UNITED STATES

Where did people go? Where are they coming from now? A new map shows where families relocated after the storm—and where new arrivals are coming from. (NOLA.com-The Times-Picayune)

Get the basics on Hurricane Katrina here.

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. If the NOLA.com map isn’t working, this StoryMap is a terrific alternative. Be sure to check out the “The Katrina Diaspora,” “Population Shift” and “Steady Restoration.”

Discussion Ideas
Take a look at the fascinating Times-Picayune interactive map. Be sure to zoom out (click -/+) to appreciate the migration patterns established by Hurricane Katrina evacuees across the United States.

• How many households left Orleans Parish the year Hurricane Katrina struck?
  • A staggering 61,613 households (that’s families, not individuals) left Orleans Parish in 2005-2006. Get to know the demographics of Orleans Parish with some Census facts here.

• Where did most evacuees migrate immediately following the disaster? Why do you think people may have migrated there?
  • More than 11,000 households from Orleans Parish migrated to Harris County, Texas, home of the huge urban area of Houston.
  • Harris County is relatively close to New Orleans (about five hours west), safely out of the storm path of Katrina, and has good infrastructure and emergency services.

• How many years after Hurricane Katrina hit did Orleans Parish see an increase in households moving to the parish?
  • In 2006-2007, just a year after the storm, more than 16,000 households moved to Orleans Parish, while just over 9,000 left.

• Why do you think people moved to Orleans Parish so quickly after the disaster?
  • Most households that moved to Orleans Parish were residents returning to their own homes and communities. Resilient New Orleanians are still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the levee system, but working to create thriving, vibrant new communities.

• Take a look at this nice map of Louisiana parishes. What other parishes do you think suffered evacuation following Hurricane Katrina?
  • Households in St. Bernard Parish (12,000), Jefferson Parish (8,200), St. Tammany Parish (2,200) and Plaquemines Parish (1,300) all evacuated in 2005-2006.

• Have any Orleans Parish evacuees settled in your state? Have any residents of your state or county moved to Orleans Parish since 2005?
  • Use the Times-Picayune map to find out!

TEACHERS’ TOOLKIT

NOLA.com: Mapping Migration Patterns post-Katrina

Esri: Katrina +10: A Decade of Change in New Orleans 

Nat Geo: 2005: Hurricane Katrina Makes Landfall in Louisiana

U.S. Census: Orleans Parish QuickFacts

Nat Geo: 10 Years After Katrina, Some Are ‘Homeless in Their Own Homes’

Nat Geo: Cameras in Hand, New Orleanians Capture A Changing Community