Social Vulnerabilities and Hurricane Katrina: An Unnatural Disaster in New Orleans

Studies have been done to show how social structures and processes that place at risk specific segments of human populations, as well as human populations in general, can create a disaster when a hurricane or other natural hazard strikes. The authors describe Hurricane Katrina and its impact, and how the stage was set for disaster through New Orleans' political and economic history and land development patterns. The authors use past research to analyze the extent to which risk factors such as tenancy, gender, disability, age, minority status, and poverty were present in the pre-Katrina population of New Orleans and how they were related to citizen vulnerability. Influence of social vulnerability on outcomes of recovery, storm impacts, evacuation, preparation, mitigation and other Hurricane Katrina stages are discussed.The authors conclude that until social justice and inequality are addressed, communities cannot be disaster resilient.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.4031/002533206787353123
• Record URL:
  • https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/mts/mtsj/2006/00000040/00000004/art00004
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1623789
• Authors:
  • Laska, Shirley
  • Morrow, Betty Hearn
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 16-26
• Serial:
  • Marine Technology Society Journal
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Marine Technology Society
  • ISSN: 0025-3324
  • Serial URL: http://ingentaconnect.com/content/mts/mtsj

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic and social factors; Equity; Hurricanes; Impacts; Land use; Population; Resilience (Materials); Risk assessment
• Identifier Terms: Hurricane Katrina, 2005
• Uncontrolled Terms: Inequality; Natural disasters; Natural hazards
• Geographic Terms: New Orleans (Louisiana)
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01047290
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 2007 8:07AM