KATRINA – ANATOMY OF A DISASTER (SBS TV 21/12/05)

1.  Where did Hurricane Katrina begin its life?

2.  How does a Hurricane develop?

3.  Hurricane Katrina occurred in the northern Hemisphere so therefore it rotates in a ______direction whereas cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere rotate in ______direction.

4.  How do scientists collect data in order to predict Hurricane intensity and direction?

5.  What do each of the Hurricane Categories mean?

Category 1 =

Category 2 =

Category 3 =

Category 4 =

Category 5 =

6.  What aspect of Hurricanes causes the most deaths?

7.  Show the path of Hurricane Katrina and label Gulf of Mexico, Florida (a US State), mainland USA, New Orleans on a simple sketch below.

8.  Draw and Label a simple PENCIL sketch of Lake Pontchartrain, the Missississippi River and New Orleans on the sketch below.

9.  Identify the range of geographic type jobs shown in this documentary (ie. Look at the job titles of the experts talking during the show).

10. What geographic problems did New Orleans face which caused the city to ultimately flood during and after Katrina?

11. Why did the various levees fail in New Orleans?

12. What percentage of New Orleans was flooded by Katrina?

13. What are the arguments about why Hurricanes are increasing in intensity and frequency?

14. What are the solutions to stopping such damage again to New Orleans should another Hurricane hit?

Category / Wind speed / Storm surge
mph
(km/h) / ft
(m)
5 / ≥156
(≥250) / >18 (>5.5)
4 / 131–155
(210–249) / 13–18
(4.0–5.5)
3 / 111–130
(178–209) / 9–12
(2.7–3.7)
2 / 96–110
(154–177) / 6–8
(1.8–2.4)
1 / 74–95
(119–153) / 4–5
(1.2–1.5)
Additional classifications
Tropical
storm / 39–73
(63–117) / 0–3
(0–0.9)
Tropical
depression / 0–38
(0–62) / 0
(0

30th August 2005

Highest speed 175mph (280km/h) (1-minutesustained)
Lowest pressure / 902mbar (hPa; 26.65inHg)
Fatalities / 1,836 total
Damage / $81.2billion (2005USD)
$86billion (2007USD)
(Costliest Atlantic hurricane in history)
Areas
affected / Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America