Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
"The center of the storm passed to the east of the city but the hurricane wrecked the levee system, which had been built to protect New Orleans from floods. Water poured into the city, and many of those who had remained behind had to swim to safety or were trapped in attics and on roofs. . . . After the hurricane had passed, looting and violence by individuals and groups armed with guns became a serious problem. . . . The local, state, and federal governments came under fierce criticism over what was considered a slow and inadequate response to the catastrophe." [Furtado: 1001 Days]