10 years after the tragic hurricane claimed 1,800 lives and displaced 400,000 people… is the United States better equipped to handle a storm of Katrina’s magnitude?
  
Image “Rain Cloud” courtesy of pakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
August 25, 2005. 10 years ago, one of the most devastating hurricanes ever to hit US soil makes landfall. After just a few days, the effects of the Category-5 storm is revealed to be almost unimaginable; 1,800 people are dead and 400,000 are displaced. Photo and video coverage from the media show the particularly desperate plight of the citizens of New Orleans, a city 80% of which was submerged in water.

Orders for a mandatory evacuation were delayed. New Orleans’ levees could only withstand category 3 storms. The state of Louisiana had limited resources for rescues and aid. The federal government waited on a state request for assistance before acting on the situation. Looting and violence broke out in the city, from both opportunistic criminal elements and ordinary citizens just trying their best to survive when aid seemed distant and bleak.


10 years after the tragic hurricane, is the United States better equipped to handle a storm of Katrina’s magnitude?

Weather Forecast Improvements. 10 years after the disaster and the heavily criticized government response to it, concerned citizens can now have better lead times for weather forecasts. Compared to 2005, notices for a cyclone watch and warnings are now up by about 12 hours. Tropical weather outlook has also improved by days, from looking ahead three days in 2005, to five at the current time. Tracking cyclone paths also have more accuracy, with error being 40% narrower. These improvements are powered by satellite data, supercomputers, and better weather models. Recent developments on, and research uses of, remotely piloted vehicles that can be used to gather data during a storm may soon provide more information for even better forecasting.

But more accurate weather forecasting is just one part of future preparedness. Many people are still considered vulnerable to Hurricane Katrina-like disasters, due to lack of funding for elevated, flood-resilient homes, limited emergency shelters and water resources, and levees and flood barriers that are flawed or problematic. Power outages from severe weather are also getting worse. No wonder there is little confidence in the country’s preparedness for extreme natural disasters – according to a poll by CNN/ORC, 51% of Americans feel we are as vulnerable to a similar emergency as we were 10 years ago.
Though the people most impacted by the disaster have shown remarkable resiliency and strength in recovery, we must also never forget the tragedy’s toughest lessons – true preparedness comes from the power of science for better forecasting, from political willpower that can help allocate resources to points of vulnerability, and to better planning and execution in times of crises. Climate change is making extreme weather situations more common, and if we do not make the appropriate adjustments, we might continue to remain vulnerable – with potentially tragic consequences.


References
“5 things you need to know this weekend.” USA Today, 29 Aug 2015. Web. 05 Sep 2015. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/08/29/5-things-you-need-know-weekend/32158097/
Ghose, Tia. “10 Years After Hurricane Katrina: Have Weather Forecasts Improved?.” LiveScience.com, 29 Aug 2015. Web. 05 Sep 2015. http://www.livescience.com/52027-hurricane-katrina-10-years-weather-forecasts.html
Kostigen, Thomas M. “10 years after Hurricane Katrina, U.S. needs to prepare for the next big one.” USA Today, 29 Aug 2015. Web. 05 Sep 2015. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/28/kostigen-hurricane-katrina-anniversary-resiliency-communities/71273986/
“Politics of Disaster- Katrina and Louisiana.” The Maritime Executive, 25 Aug 2015. Web. 05 Sep 2015. http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/politics-of-disaster-katrina-and-louisiana
“Poll: 10 years after Hurricane Katrina, most say the nation is no better prepared.” Fox2Now.com, 28 Aug 2015. Web. 05 Sep 2015. http://fox2now.com/2015/08/28/poll-10-years-after-hurricane-katrina-most-say-the-nation-is-no-better-prepared/