Katrina made its second and third landfalls in the Gulf Coast area on August 29, 2005 as a Category three hurricane. A neighborhood TV channel reported New Orleans was encountering broad flooding due to a few levee breaks, the city was without electricity, and there were a few cases of massive damage in the area. In brief timing, whole neighborhoods were engulfed in water. Due the rapid flooding, numerous residents became stranded, long after Hurricane Katrina had passed, and could be seen on the roofs of buildings across the city. Clean water was scarce and electrical shortages were estimated to last for weeks. By 11:00 p.m. August 29, the Mayor described the considerable death toll with reports of bodies floating on the water throughout the
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Storm surge breached the levees of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal in approximately 20 places. The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, the London Avenue Canal, and the wide, navigable Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, which left approximately 80% of New Orleans flooded.[31] Flooding from the breaches put the majority of the city under water for days, in many places for weeks. In a June 2006 report on the disaster,[32] the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers admitted that faulty design specifications, incomplete sections, and substandard construction of levee segments, contributed to the damage done to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.[33] A report released by the American Society of Civil Engineers in June 2007 concluded that two-thirds of the flooding in the city could have been avoided if the levees had held.[34] The failure of the Hurricane Protection Project of New Orleans has prompted many government officials to call for many congressional committee hearings and investigations. …show more content…
While some criminal acts did occur, such as the emptying of an entire Walmart,[40] many reports were also exaggerated, or just made up. Robberies were indeed widespread, many reported instances were in fact survivors, stranded, scavenging needed supplies such as food, water, clothing, and shelter.[43] many cases of stealing were later found out to have been carried out by a small number of NOPD officers.[44] Additional distressing occurrences after the storm, particularly with the New Orleans Police Department. In the aftermath, a tourist asked a police officer for assistance, and got the response, "Go to hell, it's every man for himself."[51] Also, one-third of New Orleans police officers abandoned the city, days before the storm and many of them in their department-owned vehicles, adding to the chaos by stretching law enforcement thin.[52] Additionally, several NOPD officers were arrested weeks after Katrina for suspicion of vehicle
Storm surge breached the levees of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal in approximately 20 places. The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, the London Avenue Canal, and the wide, navigable Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, which left approximately 80% of New Orleans flooded.[31] Flooding from the breaches put the majority of the city under water for days, in many places for weeks. In a June 2006 report on the disaster,[32] the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers admitted that faulty design specifications, incomplete sections, and substandard construction of levee segments, contributed to the damage done to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.[33] A report released by the American Society of Civil Engineers in June 2007 concluded that two-thirds of the flooding in the city could have been avoided if the levees had held.[34] The failure of the Hurricane Protection Project of New Orleans has prompted many government officials to call for many congressional committee hearings and investigations. …show more content…
While some criminal acts did occur, such as the emptying of an entire Walmart,[40] many reports were also exaggerated, or just made up. Robberies were indeed widespread, many reported instances were in fact survivors, stranded, scavenging needed supplies such as food, water, clothing, and shelter.[43] many cases of stealing were later found out to have been carried out by a small number of NOPD officers.[44] Additional distressing occurrences after the storm, particularly with the New Orleans Police Department. In the aftermath, a tourist asked a police officer for assistance, and got the response, "Go to hell, it's every man for himself."[51] Also, one-third of New Orleans police officers abandoned the city, days before the storm and many of them in their department-owned vehicles, adding to the chaos by stretching law enforcement thin.[52] Additionally, several NOPD officers were arrested weeks after Katrina for suspicion of vehicle