Hurricane Katrina – New Orleans reflects one year on by Kaye Forster
Exactly one year ago today the citizens of New Orleans were awakening to the devastating power of hurricane Katrina. Despite being just a category 3 storm when it made landfall (with wind speeds between 111-130mph), it was considered to be the worst natural disaster in US history with over $100 billion worth of damage, and with over 1,600 lives lost.
Along with the strong winds came torrential rain and due to its position relative to sea-level, over 80% of the city of New Orleans was left completely submerged as parts of the levee system began to fail. Entire blocks of houses, and buildings vanished, pushed into the Gulf by a wall of water up to 21 feet (7 meters) high. The damage and destruction has been well documented.
One year on and the city is still struggling to return to normality. Only half the population has returned, while six of New Orleans' nine hospitals remain closed. Only 54 of 128 public schools are expected to open this autumn.
Met Office forecasts did manage to predict the location of landfall to an accuracy of 60km, three days ahead. The Met Office now works closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Embassy in Washington to help provide hurricane warnings for British travellers.
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season proved to be record breaking. There were 27 named tropical storms, 14 of which became hurricanes. This season has so far been relatively quiet in comparison. Just 5 tropical storms have formed in this area, just one of which has strengthened to hurricane force.
Tropical storm number five, Ernesto, did become the first hurricane of the season, but only briefly. The storm made hurricane status for only 10 hours, before weakening to a tropical storm. It currently has wind speeds of 45mph and is situated across the northern coast of Cuba. As it heads towards Florida and crosses the Florida Strait, Ernesto could gain strength once again in the warm waters and become a weak hurricane in the next 24 hours.
|
|
