Recently, natural disasters have been occurring more and more often, which claim the lives of millions of people. Hurricane Katrina, which struck the southern United States on August 29, 2005, became one of the most devastating natural disasters in the history of the country. Then, having weakened to a tropical storm, the hurricane turned towards the Gulf of Mexico. The storm quickly recovered to a hurricane in the southeastern part of the Gulf. Natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina caused great damage to the population and affected all spheres of life.
When the hurricane turned to the Gulf of Mexico, the management of the oil platforms announced the evacuation of workers. In New Orleans, the evacuation was announced on Sunday, August 28 (Raulji et al., 2018). Panic broke out in the city, thousands of cars flooded the highways, and traffic jams formed. But before leaving, people tried to stockpile on plenty of water, food, and fuel, so huge queues formed in stores and gas stations. 80% of the population – about 1 million people – left New Orleans and the suburbs (Raulji et al., 2018). Thousands of city residents were below the poverty line; they could not afford to go to a safe place and stay in a hotel. City transport suspended work, making it difficult to leave the dangerous region without a personal car.
There were 150 thousand people left in the city. The city administration offered them an indoor stadium as a shelter used for football, baseball, and basketball games. 30 thousand citizens found shelter in it (Raulji et al., 2018). The greatest danger is hanging over the residents of New Orleans. The townspeople were threatened by a powerful wind that tore off the roofs of houses and by flooding; 70% of the city is located below sea level (Raulji et al., 2018). Dams were working in the vicinity of the city, which was breached by an 8-meter storm surge in several places. Streams of water flooded the city streets. Single-story houses in some areas were flooded with roofs (Raulji et al., 2018). A whirlwind swept over the water, the speed of which exceeded 200 km / h. The wind damaged the stadium’s roof and destroyed thousands of houses.
The rescue of people and the elimination of consequences began on August 29. In September, there were rumors in the press that tens of thousands of people became victims of the hurricane and the subsequent flooding, but the speculation was not confirmed. The death toll was 1,836 residents of the United States (Rohland, 2018). Employees of the National Guard, Coast Guard officers, and army soldiers worked at the scene, the total number of which reached 65 thousand people (Rohland, 2018).
Residents of the affected regions were granted benefits, released from debts, and allowed to use pension savings ahead of schedule. But in general, the actions of President George W. Bush in preparation for the hurricane and the measures taken to eliminate the consequences caused distrust and condemnation among more than half of the US residents. Photos of flooded New Orleans and destroyed towns on the Gulf Coast flew around the world. However, flooding and damaged infrastructure were only the primary consequences of the hurricane.
Further, residents of coastal states, especially Louisiana, faced environmental and social problems. The hurricane caused manufactured accidents. Experts recorded oil leaks, the total volume of which was estimated at 8-9 million gallons (Rohland, 2018). Later, toxic substances from Lake Pontchartrain penetrated the Gulf of Mexico. Analysis of urban soil showed contamination with benzene, lead, and formaldehyde. Victims and survivors of the hurricane often have respiratory diseases called “Katrina’s cough”(Rohland, 2018). Doctors indicate that the acquired symptoms resulted from living in a territory contaminated with toxic substances.
After the tragic events, many people with mental disabilities were recorded in New Orleans. There were not enough specialized institutions, and potential patients of psychiatric hospitals became involved in crimes. The city was already considered one of the most criminogenic in the state, but after the devastating hurricane, the percentage of robberies and violence in New Orleans increased. Looters smashed up stores, acting with complete impunity. A state of emergency was introduced in the city. The police and the National Guard have received permission to use weapons against criminal elements.
The geographical location of New Orleans is one of the main reasons for this kind of natural disaster. Residents of the city feared anything but flooding. Most of New Orleans is located below sea level, and numerous dams and powerful pumping stations are designed to pump out excess water. However, the force of Katrina was so powerful that the dams could not withstand the pressure and were damaged at 53 points (Rohland, 2018). Water gushed out of the lake from where it was not supposed to.
In conclusion, Hurricane Katrina affected all spheres of human activity. The state could not recover from the disaster for a long time, as many buildings were destroyed, and hospitals were overflowing with victims. People should learn lessons and how to prevent events that lead to large-scale deaths of citizens and monstrous environmental consequences. To prevent such disasters in the future or at least try to minimize the damage they caused, it is necessary to identify the factors that caused the hurricane.
References
Raulji, C., Velez, M. C., Prasad, P., Rousseau, C., & Gardner, R. V. (2018). Impact of Hurricane Katrina on healthcare delivery for New Orleans patients, 2005–2014. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 65(12), e27406. Web.
Rohland, E. (2018). Adapting to hurricanes. A historical perspective on New Orleans from its foundation to Hurricane Katrina, 1718–2005. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 9(1), e488. Web.