Hurricane Katrina News

Quick-Cash, Risk-Swap Deals Multiply in Extreme Weather Era

Some of the world’s largest insurers are eagerly pitching cities, states and even school districts on policies designed to pay out quickly with few questions in the event of extreme weather. The catch: Even a hurricane might not be extreme …

Museum Recreates Katrina’s Muck in New Orleans

About the photo: Artist Aaron Angelo takes a sledgehammer to the leg of a baby grand piano in a house where two rooms are being transformed to look as they might have looked once floodwaters receded following Hurricane Katrina in …

Brad Pitt’s Foundation Sues Architect Over ‘Katrina’ Home Defects

Actor Brad Pitt’s foundation has sued a New Orleans architect, saying defective design work led to leaks and other flaws in homes built for residents of an area that was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. The lawsuit says …

Study Says Hurricane Maria Far Deadlier Than Katrina

Hurricane Maria probably killed about 5,000 people in Puerto Rico last year even though the official count remains at just 64, according to a Harvard University study released Tuesday. Such mortality would far outstrip the 1,833 who died in Hurricane …

Appeals Court Denies Louisiana’s $586M Demand to FEMA to Fix Barrier Islands

A federal appeals court has rejected Louisiana’s contention that the federal government should pay $586 million to restore barrier islands and wetlands damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld decisions by …

Heavy Rains From Harvey Raise Flooding Fears in Louisiana

Bands of heavy rain from Harvey lashed southwest Louisiana on Monday, and the state’s governor said potential flooding could pose a “dangerous situation.” Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters he expects the potential for flood damage to increase as the …

Agencies Disagree On Whether FEMA Should Take Back Katrina $2B From New Orleans

The Federal Emergency Management Agency should take back $2 billion dollars in grants approved to fix New Orleans sewers and water pipes damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and to repair streets afterward, a federal audit says. FEMA says no. The Department …

Mississippi High Court Refuses to Dismiss Katrina Claims Suit Against State Farm

The Mississippi Supreme Court won’t dismiss a state lawsuit against an insurer over Hurricane Katrina claims. The Sun Herald reports that Attorney General Jim Hood’s lawsuit against insurance giant State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. can go forward. The lawsuit …

High Resolution Atmospheric Models Key to Storm Surge Predictions

For millions of people living and working in coastal zones, hurricanes and their storm surges are costly and deadly. Simulating storm surges is challenging. Surges are sensitive to a number of factors, including atmospheric wind speeds and pressures. Scientists found …

Two Dams Reveal Challenge in Maintaining Older Designs

Twelve years ago, widespread destruction from Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast helped compel federal engineers 2,000 miles away in California to remake a 1950s-era dam by constructing a massive steel-and-concrete gutter that would manage surging waters in times of …