Hurricane Katrina

Author and Page information

• by Anup Shah
• This Page Last Updated Sunday, November 13, 2005

• This page: http://www.globalissues.org/article/564/hurricane-katrina.
• To print all information e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links, use the print version:
  • http://www.globalissues.org/print/article/564

Hurricane Katrina was a devastating category 4 hurricane, that hit the Gulf of Mexico and various Southern regions of the United States at the end of August, 2005, causing some of the worst damage in that country’s history, estimated at $100 billion.

The famous New Orleans city and surrounding areas were worst hit as much of it sits some 6 feet below sea level. City defenses, such as levees, only designed for category 3 type hurricanes, gave way, leading to enormous flooding and associated damage, death and displacement of around 100,000 people who either chose to say the course, or could not afford to flee.

The BBC details some of the numbers:

• 90,000 square mile disaster zone — equivalent to area of Great Britain
• 10,000 originally feared dead — revised down by government
• 60 nations have offered aid as well as UN, NATO and WHO
• 13 states now have a state of emergency in force