Reason 1: Orleans is located in the Gulf of Mexico and is below sea level, where it is very vulnerable to hurricanes and other storms Reason 2: The levees, which keep water from flooding the city, were built to withstand a category 3 hurricane, but Katrina was a category 5 hurricane. Reason 3: The pumps in the levees had been damaged and earth walls stopped the water from draining out of the city.
