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Hurricane Katrina

What is hurricane katrina?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Formation date August 23, 2005[1]
Landfall date August 29, 2005[2]
Death toll 1,833 fatalities[1]
Damage estimate approximately $108 billion to $161 billion[1]
Storm category at Louisiana landfall Category 3[2]

Hurricane Katrina was a tropical cyclone that formed in August 2005 and struck the southeastern United States, causing severe flooding, major damage, and a high death toll.

Context

Hurricane Katrina formed as a tropical depression over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005, and became a tropical storm the next day [1]. It made initial landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on August 25, 2005 [1]. After intensifying to a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, it struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005 [2]. The storm caused widespread flooding and devastation, leaving millions homeless [2].

Documented claims

  • Hurricane Katrina is the costliest hurricane on record. [1]
  • It is one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States. [1]

Related

Hurricane SandyHurricane Sandy was another major hurricane that affected the United States, and readers may want to compare its impact.Hurricane HazelHurricane Hazel was a significant historical hurricane in the same region, providing context for Katrina's place in hurricane history.

Questions and answers

Is Hurricane Katrina the worst ever?

Hurricane Katrina is the costliest hurricane on record, with damage estimated between $108 billion and $161 billion [1]. It is also one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the United States, with 1,833 fatalities [1].

How many people died in Katrina in 2005?

The death toll from Hurricane Katrina is reported as 1,833 fatalities [1].

What city was hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina?

New Orleans was hit hardest, as the storm caused severe flooding and devastation in the city [2].

Sources

  1. Hurricane Katrina | Deaths, Damage, & Facts — britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned - Chapter One — georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in History