Hurricane Katrina effects by region

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This article covers the Hurricane Katrina effects by region, within the United States and Canada. The effects of Hurricane Katrina, in August 2005, were catastrophic and widespread. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. The storm was large and had an effect on several different areas of North America.

                                 

Contents 1 Florida 2 Louisiana     2.1 New Orleans 2.2 St. Tammany Parish 2.3 Jefferson Parish 2.4 Terrebonne Parish 2.5 Plaquemines Parish 2.6 St. Bernard Parish 2.7 Washington Parish 3 Mississippi 3.1 Hancock County 3.2 Harrison County 3.3 Jackson County 4 Alabama 5 Georgia 6 Other U.S. states and Canadian provinces 6.1 Arkansas 6.2 Kentucky 6.3 New York 6.4 North Carolina 6.5 Ohio 6.6 Ontario 6.7 Pennsylvania 6.8 Quebec 6.9 Tennessee 6.10 Texas 6.11 Virginia 6.12 West Virginia 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Florida

Katrina's first landfall was in South Florida, where it hit as a Category 1 hurricane. The damage was fairly minimal, and 11 fatalities were reported.^[1] More than 1 million customers were left without electricity, and damage in Florida was estimated at between $1 and $2 Billion (with most of the damage coming from flooding and overturned trees).

Two traffic fatalities related to Katrina were also reported on the Florida Panhandle in Walton County, and moderate to locally heavy damage was reported in the western part of the Panhandle (on the outer edge of Katrina), which had already been hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Dennis in July 2005.^[2]

[edit] Louisiana    

Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall on August 29, 2005, as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana. As such, the primary areas that were affected were southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, including the cities of New Orleans, Louisiana, and the parishes of St. Tammany, Jefferson, Terrebonne, Plaquemines, Lafourche, and St. Bernard.

According to officials nearly one million people were temporarily without electricity in Louisiana for several weeks. On September 1, 2005, 800,000 homes were without electricity. Numerous roadways were flooded or damaged and many evacuations conducted by boat and helicopter.

Approximately 18,000 National Guardsmen were dispatched to New Orleans as part of the disaster relief effort. The United States Navy also announced that four amphibious ships would be sent from Norfolk, Virginia within a few days to assist the relief efforts.

By July 1, 2006, when new population estimates were calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the state of Louisiana declined by 219,563, or 4.87%.^[3]

[edit] New Orleans

Main article: Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans

Although Mayor Ray Nagin did not order a mandatory evacuation of the city by August 29, 2005, many did not evacuate because the mayor said, If you want to leave you can.^[4] Approximately one million people had fled the city and its surrounding suburbs by the evening of August 28, while about 80,000 to 90,000 people remained in the city, with 10,000-12,000 taking shelter at the Louisiana Superdome.

By August 31, eighty percent (80%) of the city of New Orleans was flooded by Hurricane Katrina, with some parts of the city under 20 feet (6.1 meters) of water. Over 50 breaches in region's levee system were catalogued, five of which resulted in massive flooding of New Orleans. The 17th Street Canal levee was just south of the Hammond Highway Bridge. Levees around the London Avenue breached in two location, one near Robert E. Lee Boulevard and one near Mirabeau Avenue. Two breaches in the Industrial Canal resulted in a highly destructive and lethal flooding of the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood. Levee repair efforts were undertaken, involving reinforcing the levees with 3,000 pound (1,400 kg) sandbags deployed by U.S. Army Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters. The 17th Street Canal levee repair was completed by September 5.

Many refugees were trapped in flooded houses and rooftops waiting to be rescued. The Superdome sustained significant damage, including two sections of the roof that were compromised, and the dome's waterproof membrane had essentially been peeled off. On August 30, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco ordered the complete evacuation of the remaining people that sought shelter in the Superdome.^[1] They were transported to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.

The only route out of the city was west on the Crescent City Connection as the I-10 (twin span) bridge travelling east towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was also carrying emergency traffic only.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was closed before the storm and was flooded. By August 30, it was reopened to humanitarian and rescue operations. Commercial cargo flights resumed on September 10, and commercial passenger service resumed on September 13.

[edit] St. Tammany Parish

Katrina's western eyewall passed directly over Slidell, Louisiana, with winds gusting over 150 mph for long periods of time. Lakeshore Estates, Oak Harbor, Eden Isles and the homes, camps, marinas, lounges and restaurants along Highway 11, Lakeview Drive and Carr Drive were, for the most part, ruined by the storm surge. Before the water drained from the city, the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain was not found at Lakeview Drive but more than a mile away at Old Spanish Trail.

The Twin Spans of I-10 between Slidell and New Orleans East were virtually destroyed, and much of I-10 in New Orleans East was under water. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was open only to emergency traffic There was no access to Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard or Plaquemines—or any other southshore parish—through St. Tammany.

Inland, the wind ravaged the entire northshore. Trees and telephone poles were toppled parish-wide, opening new vistas into many a home which had never had a skylight before, and blocking rural dirt roads and interstate highways alike. On Tuesday, August 30, St. Tammany Parish announced that the parish was closed, and asked residents who had evacuated not to return until further notice.

There was no electricity or water service anywhere in the parish. Gas leaks were reported parish-wide. Hospitals are running on generators and are at capacity. Ambulance services are only responding to life-threatening emergencies.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed 4,652 St. Tammany houses and caused major damage to 9,353 houses in the parish.

[edit] Jefferson Parish

The breach on the 17th Street Canal levee caused mostly insevere street flooding within Jefferson Parish. But some lower lying areas did receive significant water damage, especially on the East Bank.

The Sheriff of Jefferson Parish reported that he expected his district to remain uninhabitable for at least one week and that residents should not return to the area. Incidents of looting have been reported throughout affected areas of Louisiana, most notably in New Orleans. Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco ordered all roadways into the state closed.

By one week after the storm, residents were allowed to return to their homes to retrieve essentials, provided that they could present identification proving that they lived in the parish. They were only allowed in to retrieve essential items, and were then required to leave the parish for another month.

[edit] Terrebonne Parish

In Terrebonne Parish, signs, trees, roofs and utility poles suffered the brunt of Hurricane Katrina's fury when the storm roared across Terrebonne and Lafourche.

[edit] Plaquemines Parish

Hurricane Katrina made a direct landfall in the "lower" (southern/down river) portion of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. There was extensive flooding the majority of the Parish, and the southern part was temporarily "reclaimed" by the Mississippi River. All of the East Bank of the Parish was flooded, as was the downriver portio nof the West Bank. Belle Chase mostly escaped with only moderate wind damage.

The Belle Chasse Tunnel was flooded as well.^[5]

On August 29, the President of Plaquemines Parish, Benny Rousselle, issued a statement to all residents not to return to the parish until further notice. There were no public services available and all roads were closed and impassable. He requested that only employees in Drainage, Heavy Equipment, Public Right-of-Way Maintenance and Solid Waste Departments return to the parish if possible.

Areas gradually opened up in late 2005.

[edit] St. Bernard Parish

St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, which lies to the East of New Orleans and thus was closer to the path of the storm and the more exposed to the storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico, was rapidly and completely flooded. A large portion of the flooding was apparently the result of extensive levee failures along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal, a 76 mile (122 km) long shipping channel, which had been dredged to provide access for about 650 deep draft ships per year. The levees were sized to hold back up to 17.5 feet (5.3 meters) of water. It is reported that up to 90% of these levees were damaged and that the failures may be measured in miles.

The Parish's two shelters at Chalmette High School and St. Bernard High School suffered considerable damage with flooding. Chalmette High lost much of its roof, and St. Bernard High had many broken windows. There were estimates of 300-plus evacuees at both sites.

By August 29, about 150 people were sighted on rooftops in areas that were under approximately 8-10 feet or more of water. Among those on the roofs were WDSU reporter Heath Allen and a St. Bernard resident on a Government Complex rooftop.

Several tragic deaths were reported at St. Rita's Nursing Home in the parish, as 34 people died due to drowning. The owners of the nursing home were arrested and charged with negligent homicide for not having evacuated in advance of the storm.^[6]

[edit] Washington Parish

Washington Parish, Louisiana is located north of New Orleans. The parish received significant damage due to wind damage and local flooding. The Parish is home to many pine forests in which thousands, possibly millions^{[citation needed]}, of pine trees snapped or completely uprooted. The eye of Katrina could be seen from the eastern part of the parish, in Bogalusa. Much of Bogalusa was without power for weeks. Many major roads were covered by trees and were not cleared for many days. Schools did not open until October. As gasoline was in short supply even for emergency workers, the parish banned gas to the public for several days, arousing ire of many locals.

[edit] Mississippi

Main article: Effects of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi

Hurricane Katrina's devastating impact on the state of Mississippi caused a complete re-evaluation of hurricane command centers, safety, and offshore gambling. Because landfall was during daylight, many people survived by swimming to higher buildings and trees within sight. Afterward, all Mississippi counties were declared disaster areas (see map).

The Gulf Coast of Mississippi suffered massive damage from the impact of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, leaving 236 people dead, 67 missing, and an estimated $125 billion in damages.^[7] Since Katrina made its third and final landfall on the Louisiana/Mississippi state line, the storm's powerful northeastern quadrant hammered areas of Mississippi, as well as Alabama, causing extensive wind and flood damage. According to MSNBC, a 30 foot (9.1 meter) storm surge came ashore wiping out 90% of the buildings along the Biloxi-Gulfport coastline. The bridge between Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian was also damaged by the storm.

The three counties most affected by the storm were the coastal counties, Hancock County, Harrison County, and Jackson County. Emergency command centers in the 3 coastal counties were partially disabled, prompting a re-evaluation of general hurricane emergency-center design nationwide: in Hancock county, the emergency-command headquarters were swamped by a 32-foot (11-m) storm tide flooding into the building, which had been considered flood-proof at 30 feet (10 m) above sea level.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) officials also recorded deaths in Hinds, Warren, and Leake counties. About 800,000 people through the state experienced power outages, which is almost a third of the population.^[8]

United States Navy officials announced that two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers that were under construction at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula had been damaged by the storm, as well as the Amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island.

[edit] Hancock County

Hancock County was the scene of the final landfall of the eye of Hurricane Katrina, and its communities and infrastructure suffered some of the most intense damage inflicted by that storm. Devastation occurred in many communities, including Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Pearlington, and Clermont Harbor.

Katrina practically obliterated Waveland, and state officials said that it took a harder hit from the wind and water than any other town along the coast. The storm dragged away almost every structure within one half mile of the beach, leaving driveways and walkways that went to nowhere.^[9] The death toll was estimated at about 50.

In Bay St. Louis, Katrina destroyed many buildings, including the first floor and dormitories of Saint Stanislaus College and the Bay St. Louis Public Library. ^[10]

[edit] Harrison County

Harrison County was hit particularly hard by the hurricane as well as the storm surge. Its two coastal cities, Biloxi and Gulfport suffered severe damages and many casualties were reported. By September 1, 126 people were already confirmed dead.^[11]

Widespread damage was reported in the city of Biloxi as several of the city's attractions were destroyed. Many restaurants have been destroyed and several casino barges were pulled out of the water and onto land. Residents that recalled Hurricane Camille observed that Katrina was, "much worse", with a storm surge reportedly reaching further inland. Katrina's wind estimates were lighter than Camille's, and the central air pressure was slightly higher, but Camille was also a much smaller storm so the greater impact of the storm surge may be due to the size.

The Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge was totally destroyed, and US 90 had heavy debris and severe damage to the roadbed.

Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi was also damaged extensively.

In Pass Christian, the destruction was almost complete.

[edit] Jackson County

Jackson County, Mississippi had a coastal storm tide of, at least, 22 feet, with Hurricane Katrina coming ashore during the morning high tide. Reports stated that 90% of Pascagoula was flooded by the storm surge, and the storm was so intense that 3 US Navy ships were damaged. Moss Point and Escatawpa were also affected.

Although the severe hurricane-force winds were mainly east of downtown New Orleans, extending into Alabama, heavy rainfall led to inland flooding, including counties in western Mississippi. Also, the eastern outer bands of Hurricane Katrina spawned 62 tornadoes to the northeast (none in Louisiana), with 11 tornadoes in Mississippi, and even 2 in Georgia.

For those reasons, all counties in Mississippi were affected in some tangible way, and hence, all Mississippi counties were designated as disaster areas for Federal assistance, with 49 lower counties eligible for full individual and public assistance.

[edit] Alabama

Hurricane Katrina was the 4th recent storm to hit Alabama (following Hurricane Ivan (2004), Hurricane Cindy plus Hurricane Dennis), and Alabama suffered widespread, moderate to heavy damage caused by hurricane-force winds, flooding by a storm tide of 14-18 feet, and tornadoes. ^[12] Massive damage occurred along coastal areas, pushing small ships and oil rigs ashore, flooding fishing areas with dozens of shrimp boats, destroying marinas plus hundreds of boardwalks, and swamping beachfront homes or hotels, with widespread tree damage and roofs or shingles torn off. Afterward, 22 counties in Alabama were declared disaster areas for Federal assistance (see map above, "Federal Disaster Areas"), spanning a 400-mile (640-km) region.

Mobile Bay spilled into downtown Mobile, Alabama to the depth of 2-6 feet (0.6-2 meter). A flotel (floating habitat used by oil platform crews) broke loose of its moorings and slammed into the Cochrane-Africatown USA Bridge, the bridge damage was later found not to be critical but in the meantime it traffic was reduced from four lanes to two. There was cause for concern because the bridge, in conjunction with underwater tunnels, is a part of the I-10 Hazardous Materials route across the Mobile River. The Battleship Parkway crossing Mobile Bay was also closed before the storm and was completely submerged during the hurricane. Many coastal homes south of the Point Clear area were severely damaged, flooded, or swept away.

Damage was quite heavy in coastal Alabama (comparable to Hurricane Ivan in 2004), including significant structural damage to buildings. Bayou La Batre, a fishing town, sustained significant damage to its infrastructure and fishing fleet. It was the focal point of public attention given to Alabama in the aftermath of the storm. On Sunday, September 4, 2005, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited a community center in Bayou La Batre and surveyed storm damage with Alabama Governor Bob Riley. ^[13] Some damage was reported in inland Alabama, as well, particularly related to fallen trees. An oil platform also became grounded near Dauphin Island.

More than 584,000 people were left without power in Alabama immediately after the storm. Tornadoes were also reported near Brewton.

Towns on the Eastern Shore began regaining electric power on August 30, and power was restored to sections of Mobile beginning on the 5th day, September 3, 2005.

[edit] Georgia

Western Georgia was hit with the outer bands of Hurricane Katrina, resulting in heavy rains, damaging winds and several reports of tornadoes in Polk, Heard, and Carroll counties. In Polk County, three homes were reported damaged by a tornado. A fatal tornado in Carroll County resulted in the death of one person in a vehicle collision and caused damage to as many as 30 homes, and one additional fatality was reported.^[14]

Severe weather was also reported in northeastern Georgia, including tornadoes in White and Hall counties. In White County, a tornado struck the tourist town of Helen, ripping the top floor from an Econolodge hotel and damaging businesses at a nearby outlet mall. Thirty people were displaced by the storm, but no injuries were reported. In Hall County, several homes were reported damaged by a possible tornado in Lula.^[14] A tornado in a feeder band moved through Decatur County to the west of Bainbridge in southwestern Georgia during the evening of August 29.

On August 31, the price of gasoline shot up dramatically in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area, reaching as high as $6 per gallon. This was mainly due to consumer panic about lack of gasoline caused by Hurricane Katrina, which disrupted oil pumps in the Gulf of Mexico.

[edit] Other U.S. states and Canadian provinces

[edit] Arkansas

Arkansas avoided damage from Katrina, as the storm passed to the east. The state established KARE (Katrina Assistance Relief Effort), a toll free telephone number and website for evacuees seeking assistance.^[15], and provided deep discounts on spaces at its state parks, waiving pet restrictions, and allowing evacuees to stay even if other travelers have confirmed reservations (bumped travelers were offered either space at another state park or a gift certificate for future use). The governor instructed state agencies to take care of human needs first and worry about paperwork later.

[edit] Kentucky

Western Kentucky was already suffering flooding from storms that had passed through during the weekend prior to Katrina's arrival. Part of Christian County High School, located just outside Hopkinsville, collapsed during the weekend. Significant flooding has been reported in the Hopkinsville area, and many homes were flooded. One person was also killed in flood waters during Katrina that had already been high from the previous storm.^[16]

Governor Ernie Fletcher, declared Christian, Todd and Trigg counties disaster areas due to flooding,^[17] and declared a statewide state of emergency.^[18]

[edit] New York

Western New York had many reports of flooding, as well as damage caused by fallen trees as a result of Katrina. At least 4,500 customers were left without power in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.^[19][20]

Damage (primarily to trees which knocked into some neighborhoods) and flooding was also reported in the northern part of the state, near the Ontario border. About 1,100 customers lost power in that area.

[edit] North Carolina

North Carolina avoided damage from the storm, but gas prices rose in response to interrupted supply lines. Local hospitals received some regional refugees.

[edit] Ohio

In Ohio, some flooding and power outages were reported (including about 2,500 in the easternmost part of the state alone), and several areas were evacuated throughout the state. One hospital had to be evacuated as it lost power and its generator failed in Dennison, but it was restored later in the day. Two deaths were blamed on the storm in Ohio, both indirect deaths from an automobile accident caused by Katrina's rains in Huron County north of the village of Monroeville.

A force F-0 tornado hit Warren County on August 30, causing minor damage in Morrow and Salem Township. Three houses were damaged but no injuries were reported.^[21]

[edit] Ontario

On August 30 heavy rain and tropical storm force wind gusts were reported in Southern Ontario as Katrina passed over the area before dissipating into a remnant low in the east. Port Colborne and Brockville appeared to receive the most rain, both with over 4 inches (10.2 cm).^[22] Other regions in the province reported 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of rain, except near the New York border where up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) was reported. There were also some spotty reports of flooding and damage due to fallen trees.

[edit] Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, at least two tornadoes spawned from Katrina's outer bands and touched down in south-central part of the state south of Harrisburg. Numerous trees were brought down and several roofs damaged.^[23]

[edit] Quebec

On August 31, the storm system previously known as Katrina was partially absorbed by a front and continued to produce heavy rainfall down the St. Lawrence River Valley. Several villages in the northeastern part of Quebec have been isolated due to multiple washouts. Sections of roads were destroyed, effectively cutting these villages off via land travel. Affected areas were supplied by boats normally supplying the Magdalen Islands.^[24] The system crossed over uninhabited areas of Labrador before completely dissipating.

[edit] Tennessee

At the storm's peak, at least 80,000 customers were without power, primarily in the Memphis and Nashville areas.

Some damage has been reported, primarily due to fallen trees. However, there have been no deaths or injuries reported in Tennessee as a result of Katrina.

Tennessee was also being used as a staging area for Gulf Coast evacuees, particularly in and around Memphis.

[edit] Texas

Texas avoided any direct damage from Hurricane Katrina, but the state took in an estimated 220,000 people who have sought refuge from Louisiana and has overwhelmed many local resources.

On August 31, the Harris County, Texas Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the State of Louisiana came to an agreement to allow at least 25,000 evacuees from New Orleans, especially those who were sheltered in the Louisiana Superdome, to move to the Astrodome until they could return home. The evacuation began on September 1. President George W. Bush announced on September 4 that additional evacuees would be airlifted to other states.

The Reliant Astrodome in Houston took on some of the 25,000 who had initially sought shelter in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, but quickly reached capacity and by September 2, was unable to accept additional hurricane refugees from the disaster. The Astrodome was reopened a few hours later, after it was announced that all events through December 2005 would be cancelled so as to open the building to an additional 11,000 evacuees. City officials then opened two additional buildings adjacent to the Dome, the Arena, and the Center, as well as the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston to house additional guests.

When the Houston shelters began to reach capacity on September 2, Governor Rick Perry activated an emergency plan that made space for an additional 25,000 each in San Antonio and the Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Metroplex, as well as smaller shelters in communities across Texas. Beginning with a convoy of 50 buses (2,700 people) that arrived at the Dallas Reunion Arena at 3:00 a.m. CST on September 3, a wave of over 120,000 additional evacuees began pouring into Texas at a rate, such that, as of September 5, it was estimated there are roughly 139,000 evacuees in official shelters around the state. This added to the estimated 90,000 that were already in hotels and homes. Dallas quickly sought help from nearby cities to help accommodate more evacuees. A staging area at the unused Big Town Mall in Mesquite was opened, but was also overloaded quickly. Fort Worth and Arlington have accepted some evacuees and towns from as far away as Bonham and even Tulsa, Oklahoma have offered to help.

By the afternoon of September 5, with a total estimated number of over 230,000 evacuees in Texas, Governor Perry ordered that buses begin being diverted to other shelters outside the state resulting in 20,000 being sent to Oklahoma and 30,000 being sent to Arkansas. By September 6, Texas had an estimated 250,000 evacuees and Governor Perry was forced to declare a state of emergency in Texas and issued an impassioned plea to other states to begin taking the 40,000-50,000 evacuees that were still in need of shelter.

Many communities in Texas have opened up many of their services to evacuees from Louisiana, offering speedier enrollment for children in local school districts, access to the Texas food stamp program, as well as health services for those being treated for diseases like tuberculosis and HIV. Texas state parks are open free of charge to evacuees.

More than 300 students from Tulane University, including the school's football team, were displaced to Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

The New Orleans Saints NFL football team, who are also displaced from their home facility at the Superdome, have moved to San Antonio. The Saints' 2005 home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio and Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. On December 30, 2005, the team and the league announcing that the club will play a split schedule again in 2006 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans' Louisiana Superdome, with the first game at the Superdome on September 24, 2006.

[edit] Virginia

In Virginia, a tornado related to Katrina's outer bands touched down in Marshall, damaging at least 13 homes. In addition, electricity was cut for about 4,000 customers. No deaths or injuries were reported.^[25]

[edit] West Virginia

Significant flooding has been reported in several communities in West Virginia, including Sissonville, forcing some local evacuations.^[26]

[edit] See also

• Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi
• Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
• Hurricane Rita - caused evacuation panic near Houston; re-flooded New Orleans.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• NOAA Aerial Survey Photos of the Affected Areas