KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS

As the eye of Hurricane Katrina swept to the northeast, it subjected the city to hurricane conditions for hours. 

Although power failures prevented accurate measurement of wind speeds in New Orleans, there were a few measurements of hurricane-force winds. 

no electricity on the night of katrina in new orleans

From this the NHC concluded that it is likely that much of the city experienced sustained winds of Category 1 or Category 2 strength.

Failures occurred in New Orleans and surrounding communities, especially St. Bernard Parish. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) breached its levees in approximately 20 places, flooding much of east New Orleans, most of Saint Bernard Parish and the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish.

The major levee breaches in the city included breaches at the 17th Street Canal levee, the London Avenue Canal, and the wide, navigable Industrial Canal, which left approximately 80% of the city flooded. 

80% of the city flooded

 

Most of the major roads traveling into and out of the city were damaged. The only routes out of the city were the westbound Crescent City Connection and the Huey P. Long Bridge, as large portions of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge traveling eastbound towards Slidell, Louisiana had collapsed. 

Both the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and the Crescent City Connection only carried emergency traffic. 

 heavy traffic during hurricane katrina