Hurricane Katrina 6-Year Anniversary: Big Pic
-
Aug. 29, 2011 -- This is what hurricane damage looks like to most people: a tree toppled on a house. After hurricane Irene hit the East Coast this weekend, photos like this one are everywhere.
But this tree and this house were casualties of another storm: Katrina. Six years ago today, on Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as Category 3 storm on the Gulf Coast.
The "X" marks on New Orleans' houses became an iconic symbol of the cleanup efforts, with each quadrant representing a different piece of information, left by rescue crews and government organizations.
NEWS: After Katrina, Gulf Coast Still Vulnerable
In statistics alone, Katrina was one of the worst disasters to befall the United States. More than 1,800 people died in the storm and as a result of the levee breaks in New Orleans. Property damage was estimated to be between $81 and $108 billion, according to NOAA. More than 1.2 million people along the Gulf Coast were under evacuation orders.
The Weather Channel reported 43 tornadoes. Storm surge across the Gulf ranged from 10 feet to 25 feet above average levels.
While Katrina left a wake of devastation across the Gulf States, it's perhaps most infamous for the destruction of New Orleans and the chaos that followed. Breaks in the city's levee system flooded 80 percent of the city with water. Thousands of "refugees" sought shelter in the Super Dome. Looting was widely reported.
NEWS: Katrina's Floods Dropped Children's Lead Levels
Criticism of the government and police response continue to this day. On Aug. 5, 2011, four officers were found guilty of shooting unarmed civilians in the Danzinger Bridge incident.
-
our sites
-
video
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
comments ( )