The 2006 bipartisan House report on the disaster, A Failure of Initiative, said, “federal agencies … had varying degrees of unfamiliarity with their roles and responsibilities under the National Response Plan and National Incident Management System.” The report found that there was “general confusion over mission …

Answer: The answer is True.

Ultimately, the storm caused more than $160 billion in damage, and the population of New Orleans fell by 29 percent between the fall of 2005 and 2011. The National Guard searching for survivors in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, August 2005.

New Orleans

But studying survivors long after the floodwaters recede can pay off, the researchers say. “The 10- to 15-year time frame allows us to see what’s real recovery,” Abramson says, “and not just fleeting.” Hurricane Katrina breached levees in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August 2005.

Data on hurricanes Ike, Katrina and Sandy indicate that the average primary recovery period for hurricanes of similar size and magnitude is 14 months, with remodeling peaking three months after a hurricane makes landfall.

Now it’s 59 percent. There are 92,974 fewer Black people living in New Orleans now than in 2000. The recovery effort is a tale of two cities: With $75 billion in federal relief spending and $45 billion in rebuilding funds, New Orleans now has 21 neighborhoods with a larger number of active addresses than before.

Stay inside and keep away from all windows, skylights and glass doors. Go to a safe area, such as an interior room, closet or downstairs bathroom. Never go outside the protection of your home or shelter before there is confirmation that the storm has passed the area.

Rebuilding Stronger and Faster After Natural Disasters | HUD USER. MIT research found that in New Orleans (shown), the payback period for resilient construction can be as short as 2 or 3 years.

If a covered disaster completely destroys your house, your standard homeowner’s insurance policy includes a “loss of use” or “additional living expense” protection, providing temporary housing until you recover. And you have to repair or rebuild your house at your own expense.

If there was damage that was repairable and they still occupied a habitable home, the payments would continue. If the home was destroyed and the borrowers were forced to vacate the property, the lender would not continue to forward funds on a non-existent or inhabitable home.

If the flooding has been cause by a burst pipe or a broken appliance, immediately turn off the water supply to your house. If the flooding is caused by storms or natural disasters, you can call your city to make sure the storm drains are open and cleaned out to ensure the water recedes faster.

After a Flood

1. Avoid moving water.
2. Stay away from damaged areas unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organization.
3. Emergency workers will be assisting people in flooded areas.
4. Play it safe.
5. Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.

7 Ways to Flood-Proof Your House

1. Evaluate your risk. Homeowners and renters can begin gauging their current flood risk by visiting Floodsmart.gov, the website of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
2. Buy flood insurance.
3. Elevate your boiler.
4. Install a sewage water backstop.
5. Change your landscaping.
6. Consider relocating.
7. Demand change.

FEMA grants The money can’t duplicate what insurance provides, but it can supplement it, and you don’t need to pay it back. You can apply for FEMA grants to: Rent a place to live if your home is uninhabitable. If no rental units are available, you can apply for temporary housing.

Don’t…

• Drive through floodwaters.
• Use electricity in a flooded home.
• Get in the flood water.
• Handle wild animals in the flood water.
• Ignore flood warnings.
• Neglect to assemble a flood safety kit.
• Leave utilities on and plugged in when you evacuate.
• Dress improperly.

Although a federal aid program to help disaster victims can provide as much as $33,000 per household, typical grants run a fraction of that amount, averaging $8,000 or less, according to an analysis by The Advocate of payouts in a dozen recent high-profile disasters.