When Did Hurricane Katrina Happen?

Hurricane Katrina is considered one of the deadliest hurricanes in American history. In many ways it was also one of the most controversial natural disasters which occurred on the American soil. This hurricane occurred in the state of Louisiana. One of the most populous areas of the state, New Orleans, was hit especially hard by this hurricane. The levies which held back most of the Gulf of Mexico collapsed, causing extreme flooding and many deaths.

The development of the Hurricane Katrina would span a number of days. This particular hurricane developed in the Bahamas on August 23, 2005 and it traveled in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane and then traveled into the Gulf of Mexico.

When the hurricane reached the Gulf of Mexico it would gain considerable strength and be elevated to Category 3 status. Hurricane Katrina would arrive on land in the southeastern part of Louisiana on August 29, 2005 and would eventually reach Category 5 status. Although best known for the extreme damage in Louisiana, the storm also produced a significant amount of property damage along the coastal areas and in Mississippi.

Damage

When most people think about Hurricane Katrina they immediately think of the tragedy that occurred in New Orleans. This city was severely impacted by this hurricane as the eye of the passed through the area.

For many years it was speculated that New Orleans would one day be impacted by what many called the “Big One.” Many speculate that Hurricane Katrina was in fact this largely anticipated hurricane.

As such, New Orleans was protected by a number of levees that are positioned in the Gulf of Mexico. These levees were placed there many years before Hurricane Katrina hit. It is believed that the levees caved in, causing significant flooding to the city of New Orleans in addition to hurricane force conditions which occurred as the Katrina swept through the city.

Most experts believe that there were nearly 53 levee breaks. The breeches of the main levees on 17th Street Canal, London Avenue Canal and Industrial Canal would leave more than 80 percent of New Orleans covered in high levels of water. The main roads in the city were also severely damaged as a result of the hurricane making it very difficult for people to leave. All major buildings were severely damaged.

It should also be noted that while New Orleans received ample news coverage as a result of the widespread devastation, there were also other areas of the country that were deeply impacted by this hurricane. Mississippi was another state that was hit pretty hard along the coastal areas. The combination of heavy winds and rain resulted in the destruction of many buildings, houses and roadways. The damage was so severe throughout Mississippi that all counties were considered to be disaster areas.

Katrina's Impact

Hurricane Katrina is considered to be one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, with close to 1,900 deaths, many of which were concentrated to the city of New Orleans.

Likewise, as of 2010, it is the most expensive hurricane to occur in America. This hurricane would produce record outpouring of financial assistance from to aid-relief programs such as the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities and Habitat for Humanity just to name a few. A very well known telephone marathon staffed by celebrities was also televised to obtain monetary assistance from the public. International aid poured in from all across the world.

While much assistance was offered during this horrible disaster, there was also much controversy surrounding how the American government handled Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans specifically.

There is criticism about how the American government handled such a devastating disaster, as many watched chaos and death unfold on their televisions. In many ways the poor handling of this event would deeply impact both national and international perception of then President of the United States George Bush.