case study - New Orleans (local scale)

Question 1

economic characteristics of New Orleans

Answer 1

high poverty rate - couldn’t evacuate
lack of investment in flood defences - overwhelmed
lack of insurance - greater impacts

Question 2

politics characteristics of New Orleans

Answer 2

communication failed - slow responses
mandatory evacuation - helped many
major set up shelter - helped some
didn’t invest in food defences

Question 3

social characteristics of New Orleans

Answer 3

low literacy rats and language barrier - couldn’t understand danger and evacuate
social inequalities - many couldn’t afford to leave

Question 4

physical vulnerability of New Orleans

Answer 4

• half of city at or below sea level
• gulf coast - in storms path

Question 5

human vulnerability in new Orleans

Answer 5

densely populated - 2300 per km2
lack of investment in flood defences, not maintained to modern standards
racial and social segregation, economic inequalities

Question 6

effective responses

Answer 6

$1.8b pubic donations
aid from within US and internationally

storm monitored and tracked = evacuation

LT
$800b on flood defences
$17b from congress for infrastructure
= reconstruction + mitigation

Question 7

ineffective responses

Answer 7

government slow to respond - plan made 19h prior

levees outdated - 60% complete