Page 29 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

THE HIST OR Y OF NE W ORLEANS  27

The City Underwater
The historic neighborhoods built on higher ground Why the Levees Failed
did not flood, while the newer communities, built New Orleans relies on a network
on reclaimed swamp land, were devastated as lake of man-made canals supported by
water surged through the levee breaches. concrete walls and earthen levees to
drain water from the low-lying city
The New Orleans Fair Grounds St. Louis Cathedral and into Lake Pontchartrain. The storm
race track flooded, but the venue other landmarks in the surge from Hurricane Katrina forced
was still able to host the New Orleans historic French Quarter a massive amount of water from
Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006. Horse were built on high the lake back into the canals, and
racing resumed in November 2007. ground and therefore eventually this water overflowed the
avoided flooding. walls meant to contain it.

Water cascaded over the canal
walls with such force that it eroded
the supporting earthen banks. This
even tually weakened the levees so
much that the walls collapsed and
flood water poured into the city.

The Mississippi River-
Gulf Outlet, a man-made
ship ping channel outside of
New Orleans, helped funnel
the storm surge into the city
via the Industrial Canal.

Roof Damage at Lower Ninth Ward
the Superdome In this area, water blasted
Storm winds tore off the through the failed levees with
roof of the city’s largest such force that homes were
sports arena, a refuge ripped from the ground,
for several thousand leaving little to salvage
residents. It took days in the flood’s wake.
for the people trapped
there to be evacuated.
May 6 All New Orleans Sep 25 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Dec 23 St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
neighborhoods declared reopens for first football game service fully restored
officially open for return
Feb 28, 2006 First post- Jun 29 Convention Nov 23 New Orleans Fair Grounds
Katrina Mardi Gras Center reopens racecourse reopens
2007
Aug 24 Port of New Orleans operates at Dec 24 City population officially
100 per cent of pre-Katrina cargo levels estimated at 300,000
May 27 Audubon Jun 12, 2007 New Orleans New Orleans
Aquarium of the appoints its first inspector general streetcar
Americas reopens to root out city corruption

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