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Home > Research & Publications > Post-Event Catastrophe Reports > Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System in New Orleans, LA (Post-Katrina)
Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System in New Orleans, LA (Post-Katrina)
Download EQECAT's technical report on the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System in New Orleans, Louisiana (PDF 3 MB).
The post-event report addresses the hurricane plan status following the catastrophic levee failure caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States during the last 100 years. With 125 mph (110 kts) sustained winds during landfall, a strong Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and a 920 mb central pressure at landfall, the third lowest on record, Katrina caused widespread devastation along the central Gulf Coast states of the US. Among the devastated cities were New Orleans, LA, Mobile, AL, and Gulfport, MS.
Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. The confirmed death toll, total of direct and indirect deaths, stood at 1,836, mainly from Louisiana (1,577) and Mississippi (238). The hurricane surge protection failures in the New Orleans area are the major cause of these large losses.
The Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS)
Following the flood disasters caused by Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005, the US Congress allocated $14.5 billion to the Army Corps of Engineers to repair and improve the flood protection system in New Orleans. The significant goal was that by June 1, 2011, most south shore communities were to be enclosed within a 139-mile system of levees, walls and gates that are designed to protect against the 100-year storm surge. The system, known as the Hurricane Storm and Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS), would surround the city of New Orleans.
On March 27, 2012, a tour of the HSDRRS was organized by the Louisiana Comissioner of Insurance and the US Army Corps of Engineers. ABS Consulting and EQECAT participated in this tour and collected information that is included in this report.