A good read . The following was sent from a friend . Looks like it was written in Oct 2004 .

Understanding Hurricane Katrina

The devastation that Katrina unleashed on New Orleans is unbelievable. The photos
and videos emerging in the past few days are truly heart wrenching. I'm overwhelmed
by the tragedy.But it wasn't a surprise to the experts. National Geographic's article
"Gone with the water" reads like a recent news story.It describes the effects of a
powerful hurricane that hits New Orleans. Sadly, it's remarkably accurate. This article
will help you understand why the magnitude of the disaster was so severe. A number
of factors, both natural and human, are involved. And once you read it, you may wonder
why better preparations weren't made.

www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0410/feature5