With all due respect, Mr. President, if you and the governor don't get on the same page, this event is going to continue to spiral down, and it's going to be a black eye on everybody -- federal, state and local.' The Department of Defense's "Joint Task Force Katrina" -- 4,600 active-duty military headed by Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honor -- sets up at Camp Shelby, Miss. The Most Risky Job Ever. Reporting on ISIS in Afghanistan. And Michael Brown tells Louisiana officials, "What I've seen here today is a team that is very tight knit, working closely together, being very professional and making the right calls.". In Louisiana, New Orleans is of particular concern because much of that city lies below sea level. Here's all these thousands of people that don't have any way to get out of the city. I mentally moved on from the storm after I wrote the last page of my book, but this documentary has opened some old wounds and moves me to action, and I can only hope it does the same for others. 11:09. More than 1,800 people died in what was the costliest . The storm traveled the Gulf of Mexico and then made landfall on the Gulf Coast in southeast Louisiana near the town of Buras, on Aug. 29, 2005. In the 2005 documentary "In His Own Words: Brian Williams on Hurricane Katrina," Williams indicated that he wasn't a witness to the suicide. The Army Corps of Engineers renews work to fix the breach in the 17th St. Canal. And Michael Brown was there listening. Issues of race, class, government response and responsibility, and political rivalries interweave with personal stories of challenges faced and decisions made. And I forget whether it was on Saturday or Sunday, I told my staff that I was sick to my stomach because I could see that some things weren't looking quite right. They spend the next 24 hours trying to save themselves. Experts say it was the perfect environment to commit a crime, and the worst environment to report a crime. Military and Coast Guard helicopters flew a steady stream of evacuees from hospitals and rooftops to the airport southwest of downtown. 5 Must-See Documentaries About Hurricane Katrina. And he passes, literally, hundreds of school buses lined up to come and get these folks. ", Leo Bosner, FEMA watch officer: 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. "I didn't see any police officers -- I could have gotten away with murder," she says. "A close eye will be kept this system could strengthen ". Benelli says his team investigated two attempted rapes inside the Superdome, and two additional reports of rapes that happened in the city, one of which was the 25-year-old hairdresser. Over 1,800 people lost their lives in the hurricane and an estimated 1 million people were displaced from their homes. We have Brad Pitt and Chris Rocks wife here now, and I think collectively its making a huge, huge difference. At 7 am Katrina is a Category 5 with 160 mph maximum sustained winds. And the mayor began to tell us some of the things that he needed. He announces FEMA is moving supplies and equipment into the hardest hit areas. The price tag has not yet been determined. Throughout the day, emergency responders and public officials complain that communication links are very poor. 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. His goal: To make it possible for his wife of 65 years, Lydia who had gone to live with one of their nine children in Wisconsin after Katrina to return home. And the impression given in those four days is basically indelible. so you had a very dynamic situation.". Just last week, a federal court ordered a new trial for five officers convicted of the Danziger Bridge shootings. All I can tell you is that in the city of New Orleans we had maybe 250 guardsmen that we could account for. I laid that out for him. There was all kinds of crime taking place on a much higher level than usual. And why it wasnt stopped sooner. Buckles' intimate connection to the people he interviews many of them family members, friends, and former . 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. The choice was either run the risk of becoming stranded or take a detour to wait the storm out for a day or two in the Superdome. ", Michael Brown, FEMA director: Lewis and others had taken refuge in the Redemption Elderly Apartments, in the Irish Channel section of New Orleans. producer's chat+tapes & transcript+press reaction+credits+privacy policy I've never seen a hurricane like this in my 33-year career. It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Katrina first made landfall in South Florida. He escaped the chaotic shelter a few days later with a truckload of people and video documentation of history.Check out exclusive HISTORY content:Website - http://www.history.com?cmpid=Social_YouTube_HistHomeTwitter - https://twitter.com/history/postsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/HistoryHISTORY, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. Anastasia is a petite, 25-year-old hairdresser who asked that her last name be omitted. I've expressed many times that we're willing to investigate any sexual assaults that happened in this city at any time. At daybreak, rescuers set out on boats to help others still stranded. And he said: 'No, you don't have to leave. Stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina rest inside the Superdome September 2, 2005 in New Orleans. New Orleans residents are still trapped by the floodwaters, and dispatchers receive about 1,000 emergency phone calls from people needing to be rescued. And the president comes, and we have this meeting. It has been nearly six years since Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf of Mexico cutting a swathe of devastation and shock through the psyche of the American people. [He] came on site, I think it was Monday after the event. I began to believe that no buses had been ordered. Abandoned cars remain on Interstate 10 in front of the heavily damaged Superdome September 14, 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana. "To cries of 'Thank you, Jesus!' Floodwaters keep rising. Left to right: Mayor Ray Nagin, President Bush, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director Michael Brown, Gov. The population of New Orleans was about 400,000 by 2020, some 20 percent below its population in 2000. Police Chief Eddie Compass admitted even his own officers had taken food and water from stores. "[Michael] Brown I did not see the first couple of days. "It was that terrible. What happened next was more than just a natural disaster especially in New Orleans, where the failure of the cityslevees unleashed flooding that left roughly80 percent of the city underwater. Gov. So I went to the premiere, knowing Danny Glover was hosting it, and I couldnt get into the screeningso I texted Spike Lee, who directed When the Levees Broke, the documentary I was in, and asked him to pull some strings, but he didnt have Dannys number. Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. But the problem was that because of the fear that resulted from the civil unrest, the bus drivers said, 'We're not going in there to pick these people up unless you put a law enforcement official on every one of the buses, because we're afraid. special video+discussion+teacher's guide+readings & links She says she tried to report the assault at the time, but authorities weren't listening. web site copyright 1995-2014 Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Hurricane Katrina. Documenting evidence of potential war crimes in Ukraine. Met in the little office at the Super Dome where the heliport is. They didn't have water. President Bush's Sept. 15th address to the nation. I gave the governor two options. And New Orleans itself has worked to rebuild. "I went into New Orleans and stood beside Mayor Nagin and emphasized the need to leave. "All I know is on Wednesday night I was convinced that there were no FEMA buses. We all did. She describes . On August 28, 2005, at 6 am, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced that the Superdome would be used as a public shelter. President Bush arrives in New Orleans and holds a meeting on Air Force One with federal and local officials. The film features 15 minutes of live hurricane video shot by Kimberly Roberts, an aspiring rapper whose family was too poor to leave New Orleans, and follows Kims family and others through the horrific aftermath of the storm. 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". Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. Katrina Babies is an assertion of presence, a proclamation that the devastating hurricane is not simply a past story, but a present one too. Trachelle Addison cuddles her 2-week-old son, Jirra-e, in the stands of the Superdome, where some 25,000 refugees took shelter after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Ten years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast and generated a huge disaster. She requests President Bush to declare a state of emergency in Louisiana. "The fact that something wasn't reported to the police doesn't mean it didn't happen," Benitez says. 49 But it was the subsequent flooding of New Orleans that imposed catastrophic public health conditions on the people of southern . Civil order had completely broken down. The city floods further. 'Rebirth in New Orleans' reflects on . The Times-Picayune reports that Jefferson Parish residents are allowed to return to the area to inspect the damage to their homes.The breach in the 17th Street Canal is finally repaired, and engineers continue to work on other levee breaks. Blanco says, "Mr. President, thank you thank you, thank you. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. A hurricane warning is issued for the Southeast Florida coast. New Orleans's flood-protection system was improved by increasing in the heights of earthen berms and upgrading floodwalls and floodgates. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. "Coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to get out A direct hit could wind up submerging New Orleans in several feet of water At least 100,000 people in the city lack transportation to get out Louisiana and Mississippi make all lanes northbound on interstate highways". You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. A shaft of light falls throught an opening in the fully evacuated Superdome on Sept. 5, 2005 in New Orleans, La. By the evening of August 25, when it made . Most residents have evacuated the city and those left behind do not have transportation or have special needs. A final, official tally of those killed in the disaster is still not in. They cast a wide net over this important event and He didn't even know what efforts had been made on his behalf because he had no lines of communications open to him. Ten years ago this Saturday, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast. The police department -- reeling from desertions, flooding and the immensity of the disaster -- was in a survival mode itself. FEMA National Situation Update: Mayor Mitch Landrieu last week hailedNew Orleans as Americas comeback city,citing efforts to reduce crime, decrease homelessness and improve educational outcomes for area students. Its efforts fail. The film a raw and gripping investigation of the Katrina response, its tragic consequences and its political ramifications includes candid interviews with key Katrina decision-makers, including the first televised interview with former FEMA Director Michael Brown since his resignation two weeks after Katrina hit. The death toll in the city is not known, but the dying continues as people succumb to illness, exhaustion and days without food and water. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Exploring the experiences of a black member of the New Orleans Police Department and assorted other New Orleans residents during their stay in the Louisiana Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. If we arent talking about what we still need, how can we be sure people wont forget? . So many people have Katrina Fatigue, as I like to call itthe hurricane is four years out, and I applaud anything that brings another testimony into the public conversation; that shows people how bad it was, and how bad it still is. "There was a period of days when we weren't sure who was directing the federal response and were all the actions being taken. [2] Approximately 10,000 residents, along with about 150 National Guardsmen, sheltered in the Superdome anticipating Katrina's landfall. "I admit that rapes are underreported," Benelli says. Gallery. But I am happy to help, even if it takes me an extra two hours at the grocery store. Get as many people out as possible. 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. Kathleen Blanco: They didn't have ammunition. I just sent President Obama 10 letters the other day ( I remember Oprah saying persistence pays off) saying that since Katrina, we still only have two medical trailers in this part of town, and they arent equipped to handle emergencies or even basic lab work. Persons, pets, and livestock exposed to the winds will face certain death if struck. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Power outages will last for weeks water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards.". And I think thats whats going to help us rebuild the mosttalking about what happened and how we can move onand why documentaries like Trouble the Water are still so relevant. Issues of race, class, government response and responsibility, and political rivalries . FEMA was doing what it's supposed to be doing. Mississippi and Louisiana governors declare states of emergency. On June 4, 2006, Pamela Mahogany was interviewed for her personal experience involving the events following Hurricane Katrina. August 28, 2015, 2:21 PM. In downtown New Orleans, some streets were merely wet rather than swamped. 11.1.2005. Airborne debris will be widespread and may include heavy items such as household appliances and even light vehicles. And, in 2004, FEMA sponsored a disaster planning exercise in which the scenario was a major hurricane striking New Orleans. And I said, "We're doing one in the morning.". [Congressman] Bobby Jindal is there, the senators Landrieu and [David] Vitter, and Congressman [William] Jefferson. And nothing happened. Gov. My sense now is there are victims out there whose stories haven't been heard.". They were finally able to leave the city on Saturday. It was called "Hurricane Pam" and the exercise was conducted with state and local emergency managers. Note: In the last hours before Katrina made landfall, dozens of copies of the Hurricane Pam report are distributed to emergency planners. 1. I said, 'OK, great.' , "Law and order all but broke down in New Orleans over the past few days. At 10 a.m., the Thorntons headed together to the Superdome. We knew we were gonna have to shelter people. Mahogany describes her actions before deciding to evacuate her home, her trip to the New Orleans Saints' Superdome, her horrific time at the Superdome, and finally her decision to leave New Orleans. And that this could potentially be the big one that we had planned for in Hurricane Pam.". And he was the first guy that told us about the amount of devastation and the levee breaches. Find out in the 2015 documentary Outbreak, newly available to stream on FRONTLINEs YouTube channel. The skies darkened, and the wind started to pick up. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. 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. When Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans poet Shelton Alexander to evacuate his home, he took his truck and video camera to the Superdome. He escaped the chaotic shelter a few days . By the end of the day, there are 30,000 people at the Superdome. Required fields are marked *. 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. Some parishes order mandatory evacuations. "What you had was a situation where you've got a tremendous number of vulnerable people, and then some predatory people who had all of the reasons to take their anger out on someone else," Benitez says. "We'd heard the story of a man killing himself, falling . "Katrina will regenerate on Friday over Gulf of Mexico, head west-northwest then turn northward. In one notorious incident known as the Danziger Bridge case, police opened fire on a group of civilians, who were later found to be unarmed and searching for food and medicine. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is a landmark in the city of New Orleans. 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. Winds continue to damage or destroy buildings and blow out windows. Expressed my concerns, my frustration He needed to really get us resources to save people. Thats just one of the chain of catastrophes at the local, state and national level brought to vivid life in FRONTLINEs Emmy Award-winning 2005 documentaryThe Storm. Four were wounded, and 17-year-old James Brisette and 40-year-old Ronald Madison were killed. Benitez and others interviewed for this report believe that police authorities -- who were anxious to discount initially exaggerated reports of mayhem -- are downplaying violent crimes that happened in the anarchy after the storm. ", President Bush arrives in Louisiana. Kathleen Blanco: Buckles, who wrote and directed the documentary . FRONTLINE home+WGBH+PBS, FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of wgbh educational foundation. Sept. 27, 2005, 12:58 PM PDT / Source: The Associated Press. He came right back and he said, I dont know why, but theres probably a foot of water on Claiborne Street, Landreneau said. When Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans poet Shelton Alexander to evacuate his home, he took his truck and video camera to the Superdome. As of Nov. 22, 2005, more than 900 people are known to have died in New Orleans. Buses have started evacuating people at the Superdome, but at the Convention Center thousands are still waiting and conditions continue to deteriorate there. Blanco and said, 'We've got to move National Guard troops in there. Hurricane Katrina created enormous public health and medical challenges, especially in Louisiana and MississippiStates with public health infrastructures that ranked 49th and 50th in the Nation, respectively. Now, other than media reports, I don't know what's happening at the other end. President Bush declares Louisiana and Mississippi major disaster areas. Bring enough to sustain yourself, your family, your children. 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 suicide did occur inside the Superdome, . The spot urges victims to report their assault by calling 1-800-656-HOPE. FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Kimberly Roberts is the star of the filmif you can call her thata 24-year-old aspiring rapper who did not have the finances to get the hell out of New Orleans when Katrina hit, and still, she managed to film all of her harrowing experiences on a Hi-8 camerathe water rising, being trapped in the attic with her husband and neighbors, the fear they felt. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, causing catastrophic flooding as numerous levees failed around New Orleans. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. For my part, I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. Other people call me the Dr. Phil of the streets. "I think that that was probably over-reported," he says. Glover, you dont know me, but Im Phyllis, and I was in another Katrina documentary and I have to see this film! He grabbed onto me and I wouldnt let go until I got a seat insidethats the way I am. And it is injurious to the president. And Mayor Nagin expressed his concerns. 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. Visit us at HISTORY.com for more info. The two of us are going to leave. When we didn't get any assistance from the state or from FEMA in the time period that we thought was appropriate, I got someone in an automobile and said, 'Go to Baton Rouge, go find out. The storm flooded New Orleans, killed more than 1,800 people, and caused . "With the evacuee situation stabilizing somewhat, and increasing numbers of armed soldiers and police on the streets, officials said Saturday they would start aggressively dealing with the bands of armed looters who pushed the city to the brink of complete breakdown. They lost 15 high-water trucks with mobile communications packages. With a death toll of more than 1,800, Katrina was the third-deadliest hurricane in US history after Galveston in 1900 (which killed 8,000 to . And then he was gone after a while.". And they both shook their heads and said, 'Yes, you're right.' In all honesty, we begin looting. hurricane katrina anniversary: 40 powerful photos of New Orleans after the storm. HBO. That's where Katrina Babies comes in. ", "Coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to get out A direct hit could wind up submerging New Orleans in several feet of water At least 100,000 people in the city lack transportation to get out Louisiana and Mississippi make all lanes northbound on interstate highways", Note: In the last hours before Katrina made landfall, dozens of copies of the, "To cries of 'Thank you, Jesus!' On Sept. 15, 2005, in an address to the nation, President Bush declares, "It is now clear that a challenge on this scale requires greater federal authority and a broader role for the armed forces -- the institution of our government most capable of massive logistical operations on a moment's notice.". At 7 pm it makes landfall north of Miami. I wasnt poor before Katrina, and Im certainly not poor afterward, but Trouble the Water pisses me off all over again, in a good way. No, they weren't. Female victims, now displaced from New Orleans, are slowly coming forward with a different story than the official one. And he said definitively, "Mr. Mayor, the storm is headed right for you. Why would we think there was less rape typical of any given week in the city? Thats why films like Trouble the Water are so important, and why its great that its making it to a wide audience via HBO. It took me too long and I worked too hard to build what I had here.. Producer Martin Smith: Were they going back and forth with each other? But more and more people were being evacuated from their rooftops after being in the sun for long periods or overnight and being put on highways on high ground. 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. "Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks perhaps longer. "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. The hurricane and its aftermath claimed more than 1,800 lives, and it ranked as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. We knew what had to be done. Other people call me the Dr. Phil of the streets.. City officials say 80 percent of New Orleans is flooded. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says he'll follow the state evacuation plan and will not call for mandatory evacuation until 30 hours before projected landfall. Where is water? At landfall, Katrina's maximum winds were about 125 miles per hour (mph) to the east of its center. Meanwhile, Lewis, the 46-year-old home health-care worker, has still not reported her assault to the police, and she has no plans to. Mayor Ray Nagin orders the total evacuation of New Orleans due to the dangers posed by the contaminated standing water. FEMA Situation Update: At the peak of the Katrina recovery effort, 51,039 National Guard soldiers from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and three territories worked in Louisiana and Mississippi, making Katrina by far . Conditions are deteriorating with bathrooms overflowing, no power for air conditioning and little food and water. Exploring the experiences of a black member of the New Orleans Police Department and assorted other New Orleans residents during their stay in the Louisiana Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. The Times-Picayune reports that 4,600 active duty troops under the command of Gen. Russel Honor arrive in New Orleans. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Gov. Reports put the population there in the tens of thousands. "I know more sexual assaults took place. Exclusive: A Former MPD Lieutenant Reported Another Cop. Nicola Mann and Victoria Pass. We had pre-positioned supplies, medical teams, Meals Ready To Eat, and food in the Superdome. Hurricane Katrina, tropical cyclone that struck the southeastern United States in late August 2005. Surviving the Superdome. Kathleen Blanco. FEMA Situation Update: Theme Foto Blog by, Hundreds Evacuated as Vanuatu Braces for Second Cyclone in 2 Days. Orders volun-tary evacuation where residents in low-lying areas encouraged to evacuate Sunday, August 28, 2005: Hurricane Katrina becomes a Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds Superdome opens as a shelter of last resort Acadian personnel are deployed to the Superdome to help triage special needs patients and staff the rst aid station Nagin . It doesn't make any sense.". Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently . National surveys show that half of all sexual assaults are never reported. But they're designed for short hauls.". What happened next was more than just a natural disaster especially in New Orleans, where the . According to the New Orleans Data Center, racial disparities in income and employment are more pronounced in the city than they are nationally; the poverty rate is 11 points higher than the national average; and the incarceration rate is approximately three times the national average. "I got a call, I think Saturday afternoon [from] Max Mayfield, the hurricane director. Hundreds of people already have been rescued. "We're not downsizing anything," Benelli says. After Katrina, the spectacle of a Black refugee population in the Superdome, along with the short-lived plan from Mayor Nagin's committee to wipe out some Black neighborhoods, revived these . A Tropical Depression with 35 mph maximum sustained winds is located 250 miles east-southeast of southeast Florida. To get food out. So I finally just walked up to Danny and said, Mr. Hurricane Katrina Superdome. Katrina makes landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana as a Category 3 storm with winds near 127 mph. By midday, water levels between the city and Lake Ponchartrain have equalized. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. FRONTLINE reports from Iraq on the miscalculations and mistakes behind the brutal rise of ISIS. Katrina becomes a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph maximum sustained winds. The Louisiana Superdome, once a mighty testament to architecture and ingenuity, became the biggest storm shelter in New Orleans the day before Katrina's arrival Monday. I've got to know. In New Orleans chaos . "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. You'll receive access to exclusive information and early alerts about our documentaries and investigations. Since many New Orleans streets are still filled with stagnant, fetid waters smelling of garbage and raw sewage, the military was considering using planes to spray for mosquitoes.".