Why was New Orleans vulnerable to flooding when Katrina struck? A. The city is built on an island. B. There are no safeguards between the city and the sea. C. Much of the city is below sea level. D. Katrina struck with almost no warning.I need help
History · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
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C. Much of the city is below sea level.
New Orleans is situated in a low-lying area and is, in fact, below sea level in many parts, especially in areas protected by levees and floodwalls. The city is surrounded by water bodies, including Lake Pontchartrain to the north and the Mississippi River to the south. The presence of levees, canals and pumps is meant to protect the city from flooding, but the combination of the city's low elevation and the vulnerability of these protective structures contributed to the extensive flooding when Hurricane Katrina's storm surge overwhelmed the levee system in 2005.