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Hurricane Betsy

On September 9, 1965, Hurricane Betsy struck New Orleans and the Louisiana area, causing major flooding, loss of life, and property damage. The storm became the first billion-dollar hurricane, causing $1.2 billion in damage. In response to Betsy, Congress ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to build a massive flood-protection system for New Orleans. That system fell apart 40 years later during Hurricane Katrina.