Two case studies of Tropical Revolving Storms from contrasting parts of the world...
Location
Date
Size
Death toll
Impacts – you could
classify these –
short/long,
env/econ/social...
Hurricane Katrina
Mississippi Gulf Coast of the USA
Hit Louisiana on 29 August
23 – 29th August 2005
Developed over SE Bahamas
Category 4, intensified to category 5
Winds up to 345km.hr, central pressure of 902mb
It had weakened to category 3 when it hit US coastline but
intensity was such that it caused devastation as it passed
through the Mississippi Gulf Coast (area size of the UK!)
Peaks of 380mm of rainfall recorded
Massive storm surges, up to 10m high in places
1, 833 including 1577 fatalities in Louisiana, 238 in Mississippi, –
the number of direct fatalities is highly uncertain and the true
number will probably not ever be known.
5 million without power for up to 2 months in places
1 million people lost their homes
Levees breached at New Orleans – 80% city deluged – over 50%
of houses flooded and many were too badly damaged to repair
Looting
$200billion estimated damage
Oil rigs and refineries damaged – price of oil increased – global
effects
Over 5000 km of forest lands destroyed – costing forestry
industry $150 billion
Devastating coastal erosion – Dauphin Island was shifted inland
Breeding grounds for marine mammals, birds and fish were lost
as 20% of marshlands were flooded
Tourism revenue fell in New Orleans as famous French Quarter
was devastated.
Typhoon Haiyan
B
Immediate Response
Long Term Response
Businesses, especially insurance companies. issued profit
warnings to shareholders
thousands of lost jobs and millions of dollars in lost tax revenues
for the impacted communities and states
Pollution – e.g. Lake Pontchartrain was used as a store for the
polluted water from New Orleans – containing raw sewage,
heavy metals, pesticides and oil.
The official track forecasts for Katrina issued within about two
and a half days of landfall of the center in Louisiana were
exceptionally accurate and consistent.
2 days prior to landfall President Bush declared state of
emergency in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi
FEMA made preparations, including providing refrigerated
trucks for anticipated dead.
1 day before landfall Mayor ordered that New Orleans should be
evacuated – 150000 remained.- they were offered the Louisiana
Superdrome as a protective shelter and food supplies for 3 days
were delivered
National Guard deployed to secure New Orleans from looting
Provision of clean water, medical care and food supplies
Criticism of the government’s role – many believed poorer, black
people were perceived as lower status and government has
responded slowly
$10 billion of aid from the US government and another $51
million form Federal funds were made available for repair
Public donated $1.8 billion
International aid from 70 countries – e.g. Kuwait donated
$500m
Rehousing – 75% stayed within 400km, tens of thousands of
refugees were relocated over 1000km from home
People returned to New Orleans, by Jan 2006 its population was
still less than half.
Insurance premiums rose or became unavailable in some areas
The forecasting of the National Hurricane Center was reviewed.