Hurricane Rita Facts: Find Out How Much Damage It Caused

During the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Rita was a powerful storm.

It landed on the Gulf Coast of the United States. It was a powerful Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 175 mph (281.6 kph) at its peak.

It hit as a Category 3 storm, causing further flooding in New Orleans, which had previously been hit by Hurricane Katrina, which had undermined levees. Furthermore, it resulted in widespread crisis situations. This devastating storm caused widespread damage and affected over one million people.

Precautions Put In Place Before Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita the fourth-strongest Atlantic storm ever recorded swept from east to west across the upper Gulf of Mexico and flooded communities across 250 mi (402.3 km) of coastal Louisiana.

Rita produced a massive storm surge that damaged coastal cities in southwestern Louisiana, and its winds, rain, and tornadoes caused fatalities and widespread damage from eastern Texas to Alabama, despite the hurricane's weakening prior to and after impact.

Hurricane Rita sparked the largest evacuation in US history, with over three million people evacuated in Texas and Louisiana. Local residents were nervous as Hurricane Rita neared just over a month after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast of the United States. As the storm managed to bring significant rains, the city of New Orleans was once again ordered to evacuate. In Texas, evacuations were also ordered. As a result of the enormous evacuation order, highways leading out of the Houston metro area were gridlocked on September 22, trapping many residents in traffic for nearly 10 hours. Fortunately, Hurricane Rita did not make land near either city.

Damage Caused By Hurricane Rita

Rita made landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm on September 24 near the Texas border on the western part of Cameron Parish. It was so powerful that it damaged most of the weather buoys in its course before reaching shore, as well as most of the residences and other structures along Louisiana 82, the coast road.

Because of the evacuation, the International Space Station was turned over to their Russian colleagues by the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Rita has completely destroyed the areas that were extensively damaged by Katrina. With damages of roughly $10 billion, it became one of the most expensive tropical storms in US history. In Arkansas and Mississippi, it also spawned 19 storms, killing four people. Due to Rita, the tornadoes were heading in a northwesterly direction, which is unique because typically tornadoes move in a northeasterly direction.

The 5 in (12.7 cm) of rain predicted for New Orleans as Rita made landfall did not materialize, easing the pressure on the levee system. Despite this, a storm surge of up to 18 ft (5.5 m) hit southwestern Louisiana, causing major damage to coastal parishes, Grand Chenier, Cameron, Creole, and Holly Beach. Inland parishes and counties in Louisiana and Texas saw severe impacts, primarily due to wind. Wind damage was severe in cities such as Florida Keys, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, as well as nearby areas.

A bus that was carrying 45 passengers crashed in Texas, killing 23 of them. They were all evacuees from nursing homes. Many were unable to flee due to mobility issues, making it difficult or impossible for them to do so. Hurricane Rita claimed the lives of 120 people. Some of the deaths were related to evacuation operations, such as the 23 people killed in a bus crash south of Dallas, Texas. In the second half of 2009, roughly 50,000 individuals were unemployed as a result of the damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. An estimated two million individuals were without power. The total cost of the destruction is projected to be at $18.5 billion.

Rescue Efforts

Residents felt frustrated in the months and years in recovery efforts following hurricane season by the lack of attention paid to their situation.

The devastation caused by Hurricane Rita was considerable, and it was dispersed throughout many tiny, isolated towns, making it difficult for outsiders to gauge the impact. The financial cost added to the problem of rebuilding for many people who wanted to return, thus after Hurricane Rita and the subsequent damage from Hurricane Ike in 2008, many residents willingly withdrew to inland neighborhoods.

FAQs

What are three interesting facts about Hurricane Rita?

Hurricane Rita was the fourth most powerful hurricane ever recorded.

Hurricane Rita began on September 17, 2005, and passed over on September 24, 2005.

It was not just 2005's biggest hurricane, but also one of the most powerful tropical cyclones in the Gulf of Mexico's history.

Was Hurricane Rita stronger than Katrina?

Hurricane Rita made landfall as a Category 3 storm at Johnson's Bayou, causing extra devastation and floods in a region already devastated by Katrina.

Where did Hurricane Rita make landfall?

Hurricane Rita made landfall on the Texas-Louisiana line on September 24, 2005.

Where was Hurricane Rita?

Hurricane Rita was the most powerful tropical cyclone in the Gulf of Mexico's history.

What level was Hurricane Rita?

With sustained winds of 175 mph (281.6 kph), it was a powerful Category 5 hurricane.

How long do you have to file a claim for Hurricane Rita?

You have 180 days from the date the hurricane struck to finish the filing process to attempt to obtain compensation for a hurricane damage claim. This rule varies according to the damage caused.