Simplify the following text for a Grade 12 native English-speaking person.
Original: Cindy also caused flooding and a severe blackout in New Orleans , Louisiana , which encouraged the population to evacuate when Hurricane Katrina approached the city the next month .
Simplified: Cindy also caused flooding and a very big blackout in New Orleans , Louisiana , which encouraged the people to evacuate when Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city in the next month .