When did Hurricane Katrina hit?

Katrina strengthened to a Category 5 storm over the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in southeast Louisiana as a strong Category 3. Its storm surge overwhelmed New Orleans' levees and floodwalls, flooding about 80 percent of the city. More than 1,300 people died, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes in US history. Damage was estimated at around $125 billion, among the costliest natural disasters in American history. The slow government response prompted major reforms to US emergency management.