The CDC's disease prevention efforts include educating the public on how to recognize and avoid contracting common infectious diseases, such as the flu and strep throat.
DISASTERS Hurricane Katrina approaches landfall on the Gulf coast. Very little on land or water was spared by the storm when it struck in 2005. (Image from NOAA) Hurricane Katrina caused devastating personal, social, economic, and cultural losses. This image shows homes destroyed by the storm in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. (Image from
The Gulf Coastal Plains region is the wettest of the four regions. It gets the most rainfall, but just like all the other regions, it is still prone to drought. The summers here are hot and humid with lots of rain. The winters are mild with some cold and little rain.