HURRICANE KATRINA NEW ORLEANS FLOOD

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HURRICANE KATRINA - NEW ORLEANS FLOOD

• 29 AUGUST 2005

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HURRICANE KATRINA-NEW ORLEANS FLOOD

• INITIALLY A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, AND
• A CATEGORY 1 STORM WHEN IT STRUCK FLORIDA ON
  AUGUST 21, KATRINA...
• GREW TO A MONSTER STORM OF CATEGORY 5 IN THE
  GULF, AND WAS
• A CATEGORY 4 WHEN IT MADE LANDFALL AND STRUCK NEW
  ORLEANS AND BILOXI ON AUGUST 29.

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HURRICANES

• High velocity winds, storm surge, excessive
  precipitation, flooding, coastal erosion, scour,
  hail, and tornadoes

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FLOODS

• INUNDATION, HIGH-VELOCITY FLOW, HIGH-VOLUME
  DISCHARGE, EROSION, SCOUR, INTERACTION WITH
  BUILDINGS INFRASTRUCTURE, DAMAGE TO HAZARDOUS
  MATERIALS FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION OF DEBRIS,
  AUTOS, AND HOUSES, and WATER QUALITY AND DISEASE

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IMPORTANCE OF GULF COAST

• 30 PERCENT OF NATIONS OIL PRODUCTION
• 20 PERCENT OF NATIONS NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
• 10 PERCENT OF NATIONS REFINING CAPACITY
• 20 PERCENT OF NATIONS PORT CAPACITY

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FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COST

• KATRINA NEW ORLEANS FLOOD (2005)
• FLORIDA HURRICANES (2004)
• NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE (1994)
• MIDWEST FLOODS (1993)

• 100.0 BILLION???
• 14.0 BILLION
• 15.5 BILLION
• 7.0 BILLION

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FLAWS IN PREPARATION

• DECADES OF WARNINGS AND A 1995 STUDY BY FEMA
  ABOUT POTENTIAL FAILURE OF NEW ORLEANS LEVEE AND
  PUMP SYSTEM WERE IGNORED.

• EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO
  REPAIR BREACHED LEVEES IN THE MOST CRITICAL TIME,
  THE 48 HOUR ARC OF RELIEF.

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FLAWS IN PREPARATION

• DISASTER RESPONSE PLANS WERE ADEQUATE FOR A
  CATEGORY 3 STORM, BUT

• INADEQUATE FOR A CATEGORY 4 STORM LIKE KATRINA
  THAT WAS ALMOST A DIRECT HIT ON A VULNERABLE NEW
  ORLEANS.

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FLAWS IN PREPARATION

• DISASTER RESPONSE PLANS WERE ADEQUATE FOR A
  CATEGORY 3 STORM, BUT

• GUIDELINES FOR COORDINATION OF EMERGENCY
  OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FEDERAL,
  STATE, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE INCOMPLETE FOR
  A COMBINED HURRICANE FLOOD DISASTER.

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FLAWS IN PREPARATION

• LOUISIANA AND NEW ORLEANS EVACUATION PLAN
  REMOVED 80 PERCENT OF THE METROPOLITAN AREAS 1,4
  MILLION PEOPLE, BUT

• FAILED TO EMPTY NEW ORLEANS OF ABOUT 120,000
  WHO COULD NOT EVACUATE FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND
  WERE FORCED TO REMAIN IN NEIGHBORHOODS
  SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• A 30-FOOT STORM SURGE DESTROYED THOUSANDS OF
  HOMES AND BUILDINGS ALONG 150 MILES OF THE GULF
  COAST OF LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, AND ALABAMA.

• HIGH-VELOCIY WINDS DESTROYED THOUSANDS OF HOMES
  AND BUILDINGS OF ALL TYPES OVER A WIDE AREA,
  LEAVING 10,000 TO 20,000 (???) DEAD AND ONE-HALF
  MILLION WITHOUT JOBS.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• NEW ORLEANS LEVEE AND PUMP SYSTEM FAILED.

• THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS INITIAL REPAIR OF THE
  LEVEE SYSTEM TOOK ONE WEEK.
• SEVERAL MONTHS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PUMP THE TOXIC
  FLOOD WATER OUT OF NEW ORLEANS.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• THE FLOOD WATER IS HIGHLY CONTAMINATED FROM
  DEBRIS, RAW SEWAGE, AND CORPSES AND IS A
  POTENTIAL LONG-TERM SOURCE OF DISEASES.

• RESTORATION OF WATER QUALITY AND OVERALL
  ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WILL TAKE MONTHS TO YEARS.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• POWER OUTAGES WERE WIDE SPREAD AND LONG-LIVED.

• TEN DAYS LATER, MORE THAN ONE-HALF A MILLION
  PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA WERE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
• TEN DAYS LATER, MORE THAN 322,000 PEOPLE IN
  MISSISSIPPI WERE WITHOUT ELECTICITY.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• ALL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS WERE IMPACTED.

• TEN DAYS LATER, MANY OF LOUISIANAS HIGHWAYS
  WERE STILL CLOSED.
• NO RAILROAD SERVICE ON 110 MILE STRETCH BETWEEN
  PASCAGOULA, MS AND NEW ORLEANS.
• NO COMMERCIAL SERVICE AT NEW ORLEANS
  INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• TELE-COMMUNICATION SERVICES IMPACTED.

• TEN DAYS LATER, MORE THAN 1 MILLION TELEPHONE
  LINES AND 30 PERCENT OF CELL PHONE TOWERS WERE
  STILL OUT OF SERVICE.
• TEN DAYS LATER, FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED RADIO AND
  TELEVISION STATIONS REMAINED OUT OF SERVICE.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• THE FLOOD PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THE
  DISASTER, TRANSFORMING AT LEAST 1 MILLION PEOPLE
  INTO EVACUEES/ REFUGEES.

• EVACUEES WERE TRANSPORTED TO CITIES IN
  TWENTY-ONE OTHER STATES (E.G., 250,000 TO TEXAS
  OTHERS TO CA, NC, VA, MI, D.C., ETC)

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES WERE DAMAGED
  AND/OR FLOODED AND LEFT WITHOUT SUPPLIES AND
  STAFF.

• UNTIL OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE ARRIVED, HOSPITALS AND
  MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE OVERWHELMED WITH THE NEEDS
  FOR URGENT HEALTH CARE.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• 80-90 PERCENT OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION
  IN GULF OF MEXICO AND OIL REFINING ALONG THE GULF
  COAST WAS SHUT DOWM.

• WITHOUT POWER AND FUEL, FLOOD WATER COULD NOT BE
  PUMPED OUT OF NEW ORLEANS, LIMITING RESCUE
  OPERATIONS AND MAKING JOBS IMPOSSIBLE.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• 80 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS WAS UNDER WATER AFTER
  THREE LEVEE BREAKS CAUSED FLOODING IN NEW ORLEANS
  AND SURROUNDING PARISHES.

• THOUSANDS WERE STRANDED ON ROOFTOPS OR IN ATTICS.
• THOUSANDS WERE ALSO STRANDED IN THE SUPER DOME,
  AND IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• THE DISASTER DISRUPTED AND SEPARATED MANY
  FAMILIES.

• FAMILIES ARE BEING REUNITED THROUGH EFFORTS OF
  AMERICAN RED CROSS, THE MEDIA, AND MANY OTHER
  ORGANIZATIONS.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• THOUSANDS OF PETS WERE STRANDED OR ABANDONED.

• PETS ARE BEING RESCUED AND REUNITED WITH OWNERS
  OR PLACED IN SHELTERS.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• LAWLESSNESS AND LOOTING WERE WIDESPREAD.

• 40,000 NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS WERE DEPLOYED TO
  RESTORE AND MAINTAIN ORDER.

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PHYSICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS

• PORTS RECEIVING AND SHIPPING GRAIN AND OTHER
  COMMODITIES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI AND GULF COAST
  AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD
  WERE KNOCKED OUT.

• TEN DAYS LATER, THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS WAS
  CLOSED AND NEARBY PORTS OPERATED AT LIMITED
  CAPACITY
• THE GULF INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY WAS OPEN AFTER TEN
  DAYS.
• THE INDUSTRAL CANAL WAS CLOSED.

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SOURCES OF HELP

• THOUSANDS OF COMPANIES LARGE AND SMALL ARE
  GRAPPLING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF KATRINA AND THE
  NEW ORLEANS FLOOD.

• ASSISTING EMPLOYEES WITH JOBS.
• HELPING OTHERS IN NEED.
• RESTORING OPERATIONS.
• ASSESSING DAMAGE AND LOSSES.
• PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

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SOURCES OF HELP

• AMERICAN RED CROSS IS ASSISTING THOUSANDS OF
  REFUGEES WITH SHELTER, FOOD, WATER, AND
  MEDICENE, THE LARGEST RESPONSE IN ITS 125 YEARS.

• HUNDREDS OF FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE
  PROVIDING SHELTER, FOOD, WATER, MEDICENE, AND A
  NEW LIFE.

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INTERNATIONAL OFFERS OF HELP

• OVER 50 NATIONS HAVE OFFERED TO HELP ANY WAY THEY
  CAN.

• OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE HAVE COME FROM CUBA, IRAN,
  CHINA, AND EVEN NATIONS IMPACTED BY THE 26
  DECEMBER 2004 GREAT SUMATRA EARTHQUAKE AND INDIAN
  OCEAN TSUNAMI.

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REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS AND THE GULF COAST

• NEW ORLEANS WAS REBUILT AFTER BEING STRICKEN BY A
  HURRICANE IN 1715, SHORTLY AFER BEING ESTABLISHED
  BY FRANCE.

• OTHER CITIES ALONG THE GULF COAST HAVE BEEN
  REBUILT AFTER PAST HURRICANES.
• SAN FRANCISCO WAS REBUILT AFTER 1906 EARTHQUAKE.
• LOS ANGELES WAS REBUILT AFTER RIOTS AND THE 1994
  NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE.
• CHICAGO WAS REBUILT AFTER THE FIRE.

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REBUILDING OTHER GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD

• LONDON
• TOKYO
• KOBE
• EL ASNAM
• AGADIR
• SPITAK

• THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
  REBUILT AFTER GREAT DISASTERS.

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THE CHALLENGE OF REBUILDING

• ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY
• URBAN PLANNING
• ENGINEERING
• SOCIAL SCIENCE
• POLITICAL
• ECONOMIC

• CITY PLANS
• BUILDING CODES
• LIFELINE STANDARDS
• ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
• SUSTAINABILITY