Publication Date September 6, 2005 | National Geographic

Eye on the Storm: Hurricane Katrina Fast Facts

United States
Flooded I-10/I-610/West End Blvd interchange and surrounding area of northwest New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Niemi
Flooded I-10/I-610/West End Blvd interchange and surrounding area of northwest New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Niemi

A week after one of the worst national disasters in U.S. history, the Gulf Coast is devastated, thousands of people are displaced, and unknown numbers have lost their lives. How does Hurricane Katrina stack up to history's most powerful storms? Get the facts about Katrina and other deadly tempests.