On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast as a powerful storm. It came ashore near southeast Louisiana and affected a wide area from Louisiana to Mississippi and Alabama. High winds and storm surge caused levee failures that flooded much of New Orleans. The disaster led to nearly 1,400 deaths and enormous economic losses, with damages estimated at well over one hundred billion dollars. Government response at all levels drew heavy criticism for delays and coordination problems. Katrina is widely regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, and its legacy still shapes disaster planning and coastal policy.
