-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)
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- Fall '08
- LEES
- stream, River, Meander, Levee, Iver, hur r icane
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