Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans landfall in 2005, the project was between 60–90% complete with a projected date of completion estimated for 2015, nearly 50 years after authorization. Hurricane Georges in September 1998 galvanized some scientists, engineers and politicians into collective planning, "Scientific American" declared that "New Orleans is a disaster waiting to happen" in October 2001. However, even the most insistent calls from officials to evacuate ahead of Katrina did not warn that the levees could breach. On August 29th, 2005, flood walls and levees catastrophically failed throughout the metro area. Many collapsed well below design thresholds (17th Street and London Canals). Others collapsed
1915 New Orleans hurricane September 29, and local emergency offices enforced strict curfews for New Orleans as landfall approached; meteorologist Isaac Cline stated in an entry to the Monthly Weather Review that the effective dissemination of warnings and strict enforcement of curfew "unquestionably" mitigated additional loss of life in the city. As the hurricane traversed the Gulf of Mexico from September 28 to September 29, it produced rough surf along its path. The cutter "Miami" was caught in the storm, but was able to use a heavily damaged ship as an anchor before resuming its trek towards Key West, Florida. Storm surge and rough