Overview:
- Category 5 hurricane dropped to category 3 or 4 when it hit land.
- Death toll over 1,000.
- Estimated damage of $120 Billion sets a record, surpassing the old record of $50 billion in 2005 dollars from Andrew (1992). Reconstruction costs could be up to $200 Billion.
- Main states affected Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Deaths in Florida also.
- Eye passes 10 mi. to the west of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, MS causing severe wind damage and flooding from a storm surge of up to 30 ft.. Many homes close to the gulf were swept away leaving no trace except the foundation.
- Electricity was lost for 1.5 - 2 million homes and businesses.
- Storm surge of 28-30 ft sets a record, surpassing Camille (1969), 24.6 feet.
- Over 20,000 of the estimated 50,000 to 100,000 New Orleans residents who remained or could not get out were sheltered in the SuperDome where part of the roof was blown off.
- Two levy breaks flooded 80% of the city of New Orleans much of which is below sea level.
- Many are forced into their attics as the water rises
- 100,000 people moved to the Houston Astrodome.
- The state of Texas is estimated to have taken 150,000 to 220,000 refugees.
- In the French Quarter, made up of Napoleonic-era buildings with wrought-iron balconies, the damage was relatively light. It is on higher ground and escaped most of the flooding.
- Most of the oil pipelines and refineries escaped major damage. The main problem is lack of electrical power for pumps and other equipment.
However, 20 oil rigs and platforms are missing in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Hurricane pushes oil past $70 US a barrel.
- At least two hazardous waste sites are underwater and it is unclear as to the types and quantities of chemical toxins that have been added to the bacteria in the flood waters from sewerage and other sources.
Timeline:
See Timelines at: indybay.org/
How to Help:
American Red Cross, (800) 435-7669 or (800) HELP-NOW.
Salvation Army
Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund
Catholic Charities, (800) 919-9338.
Home Video
Kennard Jackley rode out the storm in his house at 265 Carr Dr, Slidell LA, on the shore of lake Pontchartrain just north of New Orleans. He videotaped the storm and his neighbors houses floating away.
Purchase Video.
See Also:
"Assessment and Remediation of Public Health Impacts Due to Hurricanes and Major Flooding Events", Dec., 2004, Ivor Ll. van Heerden, Ph.D., Louisiana State University
Hurricane Katrina - Our Experiences,
First hand account of ordeal trying to get out of New Orleans by Paramedics Larry Bradshaw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky.
Map at MS NBC
Hurricane History
Return to Hurricanes
last updated 8 May 2006
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