In August 2005, a massive hurricane hit New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast. Levees created to protect New Orleans from flooding failed, and water rushed into the city. Some stranded residents waited days in horrible conditions for rescue to arrive. More than a thousand people died, and thousands more lost their homes. Could anyone have prevented these losses?

To understand the impact of a disaster, you must understand its causes. How did Hurricane Katrina turn into a monster storm? How did poor planning contribute to the scope of the disaster? Investigate the disaster from a cause-and-effect perspective and find out!