Why was Fats Domino presumed dead in 2005?
What was the disaster event
that occurred? When and
where did it strike?
Who is Fats Domino?
Where did he live?
What are the significant
characteristics of that area?
Why did Fats stay there? What
happened to that area?
Hurricane Katrina formed over
the Bahamas on August 23,
2005.
Hurricane Katrina formed as a
result of extreme low pressure
in the Bahamas where ocean
temperatures had been
consistently above 26
degrees. Winds started to
form moving in a spiral and,
as the air pressure continued
to drop more air was sucked
in creating the vortex (whirl) of
the hurricane.
The most severe loss of life
and property damage
occurred in New Orleans,
Louisiana, which flooded as
the levee system
catastrophically failed.
What happened to Fats and why?
What would help Fats if this happened again in
New Orleans?
Fats Domino is an American R&B
and rock and roll pianist and
singer-songwriter. He was born
and raised in New Orleans
On September 1, Domino's
agent, Al Embry, announced
that he had not heard from the
musician since before the
hurricane had struck.
Although Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a
mandatory evacuation of the city, many
people refused to leave. Reasons included:
1. They thought their homes were
strong enough to weather the storm
2. Lack of money or access to
transportation
3. Wanting protect their property
4. The evacuation for Hurricane Ivan in
2005 had resulted in the illnesses of
many elderly people since cars were
stalled in traffic for six to ten hours.
Despite his wealth and success,
Fats Domino has always lived in
the neighbourhood he grew up in;
New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward.
Domino and his family waited
out the storm in the apartment,
fleeing when the water level
rose to about four-and-a-half
metres.
90% percent of the residents of southeast
Louisiana were evacuated in the most
successful evacuation of a major urban area
in the nation's history. Despite this, many
remained (mainly the elderly and poor). The
Louisiana Superdome was used as a
designated "refuge of last resort" for those
who remained in the city.
The Lower Ninth Ward is one of
New Orleans poorest districts
and is one of the most low-lying
areas of the city.
Someone thought Fats was
dead, and spray-painted a
message on his home, "RIP
Fats. You will be missed",
which was shown in news
photos.
The federal flood protection system in New
Orleans failed at more than fifty places.
Nearly every levee in metro New Orleans
was breached as Hurricane Katrina passed
just east of the city limits.
80% of the city was flooded.
At least 1,836 people lost
their lives in the actual
hurricane and in the
subsequent floods, making it
the deadliest U.S. hurricane
since the 1928 Okeechobee
Hurricane.
Nowhere in the city was the
devastation greater than in the
Lower 9th Ward. The force of the
water did not merely flood
homes, but smashed or knocked
many off their foundations.
When Hurricane Katrina was
approaching New Orleans in
August 2005, Fats was
encouraged to evacuate, but he
chose to stay at home with his
family, partly because of his
wife's poor health.
On Sept 1st CNN reported that
Domino was rescued by a
Coast Guard helicopter. The
Domino family was then taken
to a Baton Rouge shelter.
The United States Government has been
criticised for not responding quickly or
effectively enough to the hurricane.
Many who remained in their homes had to
swim for their lives, wade through deep
water, or remain trapped in their attics or on
their rooftops.