Hurricane Katrina

2015 Hurricane Katrina
  • Saffir-Simpson Rating: Category 5 Hurricane
  • Highest 1-Minute Sustained Winds: 175 mph (280 km/h)
  • Damage: $125 Billion (USD in 2005)
  • Death Toll: 1,833
  • Katrina Formed: August 23rd, 2005
  • Katrina Dissipated: August 31st, 2005
  • Affected Countries: The Bahamas, Cuba and the United States of America

Above were some basic scientific facts about Hurricane Katrina. If you want more facts about Hurricane Katrina scroll down to the next section of this web page.

21 Hurricane Katrina Facts

  1. Hurricane Katrina formed on August 23rd, 2005, over the southeastern Bahamas and dissipated over the eastern Great Lakes region in the United States on August 31st, 2005.
  2. Hurricane Katrina was a category 5 hurricane that occurred during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.
  3. Hurricane Katrina was a 36 on the Hurricane Severity Index, 13 points for intensity and 23 points for size.
  4. The highest 1-Minute sustained winds for Hurricane Katrina was 175 mph (280 km/h)
  5. The lowest pressure recorded for Hurricane Katrina was 902 mbar (hPA); 26.64 inHg.
  6. The storm’s impact was felt across 90,000 square miles.
  7. The storm displaced over a million residents of the Gulf Coast region.
  8. It’s estimated that the storm surge from Katrina reached 20+ feet above normal tide levels.
  9. Around three million people lost power because of the storm. 1.3 million in southeastern Florida and 1.7 million in the gulf states.
  10. It’s estimated that Katrina spawned 62 tornadoes from formation until its dissipation.
  11. Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage which resulted in $125 billion in losses in 2005 USD.
  12. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the insurance industry paid $45.1 billion in 2009 USD.
  13. After the storm gas prices in the U.S. almost reached $5 a gallon due to worries about oil and gas production.
  14. It’s estimated $6.5 billion was donated to people affected by the storm.
  15. Hurricane Katrina was a deadly hurricane that contributed to the deaths of 1,833 people.
  16. In the U.S., the death toll by State was 2 in Alabama, 14 in Florida, 2 in Georgia, 1 in Kentucky, 1,577 in Louisiana, 238 in Mississippi and 2 in Ohio.
  17. The large loss of life in Louisiana was due to levee failures that caused sudden catastrophic flooding.
  18. It’s estimated that 40% of all the deaths in Louisiana were due to drowning.
  19. It’s estimated that almost half of the deaths in Louisiana were people 74 years old or older.
  20. Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown was heavily criticized for his handling of the response and later resigned from the agency.
  21. The first mandatory evacuation order for the City of New Orleans wasn’t issued by Mayor Ray Nagin until less than 24 hours before Katrina made landfall.

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