New Orleans is not alone in exposure to dangerous hurricanes and associated flooding. The worst hurricane in terms of loss of life was that in Galveston, Texas in 1905, which killed over 6,000 people. Galveston at the time was the second-largest city in Texas; subsequent population movements emptied the city in favor of Houston, which was inland, and therefore much less susceptible to flooding. Houston's town planners pushed for and built the Houston Ship Channel, which, like New Orleans, created a major harbor for ocean-going freight.
Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi, Alabama and central Florida at the same time that it hit New Orleans. While each of the oceanfront states faced significant damage, none encountered the same loss of life as was experienced in New Orleans. Since there were no levees to breach in those areas, part of the reason for the difference lies in those states' lower exposure to long-term flooding. But part of the reason for lower loss of lives, and faster subsequent rebuilding, lay in those states' better local and state organization.
Hurricane Katrina Disaster Areas (Johnson 2006)
In particular, federal government calls to evacuate the region were heeded by the governors of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, but were not heeded by either the Governor of Louisiana, nor by the...
Secondly, these other states activated the National Guard prior to the hurricane hitting their shores, in order to assist with evacuation. Thirdly, these states had in place evacuation plans which had been rehearsed, and worked much better than in Louisiana. As proof of this, the State of Florida, which also faced the full brunt of Katrina, had experienced five major hurricanes in that same season, with no loss of life.
The human geography of Hurricane Katrina combines natural factors -- New Orleans situated under sea level -- with a difference in political response which demonstrates effective and ineffective government behavior at its most stark.
Bibliography
Hassett, W.L. "Hurricane Katrina." Public Works Management & Policy, 2006: 295-305.
Johnson, G. "Hurricane Katrina: Kicking Them When They're Down." Univ of MD. February 28, 2006. http://www.cs.umd.edu/class/spring2006/cmsc838s/hw2/gjohnson/gjohnsonappassign4.htm (Accessed November 24, 2007).
Nicholson, P. "Katrina." ASCE. December 9, 2005. http://www.ewrinstitute.org/files/pdf/katrinalevees.pdf (Accessed November 24, 2007).
Pacione, M. Environmental and Human Geography. London: Routledge, 1999.
Human Geography - Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
