Hurricane Katrina On August 29, 2005, the United States was hit by one of the deadliest hurricanes to ever hit land, Hurricane Katrina. An estimated 1,836 people died in the hurricane while millions of others were left homeless along the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans. Katrina was first only a category 1 hurricane, which is the lowest that a hurricane can be classified as. The hurricane then quickly started gaining strength and became a Category five storm by August 28. Katrina’s winds were blowing about 175 mph. Coping with the Hurricane As Katrina made it’s way to New Orleans it caused the collapse of the levees, which was built only to prevent flooding for a category 3 hurricane. Due to this, about 80% of the city of New Orleans was flooded. After the levees broke, the government did not have any plans put into effect that tried to resolve this issue. Although in New Orleans, the government asked the people to evacuate, this only occurred a day before the hurricane hit land. More than a million people fled the Gulf coast ahead of the hurricane. However, because of the short notice all the highways were jammed packed with cars trying to leave causing major traffic on all highways trying to leave the city. Those residents that did not have cars were not able to evacuate the city and had to go to the shelters provided. Many residents did not respond to the warnings to evacuate, which resulted in many rescue teams having to look out for people in their houses. Thousands of people sought refuge in the New Orleans Convention Center. In these shelters, there was limited access to clean water, medical supplies, and other emergency supplies. Those who were not able to evacuate found shelter in the New Orleans Convention Center. Due to the flooding, those people who didn’t evacuate were walking in dirty water and other hazardous substances. These people were in danger because of the fires and explosions that were occurring due to the electricity wires. The total property damage from Katrina was estimated to be $81 billion. Federal Emergency Management Agency Guidelines: Hurricanes Build an Emergency Kit, which includes food, water, and other supplies that are needed. Identify levees in your area and determine if they are in danger. Learn community evacuation routes. If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter. If an emergency evacuation is put into place make sure you evacuate. In case of an evacuation, make sure you and your family leave early enough. Take your pets with you and check on any elderly neighbors that may need a ride to evacuate.