Hurricane Katrina Disaster Essay

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Recommended: The second effects of Hurricane Katrina

Olivia Surita
Elena Carter
WRIT 1301
May 8th, 2014
The Analysis of Failures Made During Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina left a devastating scar on the citizens of the southern coast of the U.S., especially New Orleans, Louisiana. The category 5 hurricane was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the most deadly. Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29th, 2005 and after that day, 66,000 people were displaced from their homes. Of those who decided to ride out the storm with hopes of success and survival as they had experienced with other storms, they were found on their rooftops, in their attics, hoping for boat or helicopter rescue, relying on others for help to survive. The storm had reached 28,000 square feet inward to Louisiana, which was 60 percent of the state. 1,100 Louisianans lost their lives, and 200,000 were displaced and/or lost their homes (Davis 8). It was a devastating time of despair and suffering. People were put through experiences that would scar them for a long time. While preparing for evacuation, people left most of their belongings at home to flee to a safer city or to find shelter in the Superdome and Convention Center. Some even decided to remain in their boarded up homes. After the hurricane had past, a few hours went by and a levee located near the Mississippi River canal broke leaving New Orleans flooded (Delisi). After the disaster, the state and federal governments were pointing fingers at each other as to who was to blame for the poorly planned evacuation and rescue efforts for the victims. The state government promised to help evacuate those who could not transport themselves. Citizens were told to go to the Superdome and convention center for evacuation, but the supplies needed for survi...

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.... The rescue teams did not have good communication, which resulted of many not being able to trace where people needed to be saved. Many personnel of FEMA were said to have lacked knowledge of their duties and therefore were not able to do their job in assisting and planning relief. The Superdome was overcrowded and undersupplied. While it was shelter for many during the storm, it was a nightmare after. People were sleeping next to dead bodies, and were left for multiple days without food or water. When finally aided, they were forced to evacuate the city and go wherever the buses and planes would bring them. Families were separated. While it is expected during a catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina that there will be loss of life, there was a significant amount of lives that could have been saved if emergency procedures were better planned and carried out.

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