Hurricane Katrina turned slightly eastward before slamming into shore, redirecting the storm's most potent winds and rain away from the vulnerable city of New Orleans. That eastward movement put the western eyewall -- the weaker side of the strongest winds -- over the city with 145 mph winds and a storm surge that breached a protecting levee allowing Lake Pontchartrain to flood low-lying areas. The Gulf oil industry was hit hard as well, with refineries and off-shore platforms and pipelines suffering a variety of storm-related damages.

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EXPLORER graphic by Rusty Johnson