Hurricane katrina

Question 1

Location?

Answer 1

New Orleans, Louisiana

Question 2

Number of deaths?

Answer 2

1836

Question 3

Economic cost?

Answer 3

$89 billion (most expensive US hurricane ever)

Question 4

Environmental impacts?

Answer 4

80% of New Orleans flooded by polluted water. Coastal habitats lost/damaged.

Question 5

Political impacts?

Answer 5

Bush criticised for slow response, fuelling anger at the racial divide in USA.

Question 6

Failure of defenses ?

Answer 6

Levees (water embankments) failed causing 80% of New Orleans to flood.

Question 7

Local responses.

Answer 7

80% of the city evacuated. Superdome opened for shelter.

Question 8

Issues with local responses.

Answer 8

Looting took place. People were raped and attacked in the superdome.

Question 9

National responses?

Answer 9

$50 billion in aid from the government. National guard mobilised.

Question 10

International responses?

Answer 10

Kuwait pledged $500 million, largest pledge.

Question 11

Future mitigation?

Answer 11

Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET) formed, to identify the failures and future risks in New Orleans.

Question 12

Date?

Answer 12

August 2005

Question 13

What is unique about the lower ninth ward ? How was it disproportionately affected by Katrina?

Answer 13

-Average household income of $28000
-african American neighbourhood
-Rest of the city had drinking water restored in 2 months, it took 14 months here.