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A large part of the tragedy has been blamed on the surge of water that hit when Katrina struck. On Monday, a 27-foot wall of water rolled in like an army tank. These 'storm surges' have, in the past, been the most devastating element of a hurricane. In 1900, a surge hit Galveston in Texas, killing 6,000. When Hurricane Ivan hit Florida a year ago, four-story buildings were swallowed.
South Florida was spared Katrina's anger thanks to its tough building code. According to reports, New Orleans also adopted a hurricane-conscious code, but only a mere year ago. Experts believe much of the city was vulnerable even to minor hurricane winds. Surviving Katrina was, then, simply unthinkable.
Photograph: JAMES NIELSEN/AFP/Getty Images
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