The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Mental Health . Besides the death toll, hurricane Katrina left many people homeless as more than 800,000 housing units were destroyed or damaged in the storm. Katrina is the costliest U.S hurricane, with estimated damage over $81 billion and costs over $160 billion (2005 US dollars). Some short term effects of Hurricane Katrina are the fatalities, the destruction of Louisiana and Mississippi, power outages, environmental stress, soil erosion , and food and water shortages. Hurricane Katrina, tropical cyclone that struck the southeastern United States in August 2005, breaching levees and causing widespread damage and deaths. The coverage of Hurricane Katrina did not directly change views about race in America. Perhaps the longest-lasting impact of Hurricane Katrina was its environmental damage that impacted public health. Map of New Orleans showing flooding depths. Hurricane Katrina's winds and storm surge reached the Mississippi coastline on the morning of August 29, 2005.. beginning a two-day path of destruction through central Mississippi; by 10 a.m. CDT on August 29, 2005, the eye of Katrina began travelling up the entire state, only slowing from hurricane-force winds at Meridian near 7 p.m. and entering Tennessee as a tropical storm. The impact and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina led to one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the history of the United States. Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm that hit the area around New Orleans, USA, on 25 August 2005. Maximum depths are above 15 feet. Aug. 25, 2006 — -- When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast last summer, it caused immediate and significant damage not … Despite Hurricane Katrina's overwhelming damage, there is a light on the horizon. In 2017, there were at least 11 million visitors by some estimates. The Lasting Effects of Hurricane Katrina Thousands of kids who survived the 2005 storm are still dealing with the fallout Besides the death toll, hurricane Katrina left many people homeless as more than 800,000 housing units were destroyed or damaged in the storm. A report from the University of New Orleans found people were flocking back to the city. Hurricane Katrina has affected more than 15 million people whether it be because of the flooding, home loss, the economy, evacuations, gas prices or even drinking water, a renewable resource. Ultimately, the storm caused more than $160 billion in damage, and it reduced the population of New Orleans by … Significant amounts of industrial waste and raw sewage spilled directly into New Orleans neighborhoods, and oil spills from offshore rigs, coastal refineries, and even corner gas stations also made their way into residential areas and business districts throughout the region. Researchers at the University of New Orleans, the University of Southern Mississippi, Stanford University, and Arizona State University surveyed 386 people who lived in areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina.