By the Numbers 

2

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were two of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded during the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Both Katrina and Rita intensified to Category 5 storms while in the Gulf Coast before making landfall as Category 3 storms. While Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, Rita followed almost one month later on Sept. 23.

45

44 states and the District of Columbia received Presidential emergency declarations following Hurricane Katrina. This total is the most declarations made for a single disaster in FEMA history.

4,200

The (800) 621-FEMA teleregistration and help line ran for more than 4,200 hours straight - 176 days - after Hurricane Katrina struck. Never have the registration and help line call centers operated for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including holidays) for such a long duration.

16,000

More than 16,000 federal personnel have been deployed to help state and local officials along the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

84,000

More than 84,000 travel trailers and mobile homes are serving as temporary homes for Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims, triple the number of units used following all of last year's Florida hurricanes and far outnumbering any housing mission in FEMA's history. Manufactured housing continues to be moved into the Gulf Coast region to support ongoing housing needs.

140,000

Nearly 140,000 damaged roofs are being temporarily covered by FEMA's "Blue Roof" program operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so that families can remain in their homes as they rebuild. These are the most roofs covered following a single hurricane in the "Blue Roof" program's history. An additional 40,000 roofs damaged by Hurricane Wilma were covered by "Blue Roofs."

700,000

Households have received financial rental assistance under FEMA's Individuals and Households Assistance Program to pay for apartments. More than $1.7 billion has been distributed in financial rental assistance as part of FEMA's comprehensive housing program.

1.8 Million

Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck, more than 1.8 million housing inspections have been completed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

78 Million

Since Hurricane Katrina, 78 million cubic yards of debris have been removed in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana. FEMA reimbursed 100 percent for these expenses for a month or longer in Alabama and Texas and continues to reimburse Louisiana and Mississippi at 100 percent.

560 Million

FEMA paid more than $560 million for hotel and motel rooms to date to provide hotel and motel rooms to tens of thousands of families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita who were in need of short-term sheltering. Once at a peak of 85,000 rooms billed to FEMA on one night, approximately 7,000 rooms will remain in the program nationwide as of March 1, 2006.

585 Million

To date, FEMA has approved $585 million in Community Disaster Loans for municipalities in Louisiana and Mississippi to help local authorities maintain essential services such as law enforcement, schools and fire services in the hardest hit communities, including a $120 million loan approved for the City of New Orleans.

2.5 Billion

More than $2.5 billion in federal funds have been allocated for Public Assistance projects such as debris approval and emergency services in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This total is approaching the combined total of $2.6 billion allocated for Public Assistance projects from the 2004 hurricanes that resulted in hurricane-related damage in 15 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

5.2 Billion

The Small Business Administration has approved more than $5.2 billion in disaster loans to more than 73,000 individuals and businesses in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

6.3 Billion

FEMA has provided more than $6.3 billion directly to Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims for housing and other needs assistance through the Individuals and Households Assistance Program (IHP). The $5.2 billion provided to victims of Hurricane Katrina alone is the most ever provided by FEMA for any single natural disaster. The combined Katrina-Rita assistance to individuals and households more than doubles the combined total of IHP dollars for the four major Florida hurricanes in 2004, the Northridge Earthquake in 1994 and Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

14.6 Billion

More than $14.6 billion has been paid out to National Flood Insurance Program policyholders. Nearly 90 percent of all claims filed have been paid out.