Geol. 105 Notes 8 - -Hur r icane Katrina August 2005-many people felt that if they could survive Hur r icane Camil le(Category 5 in 1969 256 deaths

-Hurricane Katrina, August 2005 -many people felt that if they could survive Hurricane Camille (Category 5 in 1969, 256 deaths), there would be no problem dealing w / Katrina -Aug. 24-tropical air mass over Bahamas -25-grew to hurricane 2 hrs. before crossing FL, grew rapidly over Gulf of Mexico -26-models forecast 17% chance for direct hit of NO -at least 1836 people died, deadliest US hurricane since 1928; $81.2 billion in damage -Aug. 29-came ashore east of NO, wind speeds of 195 mph; pushed in enough water to breach levees, overflow canals and flood 80% of low lying NO; 1500 of 100000 residents who did not evacuate were killed; deadliest natural disaster since 1928 Okeechobee hurricane -were the Katrina deaths and destruction a surprise?: no a hurricane like it was anticipated years beforehand -can this setting be protected?: deltas naturally subside, city has subsided to 6 m below seal level and continues to subside; water and floods have always been part of city life, three centuries of floods from rivers and hurricanes; billions of dollars spent on levees; city built on delta (loose mixture of sand, mud and water deposited by Miss. River)