OVERVIEW
Hurricane Katrina first started off as a tropical depression over the Bahamas, 350 miles east of Miami. Over 2 days the storm gained strength earning the name of Hurricane Katrina. It made landfall as a category 1 hurricane in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The storm exhibited winds of 74-95 mph. The storm only spent 8 hours on land and had rain totals of 5 inches in areas of Florida. Once the storm reach warm waters, it quickly intensified.
People who did not evacuate prior to the hurricane, faced a city 80 percent underwater by August 30. Due to a majority of the buildings being up to 20 feet underwater, first responders of New Orleans were unable to respond. There was a significant amount of looting, and helicopters were used to rescue people off of rooftops. Shortages of food and water were the first issues, combined with temperatures in the 90s. The floodwaters were bacteria rich, presenting a public health emergency.
