Although painful, we are still learning the importance of the hard lessons about disaster resilience from the August 29-30, 2005 experience. Hurricane Katrina Exposed The Deadly Consequences In A Hurricane Prone Area Of Not Being Hurricane Disaster Resilient. Presentation courtesy of Dr. Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction.

1. THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCESTHE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES
HURRICANES EACH YEARHURRICANES EACH YEAR

2. REMEMBERING THE HURRICANEREMEMBERING THE HURRICANE
KATRINA DISASTER:KATRINA DISASTER:
AUGUST 29-30, 2005AUGUST 29-30, 2005

3. THETHE 29-30 AUGUST 200529-30 AUGUST 2005
HURICANE CAUSED AHURICANE CAUSED A
DISASTERDISASTER IN NEWIN NEW
ORLEANS AND PARTS OFORLEANS AND PARTS OF
THE GULF COAST OF THETHE GULF COAST OF THE
USAUSA

4. THE GULF COAST EXPERIENCESTHE GULF COAST EXPERIENCES
HURRICANES EACH YEARHURRICANES EACH YEAR

5. HURRICANE TRACKS:HURRICANE TRACKS:
1851-20041851-2004

6. ETUDE

7. HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSEDHURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED
THE DEADLY CONSEQUENCESTHE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES
IN A HURRICANE PRONE AREAIN A HURRICANE PRONE AREA
OFOF NOTNOT BEING HURRICANEBEING HURRICANE
DISASTER RESILIENTDISASTER RESILIENT

8. FACTORS THAT ONCE MADEFACTORS THAT ONCE MADE
LOUISIANA’S COAST RESILIENTLOUISIANA’S COAST RESILIENT
 By 1900, the Louisiana coast was aBy 1900, the Louisiana coast was a
15,500 square km (6,000 square15,500 square km (6,000 square
mile) swath of swamp, marsh, andmile) swath of swamp, marsh, and
barrier islands that made it morebarrier islands that made it more
resilientresilient to the winds, rain, andto the winds, rain, and
storm surge of a hurricane.storm surge of a hurricane.

9. THE WORKS OF MAN REDUCEDTHE WORKS OF MAN REDUCED
LOUIISIANA’S RESILIENCELOUIISIANA’S RESILIENCE
 Levees built in the 1930’s by the US ArmyLevees built in the 1930’s by the US Army
Corps of Engineers did end spring floods,---Corps of Engineers did end spring floods,---
 ButBut, by the 1960’s,, by the 1960’s, a significant reduction ina significant reduction in
hurricane resilience had occurred, because:hurricane resilience had occurred, because:
 The US Army Corps of Engineers had alsoThe US Army Corps of Engineers had also
dredged 14 majordredged 14 major ship channelsship channels to inlandto inland
ports,ports, andand over many years, oil companiesover many years, oil companies
had cut countlesshad cut countless channelschannels for pipelinesfor pipelines
and access to oil wells.and access to oil wells.

10. BY 2005 NEW ORLEANS WASBY 2005 NEW ORLEANS WAS
CONSIDERED TO BE VERY VULNERABLECONSIDERED TO BE VERY VULNERABLE
TO HURRICANESTO HURRICANES

11. HURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSEDHURRICANE KATRINA EXPOSED
SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL,SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL,
PHYSICAL, AND HEALTH CAREPHYSICAL, AND HEALTH CARE
VULNERABILITIES IN NEWVULNERABILITIES IN NEW
ORLEANS AND ALONG THE GULFORLEANS AND ALONG THE GULF
COASTCOAST

54. WHAT DID WE LEARN FROMWHAT DID WE LEARN FROM
HURRICANE KATRINA?HURRICANE KATRINA?
 Hurricane Katrina exposed the startlingHurricane Katrina exposed the startling
fact that the nation was unprepared tofact that the nation was unprepared to
manage a disaster caused by themanage a disaster caused by the
environmental extremes of aenvironmental extremes of a moderatemoderate
category hurricanecategory hurricane ANDAND a major flooda major flood
caused by breaches in 200 mile leveecaused by breaches in 200 mile levee
system that was not known to be sosystem that was not known to be so
flawed, untilflawed, until after post-disaster studies.after post-disaster studies.

55. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST
 90 % of the Gulf’ Coasts oil production was90 % of the Gulf’ Coasts oil production was
stopped by the stormstopped by the storm..
 Insured losses reached $47 billion for GulfInsured losses reached $47 billion for Gulf
Coast and $27 for New Orleans, with actualCoast and $27 for New Orleans, with actual
direct and indirect losses much higher anddirect and indirect losses much higher and
perhaps beyond definition for many years.perhaps beyond definition for many years.
 It caused theIt caused the worst financial crisis in Newworst financial crisis in New
Orleans’ and Louisiana’s historyOrleans’ and Louisiana’s history..

56. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST
 Major cities (New Orleans, Biloxi, Bay St.Major cities (New Orleans, Biloxi, Bay St.
Louis, etc) were closed for business.Louis, etc) were closed for business.
 Millions of displaced people were unable toMillions of displaced people were unable to
return for several months; some neverreturn for several months; some never
returned.returned.
 Neighborhoods were destroyed.Neighborhoods were destroyed.
 OverOver 2,500,000 homes and businesses2,500,000 homes and businesses
were without communications, power,were without communications, power,
potable water, and sewage disposal.potable water, and sewage disposal.

57. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST
 No commercial airline flights for a shortNo commercial airline flights for a short
period.period.
 Rail systems destroyed.Rail systems destroyed.
 500,000 homes destroyed.500,000 homes destroyed.
 300 years of community infrastructure300 years of community infrastructure
destroyed.destroyed.
 500,000 jobs lost.500,000 jobs lost.

58. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON GULF COASTKATRINA ON GULF COAST
 Thousands of people and many animalsThousands of people and many animals
were still awaiting rescue after 2 weeks.were still awaiting rescue after 2 weeks.
 Thousands needed food, water, and shelterThousands needed food, water, and shelter
every day, which the American Red Crossevery day, which the American Red Cross
and many other cooperating organizationsand many other cooperating organizations
provided as quickly as possible for over 90provided as quickly as possible for over 90
days.days.

59. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANSKATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS
 FLOODING,FLOODING, NOTNOT HIGH WINDS ANDHIGH WINDS AND NOTNOT
STORM SURGESTORM SURGE, INFLICTED MOST OF, INFLICTED MOST OF
THE DEVASTATION IN NEW ORLEANS .THE DEVASTATION IN NEW ORLEANS .
 80 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS80 PERCENT OF NEW ORLEANS WASWAS
FLOODED FROM FOUR MAJOR ANDFLOODED FROM FOUR MAJOR AND
DOZENS OF SMALLER BREACHES INDOZENS OF SMALLER BREACHES IN
THE 200 MILE LEVEE SYSTEM.THE 200 MILE LEVEE SYSTEM.
 OVEROVER 100,000 HOMES100,000 HOMES WEREWERE
INUNDATED.INUNDATED.

60. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON NEW ORLEANSKATRINA ON NEW ORLEANS
 80 % of New Orleans was under water80 % of New Orleans was under water
after levees broke, releasing watersafter levees broke, releasing waters
from Lake Ponchartrain and canals intofrom Lake Ponchartrain and canals into
downtown New Orleans.downtown New Orleans.
 More than 1,000 people were rescuedMore than 1,000 people were rescued
from roof tops of inundated houses byfrom roof tops of inundated houses by
helicoptershelicopters
 Many others wereMany others were rescued by boats.rescued by boats.

61. IMPACT OF HURRICANEIMPACT OF HURRICANE
KATRINA ON NEW ORLEANSKATRINA ON NEW ORLEANS
 In New Orleans, the school district laidIn New Orleans, the school district laid
off more than 7,000 teachers andoff more than 7,000 teachers and
staff, and large numbers of police.staff, and large numbers of police.
 Six of the eight hospitals wereSix of the eight hospitals were
destroyed.destroyed.

62. KATRINA CAUSED ANKATRINA CAUSED AN
INSURANCE NIGHTMAREINSURANCE NIGHTMARE
 The insurance industry grappled with itsThe insurance industry grappled with its
largest-ever loss and a record number oflargest-ever loss and a record number of
individual claims:individual claims:
 1.6 million from Katrina,1.6 million from Katrina,
 Another 1 million from hurricanes RitaAnother 1 million from hurricanes Rita
and Wilma, which followed Katrinaand Wilma, which followed Katrina..

63. RECOVERY REQUIREDRECOVERY REQUIRED
LEGISLATIVE ACTIONSLEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
 TO MARSHAL ANDTO MARSHAL AND
INTEGRATE THEINTEGRATE THE
COMMUNITY’SCOMMUNITY’S
STAPLESTAPLE FORCES,..FORCES,..
 ……WITH THE GOAL OFWITH THE GOAL OF
BECOMING MOREBECOMING MORE
RESILIIENT TORESILIIENT TO
FUTUREFUTURE
HURRICANES.HURRICANES.