On Sunday, August 29th, 2021, tropical storm hurricane Ida made landfall on the coast of Lousiana at around 6 a.m. This category four storm ripped through the coast, leaving uprooted power lines, flooded roads and many families without homes. Unfortunately, this has not been the first time a tropical storm has hit Louisiana.
The state has been hit with numerous storms throughout the years, but the most notable storm, Hurricane Katrina, caught the country by surprise. This storm hit on August 29th, 2005, exactly 16 years apart from Hurricane Ida! Though these two storms happened to occur on the same exact date and location, they both differ in many ways.
Hurricane Katrina
Category 3
Katrina touched landfall at 125 mph. Though these high winds are undoubtedly dangerous, flooding was the prime cause of destruction in this case. New Orleans, which got hit the hardest, is surrounded by multiple bodies of water. Most of the city is protected by levees or walls built to shield the city from the water. For years this system was considered safe and protected the city from the surrounding waters. Unfortunately, this storm was a bit too powerful, breaking through the walls and flooding the city. Eighty percent of New Orleans was inundated, with some parts of the city immersing within 15 feet of water.
Since 2005 the levee system has been revamped and improved.
Hurricane Ida
Category 4
Ida touched landfall at 150 mph. Unlike Hurricane Katrina, the levee walls did not break due to the city’s rebuilding. Ida is considered a much bigger storm than Katrina, but the damages do not compare. Although the storm did not hit New Orleans as hard as many expected, it did affect other parts of the country far more. On the east coast, states like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were hit with unexpected severe flash flooding. New York subway systems were shut down due to high levels of water and a few Amtrak trains have been canceled as well.
What’s the difference between category 3 and category 4 hurricanes?
Category 3
These storms come with winds that range between 111 mph to 125 mph. Mobile homes can not withstand this category of hurricane. New homes are at risk of severe damage.
Category 4
These winds range between 130 and 156 mph. Power poles are likely to be uprooted from the ground. In these instances many people are left without electricity and water leaving countless with inhabitable homes.
So which storm was worse?
Neither. While Hurricane Katrina left a death toll of more than 1,800, Idas’ toll has reached 60, and the numbers keep climbing. Both of these storms left a devastating path of destruction, and just like Katrina, Ida will take years of healing and community support to recover.