The ghost of Hurricane Katrina is going to be haunting our nation for years to come. The Gulf Coast and especially the Crescent City, New Orleans have much to be concerned about. Rebuilding these devastated areas is taking great effort and consuming valuable economic resources. Thousands of people and their families will never forget, nor should they, how the government failed to protect them and then assist them in recovery. Not to blame the government entirely, because there is a strong element of human pride, poverty, and the human condition that also contributed to the toll taken on the people of the Gulf. Regardless of the arguments over it however, hurricanes will return year after year, and with every hurricane season the good people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans will pray that the coming storm will pass them by. The images and the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, Camille, Albert, and many others will serve to remind us that every year these storms are sure to return when the oceans begin to heat up under the blaze of the summer sun. The Maya and Carib people considered these storms Gods because of their destructive power.
Hurricanes are perhaps the most fearsome and devestating natural force we will ever encounter. Learn more about the formation and early encounters with hurricanes in these two articles. The article Hurricane explores the origin of the word for these monster storms, and the article Hurricanes explores how hurricanes are formed.
