Extreme weather event: Hurricane Katrina

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Basic Facts

  • Date: August 25-29th 2005 
  • Hit Florida first but also effect New Orleans and Mississippi
  • Category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico and 4 in New Orleans 
  • Costliest hurricane on record 
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Effects

  • 80% of New Orleans flooded 
  • 1400 died
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Causes

  • Low pressure area developed as a storm
  • Esculated to a hurricane 
  • picked up energy over the Gulf of Mexico
  • Storm surge due to low pressure
  • Broke levees built to withstand category 3
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Management

  • Had to rebuild levees so they could now withstand a category 4 storm
  • The immediate response was poor as people didnt realise the damage  
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Social

  • Poorer people could not evacuate, stuck in superdrome where there was no power and people attacked
  • People not insured
  • Elderly died due to no air conditioning or medicines 
  • House's were looted
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Environmental

  • Pollution due to flooding
  • Fires and explosions 
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Economic

  • $108 billion cost 
  • Business closed as they couldn't afford to re-open
  • Rebuilding the levees
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