Running Head: HURRICANE KATRINA
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Hurricane Katrina a Catastrophic Event
Dylan RITCHIE – 7704241
Faculty of Geological Sciences
University of Manitoba
April 2nd, 2013
GEOL 1410
Genevieve Ali
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Hurricane Katrina a Catastrophic Event
Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophic event that shattered the south east coast of the
United States of America. Hurricane Katrina is by large one of the world’s most destructive
hurricanes to occur with the last 100 years. Lives were taken, dreams were crushed, and the
future was desolate. This paper will explore the physical characteristics, travel path, immediate
and long term effects, precursor events, geographic extent, and the perspectives and
retrospectives from numerous sources. It will explore in depth the damage that was caused and
the measures taken to mitigate and prevent the destruction.
Travel Path of Hurricane Katrina
On August 23rd, 2005 one of the deadliest storms in the past 100 years began to form in
the southeastern Bahamas. It formed as the 12th tropical depression in the year of 2005 and
morphed into Tropical Storm Katrina the following day. While traveling northwesterly the
Tropical Storm Katrina only grew stronger. A couple of hours before landfall on the southern
peninsula of Florida at 6:30 EDT on August 25th the hurricane reached the strength of a category
1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricane Katrina cut a path through Hallandale Beach, and North
Miami Beach in Florida. At this time the wind speeds were calculated at 80 miles per hour with
gusts up to and exceeding 90 miles per hour (National Climatic Data Center, 2005). Upon
entering the Gulf of Mexico the cyclone moved nearly due westward over the waters. A midlevel ridge in the atmosphere located above central Texas weakened and slowly turned the path
of the storm northward. The conditions of the warm gulf waters and the surrounding atmosphere
were essential to the intensification of Hurricane Katrina. During the next couple of days
Hurricane Katrina only grew stronger. Furthermore, on August 26th the storm reached the status
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of a ‘major hurricane’. Hurricane Katrina continued to intensify and grow to a greater extent. On
August 28th the storm that began as a tropical depression, was pronounced a category 5
hurricane. The wind speeds recorded were up to 175 miles per hour, and the central pressure
dropped to 902 mb. This was the sixth lowest pressure central
pressure recorded to date. Hurricane Katrina was comparable
to the intensity of Hurricane Camille’s, but was greater in
size. Katrina’s hurricane force winds extended outward 105
miles and the tropical storm winds reached outward 230 miles
(Axel Graumann et al. P. 1 & 2, 2005). While Hurricane
Katrina was traveling across the Gulf of Mexico, the eye wall was breached to the south
southwest before reaching the coast on the morning of August 29th. Even though the breach had
diminishing effects on the storm, it still remained a category 3 hurricane. The landfall wind
speeds were recorded to be 125 miles per hour at Grand Isle, Louisiana with a central pressure to
be 920 mb. At landfall Hurricane Katrina was named a category 3 hurricane. Following the
landfall, Hurricane Katrina continued to the north northeast on its way inland continuously losing
intensity. Katrina lost its hurricane force winds upon reaching nearly 100 miles inland, but was
still classified as a tropical storm. In the following hours the tropical storm was reduced to a
tropical depression when nearing Clarkesville, Tennessee on the 30th of August (National
Climatic Data Center, 2005).
Effects of Hurricane Katrina
Kim Ann Zimmermann acknowledged that Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest
storms to ever hit the United States resulting in roughly 1800 casualties due to widespread
flooding and millions of others were left homeless. New Orleans and the Gulf Coast experienced
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the highest death toll (Kim Ann Zimmermann, p. 1, 2012). By far the most damaging aspect of
Hurricane Katrina was the flood of New Orleans. New Orleans is located near the Gulf Coast
and because of this experienced very large storm surges. Most of the surges along the Louisiana
coast were recorded to be 20 feet in height along the coast and some were identified to be 28 feet
high. In the New Orleans region the storm surges were recorded to be roughly 9 to 10 feet high
on average. Due to the sheer magnitude of the storm surges the levees protecting the city of New
Orleans were compromised and failed. The failure of the floodwalls and levees were of great
danger to the surrounding areas. New Orleans
saw a detrimental consequence of the breakage
of the levees and floodwalls and was flooded.
Katrina left 75% of New Orleans submerged.
Most parts of the city were under 7 to 9 feet of
water and some regions recorded a depth of 20
feet (Cauffman et al, p.3 & 4, 2006). Storm
surges and floods weren’t the only cause of
damage despite the fact that it was by far the
most destructive. The hurricane force winds
were powerful enough to rip shingles off homes,
blow sign and trees to their sides, and even push
some buildings down.
In response to the widespread destruction, countless shelters were put into action with
one of the most famous being the Superdome in New Orleans. The Superdome is the home to the
New Orleans Saints and is able to hold an immense amount of people. Also, the convention
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center was converted to a large evacuee shelter. Both provided shelter, food, and clean water but
due to the shear amount of evacuees the supplies couldn’t last. Resupply efforts couldn’t keep up
with the growing amount of refugees. Forty percent of the refugees in the shelters reported they
spent at least one day on the streets waiting to be rescued, and thirty four percent reported they
weren’t able to leave their homes for up to three days. Many of the refugees pronounced they did
not receive enough food, water, healthcare, antibiotics, and prescription medicine while in the
shelters. The National Guard was among the top organizations involved for the rescue of helpless
citizens along with the National Coast and the military. On the contrary organizations such as the
police and firefighters did not play a big role in the safety of the general public. A majority of the
people held in shelters and people rescued disapproved of the political actions and said that they
did not handle the situation appropriately (Brodie et al. 2006). Long term effects of Hurricane
Katrina still remain to this day. Families that have suffered casualties, people who have
contracted diseases, friends and even neighbours still classified as missing are all factors that
remain to this day. This illustrates some of the effects although many other effects including
physical, emotional, social, environmental and economical still remain present due to Hurricane
Katrina.
Post Disaster and Current Situation
Hurricane Katrina is still one of the most costly natural disasters to ever hit the United
States in the terms of economical, environmental and emotional to date. Katrina flooded most of
New Orleans due to the extensive amount of rainfall and the breach of levees. This is the main
reason the disaster was so economically and emotionally costly. Two out of every three homes
were completely submerged and beyond repair. Buildings, houses, bridges, roads, infrastructure
and even businesses were rendered useless causing an economical meltdown. In this critical time
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money was of large concern to buy fresh water, food, and supplies. Although money played a
key role in people’s lives at this time, some of society turned to looting and pillaging for their
own needs and wants. The criminal activities activated both the military and police in the effort
to seize the thievery. This only escalated the violence creating deadly gunfights between both
society, and against law officials (Kaufman, 2006). Hurricane Katrina arguably did the most
damage to the environment. The storm eroded away a tremendous amount of the coastal beaches,
and in turn destroyed the breeding grounds to many species, including turtles, fish, deer, mice,
squirrels and even some birds promoting the decrease in numbers of species. A variety of animal
refuges were also affected from the storm, forcing them to be closed. Reefs also took a
detrimental impact due to Hurricane Katrina; however reefs subject to natural and anthropogenic
disruptions may not have the ability to recover from such a blow (Ventrudo, 2006). Although the
damage caused from Hurricane Katrina was immense, countries from around the world made
helpful donations towards the clean up and repair of the shattered and devastated country.
Hurricane Katrina affected many lives during and after the natural disaster, but through many
combined efforts the people impacted are well on their way to recovery.
Conclusion
Hurricane Katrina was one of the most severe storms to have ever occurred in the United
States. It formed within the perfect conditions, allowing it to quickly climb to a category 5
hurricane. Katrina carries with it the legacy of one of the largest geographic storms, and the
lowest central pressures. As a result, Hurricane Katrina will be known as the storm that
obliterated the Gulf Coast.
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Rough references:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/reports/tech-report-200501z.pdf
http://www.livescience.com/22522-hurricane-katrina-facts.html\
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2005.084475
http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/investigations/pubs/NIST_TN_1476.pdf
http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org/kaufman/
http://www.merliannews.com/artman/publish/article_985.shtml
Picture references:
Pathway
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html
Comparison
http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-comparisons/mainmississippi.html
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