New Orleans Hurricane Katrina

Approximately ten years ago, history was made in New Orleans, Louisiana. On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made landfall. Hurricane Katrina was categorized as one of the deadliest hurricanes in US history. Once the hurricane passed, it left over $100 billion in damages behind. After the wake of the hurricane, there were more than 1,800 deaths confirmed. More than 80% of New Orleans was flooded and over 1 million acres were destroyed throughout the Gulf Coast. Because of Hurricane Katrina, most of New Orleans were under water for days and even weeks. Since the disaster, the recovery process has been very taxing and challenging. The recovery phase consists of strengthening and the replacement of 220 miles of floodwalls and levees. To rebuild

damaged housing and infrastructure, Congress provided more than $16 billion dollars. For those families that were displaced, there were over 10,000 homes available for them. The storm affected over 30,000 consumers. The replacement and the repairs of the oil and gas and energy facilities have been completed and are now up and running. There were 186 water treatment systems affected by the hurricane. The City of New Orleans natural protection were subsequently removed from the protection of storms and flooding due to the substandard design. FEMA and the Corps of Engineers began to work together to clean up the city and civil engineers’ tasks. Throughout the City of New Orleans, there were several boats that canvassed the areas, as well as hinder waterways. A flood protection plan system designed by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) has been put into place to be able to endure a storm that could transpire once every 100 years.
The difficulty with rescuing and recovery missions after the storm was severe because of substantial flooding and the lack of trouble-free access to many parts of the city.

As water were subsiding and being pumped dry, the extent and absolute magnitude of damage were an insurance and federal aid minefield for numerous residents. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDI) assembled a team to examine its, urban design, energy security, coastal protection, toxic waste, public health and global warming. NRDI was in place to present practices, course of actions to take and long term responses to safeguard Gulf Coast Residents. Every Katrina survivor basically had the same story, however, their financial, emotional and health factors were different. Each factor, whether it was individuals or families, had its own unique problems. Insurance scams and contractor fraud made many individuals weary and distrustful regarding the rebuilding efforts and is one of many contributing factors to why may former residents have not returned to New Orleans. The previously stated problems were just a ‘drop in the bucket’ of what was to come after the

hurricane.
A comprehensive recovery strategy planned called the FEMA-Funded Recovery Roads Program was put in place to repair Hurricane Katrina related damages on and beneath city managed streets throughout New Orleans.
Let’s focus on the roads and bridges. New Orleans Department of Public Works have their hands full with maintaining over 1,500 miles of road, 149 bridges, and much much more. The extent of damages of the infrastructure has not yet been identified, and it may take several more years to see the full effect of the damages that Hurricane Katrina has cause for the roads through New Orleans. However, there is an enormous wall 26’ feet high and 2 miles long being built by the Corps from New Orleans and Lake Borgne. Although the Corps failed at previous attempts to protect New Orleans from a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, the Corps stated that this time around, the new floodwalls and levees are much taller and more solid.
Although Hurricane Katrina caused tremendous damage to the roads of New Orleans, flood water and heavy equipment played a role as well because debris had to be removed. A short term fix is in place to roads being safe to drive on. There is continual congestion being faced by motorists across the city. Although there are frustrations with motorists, they agree that work is needed for long term repairs. Because roads have been ignored and unattended, it makes the repairs of the roads much longer and the patience for some of the motorists even shorter. There are long term goals for the repair of roads. Roads will be resurfaced and concrete panels that has been damaged will be replaced. There will be curb and handicapped upgrades done in the areas that’s needed. A regional program called Submerged Road Program, has $90 million in the budget for the reconstruction of New Orleans roads and its surrounding areas. The program ended ten years later with the spending amount of $118 million. With that budget amount, major roads were able to be repaired. To name a few repairs, the streets in New Orleans French Quarter, streets near the Super Bowl, and the Duncan Canal to Loyola Drive and from West Esplanade Avenue to Vintage. The previously stated areas are tourist attractions and with those roads being fixed, it will attract tourists. With attracting tourists, that brings more money to put back into the economy. Although New Orleans was the main focus during Hurricane Katrina, there were nearly 45 bridges that connected with other cities and states that were damaged as well. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi was also damaged due to Hurricane Katrina.
The city was shocked at the damage that Hurricane Katrina left in its path. The path of Katrina left the Sewage and Water Board challenged because they have never had to face anything like this before. Many people lost their lives and the majority of the city was under water. Because of the destruction of the hurricane, many homes were lost. There was devastation after Hurricane Katrina left havoc to the board’s water, sewer, drainage and power generation system. To preserve the city’s water and sewage, at least 300 city employees endangered their lives during the flood. Eleven days after the levees had breached, those city employees made it feasible to dewater the city.
It took some time, but however, a few years after Hurricane Katrina, construction was able to begin and repairs to the city water and sewage to be made.

The intention for the construction and repairs was to make sure New Orleans had clean and safe drinking water. There were definitely challenges regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Nevertheless, agencies like FEMA and SELA helped with the process as well as funding. With those funds, New Orleans was able to pay for construction for new pumping stations and better the city’s drainage. One of the city’s major area that was impacted by the hurricane, was New Orleans Ninth Ward. The devastation of that area was unbelievable. The Ninth Ward was a much older community and the hurricane did not play favors in that area. An enormous amount of funding from FEMA was targeted to that area for repairs and recovery. Because the area was a much older area, water lines and roadways had to be repaired or

replaced.
One of the most extensive problems for the City of New Orleans were the levees, floodwall and the pumping of the flood waters that was flowing into the city. Because of replacements and repairs, the system is better equipped and designed to withstand strength like Hurricane Katrina. The repairs and updates has a more advance computer system and more suitable construction material. The levees are much better than ten years ago. The engineers states that it provides much better protection.
Ten years after Hurricane Katrina the quality of life is more advantageous to those living in New Orleans and its surrounding areas. In wake of Hurricane Katrina, it has been reported that more people are tending to visit the New Orleans area. Because the hurricane demolished (for a better lack of a word), New Orleans was able to rebuild. With those new constructions in place, such as, new hotels and restaurants were able to be built. That placed more money back into the economy. Tourist attractions have blossomed since the hurricane. The classics such as the French Quarter, Garden District and The National World War II Museum has become well toured attractions. The most recent must-see attractions includes but not limited to the Hipster Bywater Neighborhood, and the new Crescent Park that goes along the Mississippi River. Destroyed by the flood, the historic market, St. Roch, has been rebuilt as well. One of the frequently walked streets, Bourbon Street is still well attended with tourists. The silence after Hurricane Katrina is now filled with live music on Frenchmen Street, in the nearby neighborhood of Marigny. Visitors now congregate to the art houses on St. Claude Avenue.
Now it’s more than ten years later, and the memory of Hurricane Katrina will forever be embedded into the minds of people all over the world, and definitely on those that had to live through it. Corrections should continue to be made to make sure New Orleans is restored to a firm foundation. Foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies should ensure that their investments are used wisely and to make sure that conditions that was pre-Katrina, is no more.