Ten years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast and generated a huge disaster. It was called "Hurricane Pam" and the exercise was conducted with state and local emergency managers. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Sept. 27, 2005, 12:58 PM PDT / Source: The Associated Press. Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: People begin arriving at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center seeking shelter, food, and water. Now, other than media reports, I don't know what's happening at the other end. To get food out. and catcalls of 'What took you so long?,' a National Guard convoy packed with food, water and medicine rolled through axle-deep floodwaters Friday into what remained of New Orleans and descended into a maelstrom of fires and floating corpses. "The police was stressed out themselves," Lewis says. At least one half of well constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. We began search-and-rescue missions using local state resources, waiting for the federal cavalry to arrive and believing that it would be here in 48 to 60 hours. Explore FRONTLINEs collected and ongoing reporting on Russia's war on Ukraine. Kathleen Blanco: By. Female victims, now displaced from New Orleans, are slowly coming forward with a different story than the official one. In September 2006, the New Orleans Saints marched into the Superdome for their first game since Hurricane Katrina, providing the spark for a revival. More than four days after the storm hit, the caravan of at least three-dozen camouflage-green troop vehicles and supply trucks arrived along with dozens of air-conditioned buses to take refugees out of the city. [He] came on site, I think it was Monday after the event. A hurricane warning is issued for north central Gulf . authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. A shaft of light falls throught an opening in the fully evacuated Superdome on Sept. 5, 2005 in New Orleans, La. Exacerbated by the recent BP oil spill in the region, the storm and its aftermath remains an open wound for local residents and others affected . 11.1.2005. ". Dave Cohen was one of the few reporters to stay in New Orleans as Katrina bore down on the city, and continued broadcasting as the . The storm has ripped a hole in the Superdome where the power has gone out. Michael Brown, FEMA director: In all honesty, we begin looting. Ten years ago this Saturday, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast. "All I could do was pray, pray for rescue, pray that I didn't have any type of transmitted disease," she says. Reports put the population there in the tens of thousands. My old high school, Joseph S. Clark, shut down, and we dont even have parks yet for kids to hang out inthats what we did in the 70s, at leastIm still trying to petition for these things, to organize our community, and these fool ass people have not yet gotten down here to rebuild. I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. Flew into the city. It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. She gripped my arm at the store, and she told me, the way you shared with everybody so openly, you helped me to heal. There are still gangs of armed criminals roaming the city; police and National Guard, now numbered at 16,000, have a better handle on the situation than earlier in the week. An estimated 25,000 angry and exhausted people are still at the Convention Center; buses begin arriving to evacuate them. Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News/epa/Corbis FEMA Situation Update: They didn't have ammunition. Surviving the Superdome. Within five hours I start to get reports from my staff members, who are out doing assessments, the water's rising. ' Gettridge told FRONTLINE. The population of New Orleans was about 400,000 by 2020, some 20 percent below its population in 2000. Ultimately, more than 300 soldiers would be trapped inside their own headquarters. ", Michael Brown, FEMA director: Katrina caused more than $160 billion in damage. They were finally able to leave the city on Saturday. Katrina first made landfall in South Florida. By the end of the day it is 335 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River. Then we kind of figure out ways that we could coordinate. She was featured in Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke and is author of Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Hurricane Katrina. Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: With camera lenses and lights abounding, the . First categorized as a tropical storm, Katrina hit New Orleans, flattening buildings, breaking levees, and flooding the city with terrifying 125 mph winds. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty. But there were also profane jeers from many in the crowd of nearly 20,000 outside the Convention Center, which a day earlier seemed on the verge of a riot, with desperate people seething with anger over the lack of anything to eat or drink. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. A final, official tally of those killed in the disaster is still not in. Television reporters, live on the scene at the Convention Center, report on the growing crisis. Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: Richard Falkenrath, Homeland Security Adviser (2001-2004): In Fight Against ISIS, a Lose-Lose Scenario Poses Challenge for West. Mayor Nagin estimates 50,000 to 100,000 people remain in the city. A suicide did occur inside the Superdome, . Gettridge,a fifth generation New Orleanian, would go on to die from a heart attack in 2014 at the age of 91 at the home he had successfully rebuilt. A decade later . Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. Listen 7:57. "I was told that they could mobilize immediately 2,500 National Guards members. His death came nearly two years to the day after his wifes passing. Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. We have got to start getting people out.' He escaped the ch. "What we did -- under Louisiana law the parish presidents, the head of the counties, have the authority to use private resources. Producer Martin Smith: So, although you said that, you didn't feel that way at that time? " Troops poured in to restore order after almost a week of near-anarchy. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Park Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. Where is all the things that we need to get out of here?"' She says she tried to report the assault at the time, but authorities weren't listening. You have responded to my calls." Very shortly, he said, Cars are beginning to float out of the parking lot. The eye of Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras in Plaquemines Parish at approximately 6:00 a.m. on August 29 as a Category 3 hurricane. Nicola Mann and Victoria Pass. Lewis says she was raped on Monday, Aug. 29, the day of the storm. "They didn't have no food. She made a report to a local sheriff's office; it has not yet passed the report on to the New Orleans police. " from my view sitting inside a windowless room at FEMA headquarters during my nightshift we are working to coordinate with our federal partners, to get water out. Henry Glover was last seen alive in the backseat of a white Chevy Malibu on Sept. 2, 2005, days after Katrina hit. Thousands of displaced residents take cover from Hurricane Katrina at the Superdome in New . Military planners are considering setting up a permanent rapid reaction unit designed to respond to domestic disasters. Bring enough to sustain yourself, your family, your children. Do You Have News to Share? New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. "A close eye will be kept this system could strengthen ". hide caption. Anastasia says thugs were still wandering the streets of her neighborhood more than a week after the flood. I think the American Red Cross already had shelters and was already feeding people. And the mayor began to tell us some of the things that he needed. The majority of industrial buildings will become non functional. The storm initially formed as a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas on August 23. The city's buses have been positioned around the city in locations that have never been flooded. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. And in my opinion, it was this whole 'who has ultimate authority' and whether the federal government is going to come in and impinge upon the state's authority. Evacuating hospitals is a top priority: Patients and staff are stranded and supplies and power are dwindling. Thousands more were unable to evacuate, including the nearly 25,000 who sheltered in the Superdome. I'm just not going to go on, on public television and bash in the middle of a disaster what I think people should or should not be doing. I n the HBO documentary Katrina Babies, young teen Meisha Williams recollects her experience surviving the 2005 hurricane that displaced approximately 200,000 New Orleans residents. The skies darkened, and the wind started to pick up. It regained strength as its path turned northwest. Newly rescued people are still being brought to the Superdome. The Army Corps of Engineers attempts to plug breaches in the 17th Street Canal and Industrial Canal levees. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Exclusive: A Former MPD Lieutenant Reported Another Cop. ', And the president was a little stunned, and he kind of stepped back, and he recovered. A spokesperson with the Resource Center said the number is steadily growing. "To cries of 'Thank you, Jesus!' That's where Katrina Babies comes in. People can say that writing a check doesnt mean anything, but honey, it does. And we said, "Plan your route carefully. special video+discussion+teacher's guide+readings & links 7:577-Minute Listen. The Army Corps of Engineers renews work to fix the breach in the 17th St. Canal. We all did. Instead, officers at the compound arrested Glover. That she could turn this 15 minutes of footage into an Oscar-nominated documentaryIm amazed by it. So I can assume what the criminals were thinking, and that's exactly what happened.". A scene from 2006s 'When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts' (Photo: Everett Collection) This week marks a . Stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina rest inside the Superdome September 2, 2005 in New Orleans. "[On Air Force One] we gave the president a briefing on everything that had gone on. - Severe flooding damage to cities along the Gulf Coast, from New Orleans to . And New Orleans itself has worked to rebuild. "A week after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say once the canal level is drawn down two feet, Pumping Station 6 can begin pumping water out of the bowl-shaped city. I've heard some terrible stories since that the stuff wasn't getting there. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual assault in the lawless days after the storm. In New Orleans last year, there was a rape every other day on average. Pack as though you're going on a camping trip. Note: The Earlier Warnings -- In 2001, FEMA identified the three most likely disasters facing the U.S.: an earthquake in California, a hurricane in New Orleans and a terrorist attack in New York City. Military and Coast Guard helicopters flew a steady stream of evacuees from hospitals and rooftops to the airport southwest of downtown. Driving in from the popular suburb of Metairie, it's the first building you pass. There's no question.". Civil order had completely broken down. (Weather forecasters classify hurricane strength on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the strongest.) web site copyright 1995-2014 Several parishes and the city of New Orleans announce emergency responders will stop venturing out once the wind exceeds 45 mph. Some parts of the city already showed slipping floodwaters as the repair neared completion, with the low-lying Ninth Ward dropping more than a foot. After her rape, Lewis says, there were no clinics open, so she washed herself with bleach. The networks all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, epic miniseries, and scripted event programming. You'll receive access to exclusive information and early alerts about our documentaries and investigations. Here in New Orleans East, we desperately need a hospital. They didn't have communication. FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Mississippi and Louisiana governors declare states of emergency. He Says He Paid a Price. Where is water? Michael Brown, FEMA director: I said, 'All of us are going to leave right now, and they're going to work this out right now. Most residents have evacuated the city and those left behind do not have transportation or have special needs. In the decade since Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which came under harsh criticism for its response to the storm says it has improved its preparedness for future natural disasters. Follow a day-by-day account of Hurricane Katrina's wrath, from its birth in the Atlantic Ocean to its catastrophic effects: flooded streets, flattened homes,. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Its just rawits a look at the poorest people of the Ninth Ward, and those who couldnt afford to leave, and if you have a heart in your body, you will feel this film 100 percent. An Unfiltered View: Producers of Police on Trial on What the Documentary Reveals 2 Years After the Murder of George Floyd, From the Archives: How the World's Deadliest Ebola Outbreak Unfolded, Russias Invasion of Ukraine, One Year Later, War Crimes Watch Ukraine: More Than 650 Documented Events, From the Archives: How the U.N. & World Failed Darfur Amid "the 21st Century's First Genocide". Lipin says when he arrived in Baton Rouge and turned on the TV, he was surprised by reports of rampant violence in New Orleans. But while the Superdome has been reclaimed, those stories of trauma remain, and some roil pretty close to . TV-PG. Hurricane Katrina Superdome. And they both shook their heads and said, 'Yes, you're right.' Mississippi and Louisiana governors declare states of emergency. But Mayor Nagin goes on radio and castigates state and federal officials for their inaction and demands they "fix the biggest god-damn crisis in the history of this country." As the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, explore three different FRONTLINE documentaries about the disaster, its lingering aftermath and the lessons learned. In fact, at the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard, located in the Lower NinthWard, soldiers were not yet aware that the levees were giving way. Officials said the complete evacuation of New Orleans two days earlier was necessary, citing the prospect of diseases caused by rotting bodies and polluted waters as well as other risks caused by Hurricane Katrina. Then, the airman hesitated a minute, and asked Landreneau to hold. "I'm not gonna go on television and publicly say that I think that the mayor and the governor are not doing their job, and that they don't have the sense of urgency. And he passes, literally, hundreds of school buses lined up to come and get these folks. At 7 am Katrina is a Category 5 with 160 mph maximum sustained winds. He announces FEMA is moving supplies and equipment into the hardest hit areas. Heres What the Claims Say and Where They Stand. About 2,000 medical evacuees remain at Louis Armstrong Airport, which has become a staging area for responders and injured refugees. Officers were walking off the job by the dozens. 'Rebirth in New Orleans' reflects on . As of Nov. 22, 2005, more than 900 people are known to have died in New Orleans. ', And we left and had a press conference. ", Leo Bosner, FEMA watch officer: hurricane katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast, claiming 1,800 lives. They lost power. Blanco and said, 'We've got to move National Guard troops in there. Gov. Last September, when Trouble the Water first premiered in New Orleans, I remember thinking, "I have to go down to Canal Place Cinema and support this." Patrice Taddonio. He came right back and he said, I dont know why, but theres probably a foot of water on Claiborne Street, Landreneau said. Storm refugees reported being raped, shot and robbed, gangs of teenagers hijacked boats meant to rescue them, and frustrated hurricane victims menaced outmanned law officers. And then somebody came and called me and said, 'The president would like to see you.' And at that time I took some liberties I probably shouldn't take. Law-enforcement authorities dismissed early reports of widespread rapes in New Orleans during the lawless days following Hurricane Katrina. . Some electrical substations serving downtown New Orleans are repaired, but Entergy, the local energy utitlity, must first ensure that buildings can receive the electricity safely before the power is restored. There was nobody there to protect you," Lewis says. We'll put a couple of medical teams on standby. We have Brad Pitt and Chris Rocks wife here now, and I think collectively its making a huge, huge difference. Some parishes order mandatory evacuations. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warning: And Michael Brown was there listening. National surveys show that half of all sexual assaults are never reported. so you had a very dynamic situation.". Some 11,000 National Guardsmen are now on duty in Louisiana and increased security begins to have an effect on lawlessness in New Orleans, although some violence continues. The top-notch special effects are alarmingly realistic and frightening, particularly when the 17th St. Canal levee breaches and when Katrina rips the roof from the Superdome, where in the days . , "Law and order all but broke down in New Orleans over the past few days. Phone service and electricity to some 770,000 people in the area is cut off. It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. But problems persist. Michael Brown, FEMA director: Buses have started evacuating people at the Superdome, but at the Convention Center thousands are still waiting and conditions continue to deteriorate there. Required fields are marked *. Documenting evidence of potential war crimes in Ukraine. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently . They were making suggestions about we need to do this and that. In what looked like a scene from a Third World country, some people threw their arms heavenward and others nearly fainted with joy as the trucks and hundreds of soldiers arrived in the punishing midday heat. William E. Brown Jr. -. "As I have said, I think that one of the biggest mistakes that I made as the FEMA director during Katrina was not immediately turning to the military and saying: 'We have been overwhelmed. Hurricane Katrina: Caught on Camera Over three days in August 2005, a cataclysmic storm brought flooding and disaster to the Gulf Coast of America, leaving over 1,800 people dead in Louisiana and Mississippi. The following year, during an interview with Tom Brokaw at Columbia Journalism School, Williams said, "We watched, all of us watched . After the genocide in Rwanda and atrocities in Srebrenica, Bosnia, in the 1990s, the world vowed never again. Then came the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, which began 20 years ago. In television interviews, Michael Brown, FEMA director, states that he only just heard about the suffering at the Convention Center, when in fact, he tells FRONTLINE, he misspoke; he was told the previous day about the situation. And if you dont trust the system to deliver the money to the right places, call a school yourself and ask them what they need. More than 1,800 people died in what was the costliest . FEMA was doing what it's supposed to be doing. The numbers are not dramatic, but they are significant when seen in light of the official number of post-Katrina rapes and attempted rapes: four. Lewis and others had taken refuge in the Redemption Elderly Apartments, in the Irish Channel section of New Orleans. Your email address will not be published. She sits on the edge of a bed in a dingy, dimly lit room in a motel in Baton Rouge. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. "We know about all the other things that happened, all the thefts, all the robberies.