While New Orleans is known for its architectural gems, unmatched culture, amazing cuisine, and festivals, it’s also known for being a victim of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters.
In a recent study that surveyed metro cities across the United States, over 33 percent of New Orleans households reported being concerned about living in a high-risk flood zone. Out of the 25 other metro cities surveyed, New Orleans had the highest residents concerned about the risk-of-disaster. The data, analyzed by Lawn Starter, is from the 2015 American Housing Survey.
Flooding is considered the fourth deadliest natural disaster, when considering data from 1970 to 2004, according to the Population Reference Bureau.
Hurricane Katrina is recorded as one of the deadliest hurricane and flood disaster in the history of the United States, and recorded as the deadliest hurricane since 1928, according to the Census Bureau. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina claimed over 1,800 lives and $151 billion in property damage throughout the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane seasons begins in June and ends at the end of November.
In a recent study by Climate Central, New Orleans is ranked number three out of five of the most vulnerable cities to Hurricanes. Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Norfolk, Virginia and Houston are among the top five.
In September, FEMA released a new flood map of New Orleans, highlighting areas at risk for flooding. In the most updated map, several homes were moved from hazard zones to non-hazard zones because of advancements in drainage and levee preparedness, according to Nola.com.
New Orleans is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. This past December, the New Orleans’ Department of Parks and Parkways, along with several other tree-centered non profits, installed over 240 trees during throughout the city. Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Issac displaced over 20 percent of the city’s trees. That translates to over 100,000 Trees.
- 1 of 3 New Orleans-Area Residents Say They’re Threatened by Floods, Other Disasters [Lawn Starter]
- Which Types of Disasters Are the Deadliest in the U.S.? The Answer Is Surprising [Population Reference Bureau]
- Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary: Aug. 29, 2015 [U.S. Census]
- Top 5 Most Vulnerable U.S. Cities to Hurricanes [Climate Central]
- New Orleans flood insurance maps take effect Friday [Nola.com]
- NOLA to install 240 new trees in December [Curbed NOLA]