About The Emergency
By the Numbers
Hurricane Katrina began as a category 5 storm, eventually shifting to a category 4 when it made landfall
Some 15 million people were affected by Hurricane Katrina
1,836 people were killed
Hurricane Katrina rocked the Gulf Coast in August 2005, affecting some 15 million people. More than 1,800 people were killed—making the hurricane the third deadliest in U.S. history. Hurricane Katrina is also considered one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history: the damage and recovery cost from the storm was tallied at around $110 billion.
How Islamic Relief Helped
Islamic Relief USA responded immediately to the needs of the victims, committing millions of dollars for relief projects. Efforts included working in the affected areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, and assisting evacuees in Texas.
- Working closely with federal officials and local organizations, IRUSA’s work in Louisiana focused on assisting hurricane victims in two shelters, while providing an elaborate system of goods distribution between the various relief distribution sites.
- In Mississippi, IRUSA concentrated on alleviating the suffering in the coastal city of Biloxi, which was one of the hardest hit by the storm.
- IRUSA also provided displaced persons who sought refuge in Texas with emergency shelter, food, educational supplies, and more.
The relief and rehabilitation efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina represent the largest domestic operation in Islamic Relief’s history. Islamic Relief USA was incorporated in 1993, and has organized a variety of domestic programs since. Learn more about these efforts, and our three ways you can help us help in cases of emergencies in the U.S.
