Page 28 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

26  INTRODUCING NE W ORLEANS

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina – and the subsequent levee failures –
which hit New Orleans in August 2005, has been called
the most expensive disaster in US history. More than
850,000 homes were damaged and entire communities
along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
were destroyed overnight. The official death toll in 17th Street Canal and
Louisiana alone exceeded 1,400 people, and many London Avenue Canal
more were forced to relocate across the country. Katrina’s storm surge over­
Much of the destruction in the city was caused whelmed these canals and
by floodwaters. The recovery effort has been a flooded much of the city.
monumental undertaking: billions of dollars
in insurance proceeds and government
funds have been committed so far.

Tulane and Loyola Universities
These institutions had to contend
with damage to the facilities
and the displacement of most
employees and students. They
managed to reopen in 2006.

The St. Charles Avenue
Streetcar was severely damaged
by the winds, which tore down
the overhead power lines. The
rolling stock, however, survived
the storm, and service was The massive Mississippi River levees that
resumed in 2007.
help contain the river weathered Katrina
without a problem, ensuring that the French
Quarter, Central Business District, Uptown,
and parts of the Garden District remained dry.
Aug 28 Mayor Ray Nagin orders Aug 31 Attempts to plug Sep 24 Hurricane Rita makes landfall;
the mandatory evacuation levee breaches fail; parts of New Orleans are flooded again
of New Orleans flooding continues until
waters reach the level of
Aug 26, 2005 State of emergency Lake Pontchartrain Mayor Nagin Feb 28, 2006 First post­
declared in Louisiana Katrina Mardi Gras
2005 2006
Aug 29 Katrina makes landfall; storm surge Sep 15 President Bush Nov 28 City’s first public
inundates some communities; levees fail around pledges to rebuild the city school reopens
New Orleans and massive flooding reported
Sep 12 Federal Emergency
Sep 6 Evacuation of Management Agency (FEMA) Oct 6 Drinking water declared
Superdome is completed director Michael Brown resigns safe in most of the city

026-027_EW_New_Orl.indd 26 05/08/16 3:48 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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