Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was an Atlantic Ocean-based hurricane that struck the U.S. in 2005, causing nearly 2,000 deaths. The storm made landfall on August 29 in southeast Louisiana and devastated the Gulf Coast before it was done. New Orleans suffered the most casualties, as the levee system designed to keep out flooding failed, leaving most of the city under water. The federal response and rescue missions were widely criticized for their ineffectiveness, raising questions about race and class disparity, and the national and local governments' ability to protect citizens in times of crisis.