This Day in History:
Hurricane Katrina
Slams Into Gulf Coast August 29, 2005 The Category 4 hurricane
became the worst natural
disaster in U.S. history. The city
of New Orleans bore the brunt. 145 mph winds turned cars
into projectiles and overwhelmed
poorly tended levees that protected
the city, located six feet below sea level. Though an evacuation order
had been issued by the New Orleans
mayor, tens of thousands stayed
behind, many with no other recourse. 80% of the city experienced massive flooding.
A full scale rescue effort took two days to begin. As most of those who remained were African
American, the perceived poor response of U.S.
government agencies and President George W. Bush
brought racial inequalities in America to the surface. Katrina led to more than 1,300 deaths,
displaced one million people, left almost a
half a million unemployed and caused up to $150
billion in damages to public and private property.