Material Detail

Long before Hurricane Katrina, most experts knew the city of New Orleans was vulnerable to flooding caused by hurricanes because it is below sea level, between a lake and a river, and on the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast. This video segment provides an account of Hurricane Ivan, a near miss that occurred just one year before Katrina, some of the measures (pumps and levees) that have been taken to keep water out of the city, and the increased risk caused by loss of wetlands that act as barriers to storm surges. The segment is five minutes forty-six seconds in length. A background essay and list of discussion questions are also provided.

Disciplines:

• Humanities  / History