The document discusses the causes and prevention of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating hurricanes in US history. It caused massive destruction along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas. Two-thirds of deaths in New Orleans were attributed to failures of the storm surge and levee system meant to protect against natural disasters. While natural factors contributed to Katrina's intensity, inadequate design and lack of maintenance of protective infrastructure exacerbated the damage. Improving engineering standards and investing in levee/floodwall upgrades could help mitigate future hurricane impacts.