AFRICANA STUDIES

HURRICANE KATRINA UPDATE

HURRICANE KATRINA: A NATURAL & MAN-MADE DISASTER 

The devastating blow dealt by Hurricane Katrina to the gulf coast region of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana is of historic proportions, and unfortunately the main victims are overwhelmingly African Americans (67% of the city’s population), the poor, and the elderly. Katrina was a major Category 4 hurricane as it hit land at 6:30 AM (EST) on August 29, 2005, and the tragic results of this natural disaster have been depicted with amazing details for many years. Yet local, state, and federal officials were completely unprepared for this inevitable event. There was no planning or preparation by the federal government, Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state of Louisiana, or the city of New Orleans. The results of a Category 4 hurricane were well known, and despite warnings for several decades state and federal officials refused to spend the necessary money on levees to protect African American and other citizens of New Orleans from the floodwaters. Thus, Hurricane Katrina is the greatest human-assisted catastrophe in US history.

The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), for example, stated in its detailed 5-part series entitled “Washing Away” (2002) the following: “It is a matter of time before South Louisiana takes a direct hit from a major hurricane. …It’s a matter of when, not if. Eventually a major hurricane will hit New Orleans head on, instead of being just a close call. It’s happen before and it will happen again.” The report added, “Evacuation is the best chance of survival, but 100,000 people will be left to face the fury.” New Orleans is in a major hurricane zone surrounded by multiple bodies of water, and thus the city has long been considered the worst potential natural disaster area in the United States.

New Orleans Times-Picayune report, “Washing Away” (June 23-27, 2002)

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/?/washingaway/

BlakeRadio.com Broadcast (9/4/05)

Hurricane Katrina: A Natural & Man-Made Disaster (LISTEN! - 88 min.)

Prof. Manu Ampim

September 5, 2005