Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf of Mexico coast of the United States on 28 August 2005, and became the most economically destructive storm to strike the U.S. Its winds were of the highest Saffir-Simpson Category 5, of 175mph at landfall. The winds lost power as they moved inland, but the hurricane covered an exceptionally wide area. While the common perception is that its main area of effect was the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans, it actually had major effects on other states including Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia; there were lesser effects in Texas. Texas, which was to be the focus of Hurricane Rita not long afterwards,

It is in Louisiana and New Orleans, however, that inadequate emergency management was at its most obvious. Problems were numerous, both political and technical, at all levels from city to U.S. national government. Many lessons were learned, and some things did work well, such as assistance by other states' National Guard units under interstate rather than Federal authorization.