Who is affected by the disaster katrina

Kvcindia brings to you the facts figures in regions and damage to those regions in USA

So far, 11 fatalities have been reported in Southern Florida, including three in Broward County, one in Miami-Dade County, and four in Miami [13]. A family of five feared dead was rescued by the United States Coast Guard [14]. Furthermore, more than 1 million customers were left without electricity [15], and damage in Florida was estimated at between $1 and $2 billion. The American Red Cross will be providing substantial support to those affected [16].

Louisiana
According to officials nearly half a million people were temporarily without electricity in Louisiana for several hours. Currently, 800,000 are without electricity.

There have been unconfirmed reports of flooding on the Lake Pontchartrain causeway.

The Sheriff of Jefferson Parish reported through WDSU that he expects his district to remain uninhabitable for at least the coming week and that residents should not return to the area.

Incidents of looting have been reported throughout affected areas of Louisiana, most notably in New Orleans.

New Orleans
Area affiliates of WDSU report New Orleans is experiencing widespread flooding, is without power, and that there are several instances of catastrophic damage in residential as well as business areas. All metropolitan New Orleans television news services have evacuated their studios in the city and are broadcasting from remote locations.

Shortly before midnight on August 28, local television stations WAPT and WWL reported the first deaths in Louisiana related to Katrina: three nursing home patients who died, probably of dehydration, during the gridlocked evacuation of New Orleans.

On August 29, 7:40 a.m. CDT, it was reported that most of the windows on the north side of the New Orleans Hyatt have been blown out, and many other high rise buildings have extensive window damage.

A number of brick facades have collapsed into the street.

At 9 a.m. CDT a levee breach was reported at Tennessee Street by CCTV operators of a local bank.

At 11 a.m. the National Weather Service reported that a levee broke on the Industrial Canal, a 5.5-mile waterway that connects the Mississippi River to the Intracoastal Waterway, near the St. Bernard-Orleans parish line (Tennessee St.) and 3 to 10 feet of flooding was possible.

This area, also known as the 9th Ward area of the city, reported 3 pump failures. Mayor Ray Nagin states the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans on the east side of the city is under five to six feet of rising water, due to the failure of the pumps. New Orleans police had received more than 100 calls about people in the area trapped on their roofs. This area includes St. Bernard Parish where an estimated 40,000 homes are now flooded. A clear image of the Lower Ninth Ward can be seen here.

“There are reports of army ducks traveling throughout the parish with some homes and streets deeply in water. Information will be ongoing…” –Senator Walter Boasso [17].

The St. Bernard Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness says the parish’s two shelters at Chalmette High and St. Bernard High are suffering much damage with flooding. He said Chalmette High shelter is losing its roof, and St. Bernard High has many broken windows/glass. There are estimates of 300-plus refugees at the two sites. “We cannot see the tops of the levees!” –Director OEP, Larry Ingargiola

From MSN “Resident Chris Robinson said via cellphone from his home east of downtown that “I’m not doing too good right now. The water’s rising pretty fast and falling down my trouser leg”, he added. “I got a hammer and an ax and a crowbar, but I’m holding off on breaking through the roof until the last minute. Tell someone to come get me please. I want to live.” [18].

The National Weather Service reported that water had overtopped levees in Orleans and St. Bernard parishes.

According to the Miami Herald, the flooded Ninth Ward in metro New Orleans sent 116 residents onto rooftops seeking aid.

Emergency crews have been busy all day answering phone calls about urgent situations like heart attacks and pregnancies.

At least 3 fires have been reported in the New Orleans area collapsing several buildings.

As of 2 p.m. (CDT), the east side of New Orleans is under 5 to 6 feet of water.

WDSU has been showing images of a Winn-Dixie store being looted on Canal Street. WWL reports looting in a Winn Dixie on Basin Street with police officials on the scene.
Over 10,000 people spent the night at the Superdome. Power failed at the Superdome on August 29 at about 5 AM CDT as the storm center approached. About 7:15 a.m., as the eye was approaching from the south, and winds were building, but not yet at peak, a loud banging was heard inside the dome, and it began to leak, creating fears about the integrity of the structure, and causing a movement of the refugees to the more protected areas under the stands. By 8:15 a.m., it was reported that the Superdome roof had been breached, with hole estimated at 3′ by 5′. At 11 a.m., a CNN reporter outside the structure reported that large sections of the waterproof roof membrane had been ripped off, and were hanging down the side of the building. The Associated Press states there are two holes, “each about 15 to 20 feet long and 4 to 5 feet wide”. and that water is also making its way in at elevator shafts and other small openings [19].

Entire neighborhoods on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain are flooded.

200 people are stranded on their rooftops in the Ninth Ward, and several bodies have been seen floating in the water [20]. Many people have been reported trapped inside their attics. Rescue efforts will be stepped up on Tuesday.

As of 10 p.m. CDT Search and rescue has begun with boats in Plaquemines, St. Bernard and N.O. East. BLANCO: Orders given to block re-entry to areas affected by Katrina. All residents of Jefferson Parish are under a boil water order. Boil water order in effect for New Orleans, except for Algiers and the CBD, due to a water main break. Entergy says 700,000 customers without power; Cleco says 70,000 have no power [21].

As of 11:30 p.m. CDT, WDSU-TV reported at least part of the I-10 Twin Span has completely collapsed. There is also a large fire involving several large building complexes.

Information attained at 1:30 AM CDT by CNN via the vice president of Tulane University Medical Center reported that a levee on the 17th Street Canal, which connects into Lake Ponchatrain has suffered a two city-block wide breach in it. This is allowing the water of Lake Ponchatrain, which lies some six feet above sea level, to flow downward into northern New Orleans proper, which lies between two and ten feet below sea level. The administrator reported that the water level had been rising at a rate of one inch every five minutes, and that the water had already flooded the first floor of Tulane University Medical Center and was approaching the second floor where the emergency generators for the hospital are located. The Vice President reported that the hospital needed immediate evacuation and with surface roads inundated, airlift via the heliport at the hospital will be the only way to rescue the some one thousand patients and staff still at the hospital. Charity Hospital, located east of Tulane, is also preparing to evacuate. A 200 ft breach was confirmed by New Orleans Fire Department officials to CNN at 3:16 AM CDT. [22].

Both of these hospitals are within a half mile of the Superdome sports stadium which is being used as a shelter. (Information derived from Google Earth overlays.)

Terrebonne Parish
Signs, trees, roofs and utility poles suffered the brunt of Hurricane Katrina’s fury when the storm roared across Terrebonne and Lafourche [23].

Plaquemines Parish
As of 9 PM Monday, Parish President Benny Rousselle has issued the following statement: “Do not return to the parish until further notice. There are no public services available and all roads are closed and impassable at this time. Parish President Benny Rousselle has requested that only employees in Drainage, Heavy Equipment, Public Right-of-Way Maintenance and Solid Waste Departments return to the parish if possible” [24].

St. Bernard Parish
3:00 P.M. – Approximately 150 people were sighted on rooftops where approx. 8-10 feet (perhaps more) of water in area. Included on roofs were WDSU reporter (and St. Bernard resident) & photographer on a Government Complex rooftop. Search and Rescue teams are being dispensed to areas hard hit. Presently no deaths have been reported as was sighted in New Orleans [25].

Mississippi
Authorities in Gulfport, Mississippi told CNN that 10 feet of water cover downtown streets [26]. An Armed Forces Retirement Facility within two blocks of the coastline was flooded on Monday, forcing patients, staff, and equipment to the upper floors. Additionally, three fire stations in the city reported various degrees of structural damage.

In the city of Biloxi, Mississippi widespread damage was reported as several of the city’s attractions were destroyed. Various restaurants have been destroyed in addition to news that several casino barges had been pulled out of the water and onto land [27]. In addition, most of the deaths (as of 6am CDT, the total death toll is 55) occured in Biloxi.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials have recorded deaths in Hinds, Warren, and Leake counties. More than half of Entergy Mississippi’s 410,000 customers lost power. Rescuers are now reaching and saving residents from rooftops [28].

Interstate 10 between Gulfport and Biloxi is impassible due to debris in the vicinity of Biloxi River.

Four people are confirmed dead in Mississippi due to fallen trees. Jim Pollard, spokesman for the Harrison County emergency operations center, said there were 54 deaths in Harrison County, Mississippi, Thirty of those confirmed deaths in Harrison County were at the St. Charles apartment complex, near the beach in casino resort town of Biloxi, said Kelly Jakubic with the county’s Emergency Operations Center. [29] [30]

“Unconfirmed” damage reports mounting [31].

Alabama
In Mobile, Alabama, Mobile Bay spilled into the downtown area to the depth of 2 to 3 feet. An oil platform broke loose of it’s moorings and slammed into the Cochrane Bridge.

More than 110,000 people are without power in Alabama.

Tornadoes have been reported near Brewton, Alabama.

Two people have died in Alabama so far, both in traffic accidents related to Katrina.

Georgia
Western Georgia has been hit with bands of Hurricane Katrina resulting in heavy rains, damaging winds and several reports of tornadoes in Polk County, Heard County, and Carroll County. In Polk County, 3 homes were reported damaged by a tornado. At around 5 p.m. EDT, a fatal tornado in Carroll County resulted in the death of one person in a vehicle collision and caused damage to as many as 30 homes [32].

Potential effects further north
Tropical storm force winds will continue much farther inland, likely through Tennessee and into the Ohio Valley and the eastern Great Lakes region [33], even once Katrina becomes extratropical. Tornadoes remain a possibility along the entire track, primarily on the east and southeast sides of the storm center.

In addition, heavy rainfall (4 to 8 inches/100-200mm with local amounts exceeding 15 inches/375mm) could combine with locally saturated ground from summer storms to cause potentially catastrophic flooding in the Tennessee Valley region by Tuesday. Similar amounts are expected in the Ohio Valley region by early Wednesday, the eastern Great Lakes region by late Wednesday and eventually even parts of Quebec and western New England by Thursday. Some areas in those regions are under moderate drought conditions [34] and could use the extra rain, however severe flooding is still possible depending on the rainfall amounts. One potential problem spot is Toronto, Ontario which had a major flooding event on August 19 which caused $100 million in damage, and Katrina could cause further problems [35]. In addition, along the western end of the Appalachians, mudslides are also possible due to the mountainous terrain.