THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES HURRICANES EACH YEAR HURRICANES EACH YEAR

REMEMBERING THE HURRICANE REMEMBERING THE HURRICANE KATRINA DISASTER: KATRINA DISASTER: AUGUST 29-30, 2005AUGUST 29-30, 2005

THE THE 29-30 AUGUST 2005 29-30 AUGUST 2005 HURICANE CAUSED A HURICANE CAUSED A

DISASTERDISASTER IN NEW IN NEW ORLEANS AND PARTS OF ORLEANS AND PARTS OF THE GULF COAST OF THE THE GULF COAST OF THE

USAUSA

THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES HURRICANES EACH YEAR HURRICANES EACH YEAR

HURRICANE TRACKS: HURRICANE TRACKS: 1851-20041851-2004

ETUDE

HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED THE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES THE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES IN A HURRICANE PRONE AREAIN A HURRICANE PRONE AREA

OF OF NOTNOT BEING HURRICANE BEING HURRICANE DISASTER RESILIENTDISASTER RESILIENT

FACTORS THAT ONCE MADE FACTORS THAT ONCE MADE LOUISIANA’S COAST RESILIENT LOUISIANA’S COAST RESILIENT

By 1900, the Louisiana coast was a By 1900, the Louisiana coast was a 15,500 square km (6,000 square 15,500 square km (6,000 square mile) swath of swamp, marsh, and mile) swath of swamp, marsh, and barrier islands that made it more barrier islands that made it more resilientresilient to the winds, rain, and to the winds, rain, and storm surge of a hurricane.storm surge of a hurricane.

THE WORKS OF MAN REDUCED THE WORKS OF MAN REDUCED LOUIISIANA’S RESILIENCELOUIISIANA’S RESILIENCE

Levees built in the 1930’s by the US Army Levees built in the 1930’s by the US Army Corps of Engineers did end spring floods,--- Corps of Engineers did end spring floods,---

ButBut, by the 1960’s, , by the 1960’s, a significant reduction in a significant reduction in hurricane resilience had occurred, because:hurricane resilience had occurred, because:

The US Army Corps of Engineers had also The US Army Corps of Engineers had also dredged 14 major dredged 14 major ship channelsship channels to inland to inland ports, ports, and and over many years, oil companies over many years, oil companies had cut countless had cut countless channelschannels for pipelines and for pipelines and access to oil wells.access to oil wells.

BY 2005 NEW ORLEANS WAS BY 2005 NEW ORLEANS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE VERY VULNERABLE CONSIDERED TO BE VERY VULNERABLE

TO HURRICANESTO HURRICANES

HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL,

PHYSICAL, AND HEALTH CARE PHYSICAL, AND HEALTH CARE VULNERABILITIES IN NEW VULNERABILITIES IN NEW

ORLEANS AND ALONG THE GULF ORLEANS AND ALONG THE GULF COASTCOAST

WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM HURRICANE KATRINA?HURRICANE KATRINA?

Hurricane Katrina exposed the startling Hurricane Katrina exposed the startling fact that the nation was unprepared to fact that the nation was unprepared to manage a disaster caused by the manage a disaster caused by the environmental extremes of a environmental extremes of a moderate moderate category hurricanecategory hurricane AND AND a major flooda major flood caused by breaches in 200 mile levee caused by breaches in 200 mile levee system that was not known to be so system that was not known to be so flawed, until flawed, until after post-disaster studies. after post-disaster studies.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST

90 % of the Gulf’ Coasts oil production was 90 % of the Gulf’ Coasts oil production was stopped by the stormstopped by the storm..

Insured losses reached $47 billion for Gulf Insured losses reached $47 billion for Gulf Coast and $27 for New Orleans, with actual Coast and $27 for New Orleans, with actual direct and indirect losses much higher and direct and indirect losses much higher and perhaps beyond definition for many years.perhaps beyond definition for many years.

It caused the It caused the worst financial crisis in New worst financial crisis in New Orleans’ and Louisiana’s historyOrleans’ and Louisiana’s history..

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST

Major cities (New Orleans, Biloxi, Bay St. Major cities (New Orleans, Biloxi, Bay St. Louis, etc) were closed for business.Louis, etc) were closed for business.

Millions of displaced people were unable to Millions of displaced people were unable to return for several months; some never return for several months; some never returned.returned.

Neighborhoods were destroyed.Neighborhoods were destroyed. Over Over 2,500,000 homes and businesses 2,500,000 homes and businesses

were without communications, power, were without communications, power, potable water, and sewage disposal. potable water, and sewage disposal.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST

No commercial airline flights for a short No commercial airline flights for a short period.period.

Rail systems destroyed.Rail systems destroyed. 500,000 homes destroyed.500,000 homes destroyed. 300 years of community infrastructure 300 years of community infrastructure

destroyed.destroyed. 500,000 jobs lost. 500,000 jobs lost.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST

Thousands of people and many animals Thousands of people and many animals were still awaiting rescue after 2 weeks. were still awaiting rescue after 2 weeks.

Thousands needed food, water, and shelter Thousands needed food, water, and shelter every day, which the American Red Cross every day, which the American Red Cross and many other cooperating organizations and many other cooperating organizations provided as quickly as possible for over 90 provided as quickly as possible for over 90 days.days.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANSKATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS

FLOODING, FLOODING, NOTNOT HIGH WINDS AND HIGH WINDS AND NOTNOT STORM SURGESTORM SURGE, INFLICTED MOST OF , INFLICTED MOST OF THE DEVASTATION IN NEW ORLEANS . THE DEVASTATION IN NEW ORLEANS .

80 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS 80 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS WAS WAS FLOODED FROM FOUR MAJOR AND FLOODED FROM FOUR MAJOR AND DOZENS OF SMALLER BREACHES IN DOZENS OF SMALLER BREACHES IN THE 200 MILE LEVEE SYSTEM.THE 200 MILE LEVEE SYSTEM.

OVER OVER 100,000 HOMES100,000 HOMES WERE WERE INUNDATED. INUNDATED.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON NEW ORLEANSKATRINA ON NEW ORLEANS

80 % of New Orleans was under water 80 % of New Orleans was under water after levees broke, releasing waters after levees broke, releasing waters from Lake Ponchartrain and canals into from Lake Ponchartrain and canals into downtown New Orleans.downtown New Orleans.

More than 1,000 people were rescued More than 1,000 people were rescued from roof tops of inundated houses by from roof tops of inundated houses by helicoptershelicopters

Many others were Many others were rescued by boats.rescued by boats.

IMPACT OF HURRICANE IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA ON NEW ORLEANSKATRINA ON NEW ORLEANS

In New Orleans, the school district laid In New Orleans, the school district laid off more than 7,000 teachers and off more than 7,000 teachers and staff, and large numbers of police. staff, and large numbers of police.

Six of the eight hospitals were Six of the eight hospitals were destroyed.destroyed.

KATRINA CAUSED AN KATRINA CAUSED AN INSURANCE NIGHTMAREINSURANCE NIGHTMARE

The insurance industry grappled with its The insurance industry grappled with its largest-ever loss and a record number of largest-ever loss and a record number of individual claims:individual claims:

1.6 million from Katrina, 1.6 million from Katrina, Another 1 million from hurricanes Rita Another 1 million from hurricanes Rita

and Wilma, which followed Katrinaand Wilma, which followed Katrina..

RECOVERY REQUIRED RECOVERY REQUIRED LEGISLATIVE ACTIONSLEGISLATIVE ACTIONS RECOVERY REQUIRED RECOVERY REQUIRED LEGISLATIVE ACTIONSLEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

TO MARSHAL AND TO MARSHAL AND INTEGRATE THE INTEGRATE THE COMMUNITY’S COMMUNITY’S STAPLE STAPLE FORCES,..FORCES,..

……WITH THE GOAL OF WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING MORE BECOMING MORE RESILIIENT TO RESILIIENT TO FUTURE FUTURE HURRICANES.HURRICANES.

TO MARSHAL AND TO MARSHAL AND INTEGRATE THE INTEGRATE THE COMMUNITY’S COMMUNITY’S STAPLE STAPLE FORCES,..FORCES,..

……WITH THE GOAL OF WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING MORE BECOMING MORE RESILIIENT TO RESILIIENT TO FUTURE FUTURE HURRICANES.HURRICANES.