Hurricane Katrina

Setting the scene

Hurricane Katrina made landfall August 29, 2005, near New Orleans as a Category 3 storm, causing catastrophic flooding when levees failed. The storm killed 1,392 people and caused $125 billion in damage, the costliest U.S. hurricane. 80% of New Orleans flooded, displacing 1 million people.

What happened

The federal response by FEMA was widely criticized as slow and incompetent. Images of people stranded at the Superdome shocked the nation. The disaster exposed racial and economic inequalities—poor Black neighborhoods suffered most.

Why it still matters

Katrina led to reforms in disaster management and levee rebuilding. It demonstrated the vulnerability of coastal cities to climate change and the importance of competent government. August 29, 2005, remains a symbol of governmental failure.

Background

Federal response drew fierce criticism.