A microscope has returned to New Orleans – the city forever changed ten years ago by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
The category five hurricane began on Aug. 23, 2005 on its way towards Florida and strengthened on its second landfall in southeast Louisiana on Aug. 29. Eighty percent of New Orleans was submerged as distraught citizens were seen on live TV pleading for assistance. Approximately 1,833 people died and hundreds of thousands were left without their homes, clothes, family heirlooms, and more.
The government and former President George Bush was heavily criticized for a slow approach to helping victims of the tragedy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, arrived in New Orleans days after the hurricane had already wreaked havoc.
Lives were also lost at the chaotic Mercedes-Benz Superdome, where many found refuge during the storm.
The broken levees forced 30,000 people into the dome, and many died from exhaustion. The images plastered across our television screens in 2005 painted a desperate portrait of the victims, but also shed light on an economically broken city and exposed the U.S. government’s lackadaisical response to the plight of its very own citizens.
Take a look at 25 photos that defined the pain, strength, and endurance of the people of New Orleans in the gallery below.
SOURCE: New York Times, National Geographic, Data Center Research | PHOTO CREDIT: Twitter
SEE ALSO:
TOWN HALL LIVESTREAM Aug. 26: Where Are NOLA’s Schools, 10 Years After Katrina?
Ten Years After Katrina: Soledad O’Brien Recounts The Devastation In New Orleans
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10 Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Katrina
10 Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Katrina
1. Governors Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana and Haley Barbour of Mississippi declared states of emergency, and advised many to leave their homes on Aug. 26. With little preparation, many stayed behind to fight the storm and were left stranded.
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2. A family is seen trying to escape the wrath of Hurricane Katrina in the days it wreaked havoc in New Orleans.
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3. Over 30,000 were left without their homes and possessions because of the hurricane.
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4. The National Guard and UNICEF arrived in New Orleans days after the storm arrived in its worst hit area, the Lower Ninth Ward. In the nation's history, this was the first time UNICEF was called to provide aid in the United States.
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5. Approximately 1,833 deaths were reported in the wake of the hurricane, but with no real memorial or list of the victims, many believe the number is much higher.
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6. For a week, 30,000 people took shelter in the Superdome, where they were given food and water. With limited medical help, reports claimed 100 people died, when only four died from exhaustion, another from an overdose, and one from an apparent suicide.
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7. More than a million housing units were destroyed during the storm. Half of them were from Louisiana.
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8. Because of the storm, half of the city's population dropped from 484,674 in April 2000 to 230,172 in July 2006.
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9. The difference in flooding was shocking to residents. While tourist areas were left undamaged, some places received one foot of flooding and others up to 10 feet of flooding.
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10. The majority of relief funds sent to New Orleans by George Bush ($120.5 billion) went to emergency relief ($75 billion), not rebuilding.
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11. Private insurance companies provided a total of $30 billion to residents, a lot less than federal aid provided.
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12. A reported 600,000 households were still displaced a month after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
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13. In the four days after the levees broke, 140 premature babies were brought to the Woman's Hospital in New Orleans.
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14. Midwives helped deliver 20 healthy babies in the storm's aftermath.
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15. While the city lost most of its residents after they were forced to relocate, a slight growth was seen in the city. In 2013, the Census Bureau reported a 2 percent growth (8,827 people) in the metro city area.
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16. From the Salvation Army: "@salvationarmyus continues to be a source of hope, stability, and service to the residents of the Gulf Coast 10 years after #hurricanekatrina. #doingthemostgood"
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Continue reading 10 Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Katrina
10 Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Katrina
25 Powerful Images That Encapsulate The Devastation In New Orleans Post-Hurricane Katrina was originally published on newsone.com
