example, the report shows that many people decided to stay at home during the outbreak of the hurricane, which caused many preventable deaths (Davis, 2006). It could have been the result of the lack of communication between the government and the population. The situation might have been improved if ineffective coordination of the Department of Homeland security during the hurricane would have been prevented. Moreover, to implement proper response measures, the National Guard and active-duty forces should have joined their efforts to control the situation. It would have prevented their disintegration and contributed to the states’ faster reaction to the catastrophe.

Recovery measures taken by the states were effective for supporting the quality of life of the community after the incident. However, the efforts of the government could have been improved. For example, the states could have established long-term care and treatment programs for affected individuals, including those who had limited insurance coverage. Also, it would have been effective to implement financial assistance centers and programs to ensure that the population can improve their living conditions after the catastrophe.

Hurricane Katrina is a catastrophe that caused much damage and many unnecessary losses. It could have been improved by the timely implementation of four incident management principles that include mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Their utilization could have enhanced the government’s ability to arrange the plans of emergency supply, develop better communication between the authorities and the population, and raise the individuals’ awareness of the risks. To prevent the adverse outcomes of future incidents, it is necessary to address the results of incident management and consider them.

Davis, T. (2006). A failure of initiative. Final report of the select bipartisan committee to investigate the preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina . Web.

Huang, Q., & Xiao, Y. (2015). Geographic situational awareness: Mining tweets for disaster preparedness, emergency response, impact, and recovery. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information , 4 (3), 1549-1568. Web.

Kienzler, S., Pech, I., Kreibich, H., Müller, M., & Thieken, A. H. (2015). After the extreme flood in 2002: Changes in preparedness, response and recovery of flood-affected residents in Germany between 2005 and 2011. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences , 15 (3), 505-526.

Whybark, D. C. (2015). Co-creation of improved quality in disaster response and recovery. International Journal of Quality Innovation , 1 (1), 3. Web.

Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 8). Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles. https://ivypanda.com/essays/hurricane-katrina-and-incident-management-principles/

"Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles." IvyPanda , 8 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/hurricane-katrina-and-incident-management-principles/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles'. 8 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles." February 8, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/hurricane-katrina-and-incident-management-principles/.

1. IvyPanda . "Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles." February 8, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/hurricane-katrina-and-incident-management-principles/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles." February 8, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/hurricane-katrina-and-incident-management-principles/.

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Introduction. Hurricane Katrina resulted in massive loss of life and billions of dollars in property damage. There are many lessons worth learning from this event. Finger pointing started before the event was over. Most of the focus on Hurricane Katrina was on its impact on New Orleans; however, the storm ravaged a much wider area than that.
Hurricane Katrina Stats: Path and Intensity Essay
In the last one hundred years, hurricanes have led to the flooding of New Orleans 6 times. The flooding occurred in 1915, 1940, 1947, 1965, 1969 and 2005. The region still remains susceptible to hurricanes. New Orleans is always on the path of hurricanes. Virtually, half of the city is above sea level. Prior to the occurrence of Katrina, the ...
Introduction: Hurricanes
In 2005, hurricane Katrina had a devastating impact on the Gulf Coast of the US, leaving a disaster zone of 230,000 square kilometres in its wake and causing damage estimated at &dollar;75 billion ...
How to Write an Essay Introduction
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Hurricane Katrina and Incident Management Principles Essay
Conclusion. Hurricane Katrina is a catastrophe that caused much damage and many unnecessary losses. It could have been improved by the timely implementation of four incident management principles that include mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Their utilization could have enhanced the government's ability to arrange the plans ...