Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to hit the United States. The hurricane became the costliest and one of the five most deadliest ever (Brunner). The hurricane whipped its way through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana where it caused the most damage. Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical depression on August 23, but quickly became a mega hurricane that hit the gulf coast on August 29th 2005. The mega hurricane displaced millions and killed over 1,800 people.
A lot of houses, buildings, cars and other vehicles will be ruined and people can be killed. When a hurricane is done, it rains very hard. Some hurricanes may cause floods or landslides depending on how much water falls. Hurricane Sandy has been one of the most recent hurricanes that have hit the US in the past 15 years. Hurricane Sandy destroyed millions of homes, brought a bunch of sand onto the roads, and killed 209 people.
The earthquake was felt in surrounding regions including Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas and the borderingDominican Republic. After the earthquake, many aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater were recorded. The earthquake had an intensity of IX on the Mercalli scale. An estimated three million people were affected by the earthquake; 316 000 people died, 300 000 injured and 1 000 000 people were made homeless. The infrastructure was badly damaged with 90% of the buildings damaged.
Natural disasters. These very words send chills down a person’s spine at the idea of the traumatic happenings that can occur in these events. In the article by Alice Fothergill, she discusses a study of how victims of natural disasters from different genders and social classes accept charity. I find this article to be a very interesting choice reading in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti this past month. That disaster has left millions without homes or any possessions to their names, not including the countless lives lost and their families.
Recently, more people have died as a result of inland flooding than any other hazard associated with hurricanes or tropical storms. Rainfall exceeding 15 inches can be expected during hurricanes and tropical storms. Flooding is the leading cause of damage to homes in the United States. Flooding associated with hurricanes and tropical storms can be felt for hundreds of miles inland. 2) How do storm surges increase the likelihood of coastal flooding during a hurricane?
Hurricane Katrina Axial College Material Week Six COM/150 EFFECTIVE ESSAY WRITING Week 6 The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans have been long-lasting and a disaster for all families in the state of Louisiana. “Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States during the last 100 years.” It is the third most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the United States. The duration of the storm was from August 23 through August 31, 2005. The storm had a short period of time but its damages were so tragic that left long term damages. Many living in the city fled prior to the storm, but many believed the reminiscences of the storm wouldn’t be as bad as they thought and they stayed.
Of those remaining, 113 people were labeled missing. Over 5,000 people were injured in the blast or after effects of the blast. Many homes, businesses, and vehicles were destroyed with an estimated property damage value estimated at one hundred million dollars ($983 million in today’s terms). 3. Many steps could have been taken to avoid such a major disaster.
The epicentre was a town named Leogane; about 19km (12 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, thousands were left homeless and up to 80-90% of buildings in Leogane were destroyed. The quake was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitudes. It was the worst earthquake to hit the Caribbean island in 2 centuries. The island lies on the Enriquilla-Plantain Garden Fault however it was caused by an interaction between the North American and Caribbean Plates. After which the barely noticed island became the centre of the world’s news channels, it became one of the most noticed natural disasters in history with celebrities and normal people alike doing allsorts to raise money and aid for the victims of the quake.
But on August 25, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, everything changed. The levees failed, over 75% of the city was submerged in water and over 1,800 lives were lost. By the time the storm passed, over $81 billion in physical damages had been done. It is estimated that Katrina has resulted in the loss of over 230,000 jobs in Louisiana alone. When the storm struck New Orleans and the levees failed, the low-lying lands flooded at record levels.
DEVASTATING WALKER RIVER FLOOD! In the last couple of days California and Nevada have suffered the worst floods in living memory! Normally the river flows at 650 cubic feet per second, however in the past week the river flowed more than twice that and at a devastating rate that destroyed everything in its path, including lives of two people. The flood also inundated 63,000 acres of land and cost millions in damage and additional costs due to disruptions in travel and business. The Walker River begins at a confluence where the tributaries of the West and the East Walker Rivers meet.