Summary Of Katrina By James Fraser

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc. can create mass destruction for people in the affected regions. In the decade of 2000-2009, there were many natural disasters that caused people suffering. The most outstanding event was Hurricane Katrina, which killed an estimated 1,833 people. It is one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the U.S. and the most expensive in U.S. history, causing approximately $161 billion in damage (Hurricane Katrina 2). Overall, the natural disasters of 2000-2009 highlight the fear and unity of American citizens during times of trouble. The fictional poem “Hurricane Katrina” by James Fraser highlights the struggle of the people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Fraser writes, “Awesome power is

The author continues, “The aftermath and splatter view / Killed so many, survivors few” (Fraser 21-22). By including this, Fraser expresses that many people were harmed in the wrath of the hurricane. This shows the fear and devastation that the citizens of these cities are facing. Fraser adds, “New Orleans Jazz continues to play / Although nature won this day / Resilient folks, awesome place / Human nature won this race” (25-28). This is important because it emphasizes that even though people were lost and their lives were affected due to the natural events, human resilience created a lasting effect on the world. The lessons that were learned from this experience developed community strength and well-being. The article “Hurricane Katrina” from the George W. Bush Library acknowledges the fear and suffering of the people located in the areas affected by the hurricane. The author reports, “New Orleans experienced wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour and extensive flooding after levees in the city were breached by flood waters. By August 31, 2005, 80% of the city of New Orleans was underwater” (Hurricane Katrina

The hurricane revealed the capability of the communities to face struggles. The authors continue, “In New Orleans and throughout the Gulf, work is continuing on rebuilding sustainable communities that will be more resilient in the face of future disasters. Across the board, these types of efforts also have real-time benefits for promoting general health and well-being in these communities” (Plough & Chandra 2). By rebuilding communities, the people of New Orleans are coming together to become stronger as a whole. This proves that during the time period people are shown to be resilient during disastrous times. According to Plough and Chandra, “L.A. County is at risk for earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters, but many of its communities also face chronic stressors such as violence, segregation, poverty, and homelessness. We took lessons learned from the impact of Katrina and applied them to a framework for building resiliency in 16 L.A. County communities” (Plough & Chandra 3). The ideas of resiliency created from Hurricane Katrina were translated to help people facing chronic stressors in other parts of the