Term 2 - Theme 2 (3)

Question 1

Vulnerability and disaster in a 21st Century superpower

Answer 1

August 29th 2005. Landfall in Louisiana as a category 3 hurricane. New Orleans: flooding, death and damage.

Question 2

People displaced

Answer 2

Nearly 2 million

Question 3

People lost their lives

Answer 3

700,000 people

Question 4

Number of deaths

Answer 4

Approx 1836 deaths

Question 5

New orleans pop and percentage African American

Answer 5

485,000 people - 67.3% African American

Question 6

23rd Aug

Answer 6

Formed off bahamas

Question 7

25th Aug

Answer 7

Landfall in florda

Question 8

27th Aug

Answer 8

State of emergency declared by President Bush. Voluntary evac of New Orleans

Question 9

28th Aug

Answer 9

Mandatory evac of New Orleans. Superdome refuge as last resort.

Question 10

29th Aug

Answer 10

Landfall in Louisiana. First levee breacher at 2pm.

Question 11

Population evacuated

Answer 11

80-85% of the population were evacuated before landfall.

Question 12

% OF BPL New Orleans

Answer 12

27%

Question 13

% of over 65 New Orleans

Answer 13

11.7%

Question 14

% of people with no cars New Orleans

Answer 14

27.3%

Question 15

% of people born and lived in New Orleans for most of their lives

Answer 15

77.4%

Question 16

Vulnerability: Evac and immediate impacts

Answer 16

Income level, inadequate public transport, age (mobility), access to information, occupations, social naturals/social capital, immigrants, looting and crime.

Question 17

Reconstruction and recovery

Answer 17

Access to capital and insurance, levee rebuilding + low probability events, insurance premiums, labour, services, state (and federal) commitment to rebuilding.

Question 18

The political economy of time of disaster

Answer 18

9/11 and the Dept of Home Security. FEMA’s diminished presence. Terrorism focus, funding cuts and diversions. Levee maintenance.

Question 19

Safe development Paradox

Answer 19

Levee effect. Nearly 300 years of New Orleans : 27 major deaths. Pumping and drainage - inadequate sediment deposition. Dams and flooding canals. Flood increase. Expansion (150,000 households).

Question 20

USGS Soundwaves - storm surges

Answer 20

The storm surges produced by the Hurricane breached the levees protecting New Orleans in numerous places, flooding approximately 75% of the metropolitan area.

Question 21

Bakker, K (2005) - Urban expansion

Answer 21

Urban expansion has increased New Orleans vulnerability as draining of wetlands by hydraulic pumps has enabled urban sprawl but accelerated the subsidence of New Orlean’s alluvial soils. This has been aggrevated by flood-control measures.

Question 22

Susan Cutter

Answer 22

Notes that the American south’s segregated past is still visible in the spatial and social geopolitics of cities such as New Orleans.

Question 23

Neil Smith (2003)

Answer 23

Revealed how topographical gradients were proxies for race and class in New Orleans, with largely white neighbourhoods situated on higher, drier ground.