The Effect on St. Bernard, LA

The eye of Katrina passed over the eastern, less populated portion of the parish, but in doing so pushed a 25-foot storm surge into Lake Borgne and into the MRGO. This surge destroyed the parish levees which were 14-17 feet high. Almost the entire parish was flooded, most areas getting between 5 and 12 feet of standing water. There may have been as many as two homes untouched by flood waters. Independent engineering analysis of the storm surge suggests that the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet transmitted the storm surge from the Lake Borgne area directly into the center of the heaviest populated areas of the parish. Unlike most of the flooding in New Orleans, the water rose suddenly and violently, during a period that witnesses have reported as no more than fifteeen minutes. In many areas, houses were smashed or knocked off their foundations by storm surge higher than their roofs.

Brookings Institute Report Katrina Index: Tracking Variables of Post-Katrina Recovery by: Amy Liu, Matt Fellowes, and Mia Mabanta June 2006 http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/200512_katrinaindex.htm

St.Bernard Parish
Residents Pre Katrina	Residents 6-Months Post Katrina
67,229 full-time residents	6,889 – a loss of 89.9%
Housing Pre Katrina	Housing Post Katrina
26,790 housing units	99% of homes flooded by 5 - 12 feet of standing water
Schools Pre Katrina	Schools Post Katrina
14 public schools	14 Schools flooded, 4 recomended for complete demolition
The Community
Every playground and recreational facility was damaged or destroyed
Parish Government
Every governmental facility was damaged or destroyed

Data collected from: The Brookings Institute, Wikipedia, and SBPG.net

For more information about St. Bernard Parish please visit
St. Bernard Parish Official Website http://www.sbpg.net/
Additional information available at Wikipedia