New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Around 9:30 a.m. Mayor Ray Nagin issues a mandatory evacuation. When Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans poet Shelton Alexander to evacuate his home, he took his truck and video camera to the Superdome. A suicide did occur inside the Superdome, . ' Gettridge told FRONTLINE. Several thousand National Guard troops start reaching the thousands of evacuees at the Convention Center and elsewhere. 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 . The Coast Guard mobilizes to respond after the storm hits. "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. "[Michael] Brown I did not see the first couple of days. And at that time I took some liberties I probably shouldn't take. These defenses held for Hurricane Ida, a category 4 storm, in August 2021. And based upon that ["Hurricane Pam" planning exercise], I knew they needed to evacuate. Their back-up generators flooded. The 42 reports include assaults that happened inside New Orleans and outside the city, for instance, in host homes. Floodwaters keep rising. By midday, water levels between the city and Lake Ponchartrain have equalized. Theres a river of water moving into this area.'. At 7 am Katrina is a Category 5 with 160 mph maximum sustained winds. We could either go with your suggestion' -- which, my suggestion was, if you don't give me the final authority give it to Gen. [Russel] Honor. They cast a wide net over this important event and He Says He Paid a Price. In his speech, he calls on all federal, state and local agencies to review their performance. To get medical teams and search teams out the door and get 'em down there. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual assault in the lawless days after the storm. The Times-Picayune reports the Convention Center evacuees are still being loaded onto buses and evacuated and search-and-rescue operations continue. (Weather forecasters classify hurricane strength on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the strongest.) 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. 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. But for five days in the midst of the storm, about 20,000 of these . 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.". More than a million people were displaced in the days leading up to and following . And the president comes, and we have this meeting. "We know about all the other things that happened, all the thefts, all the robberies. 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. 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. Phone service and electricity to some 770,000 people in the area is cut off. But we were working frantically to get it out. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. Lipin says when he arrived in Baton Rouge and turned on the TV, he was surprised by reports of rampant violence in New Orleans. Your email address will not be published. . " But we need something really big, like a hospital, that shows where the $25 billion in recovery money is going. And they hadn't. Airborne debris will be widespread and may include heavy items such as household appliances and even light vehicles. Listen 7:57. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is a landmark in the city of New Orleans. Experts say it was the perfect environment to commit a crime, and the worst environment to report a crime. 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. Mayor Ray Nagin orders the total evacuation of New Orleans due to the dangers posed by the contaminated standing water. Team members said they delivered babies, treated gunshot and stab victims, and ultimately fled for their own safety. I gave people clues on how to pack. Phyllis Montana-LeBlancthe breakout star of Spike Lees When the Levees Broke documentary and author of Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Katrina (and a consultant on David Simons new post-Katrina HBO drama)writes below about why viewers should still care about New Orleans four years later, and why Trouble the Water just may be the wakeup call we need. I went to the Adjutant General [Landreneau] and I went to Gov. People can say that writing a check doesnt mean anything, but honey, it does. A shaft of light falls throught an opening in the fully evacuated Superdome on Sept. 5, 2005 in New Orleans, La. We have got to start getting people out.' ", Gov. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. A New Orleans house submerged in floodwaters. On June 4, 2006, Pamela Mahogany was interviewed for her personal experience involving the events following Hurricane Katrina. FEMA Situation Update: The majority of industrial buildings will become non functional. Lt. Dave Benelli, commander of the sex crimes unit with the New Orleans Police Department, denies that. "A close eye will be kept this system could strengthen ". First categorized as a tropical storm, Katrina hit New Orleans, flattening buildings, breaking levees, and flooding the city with terrifying 125 mph winds. We go to Sam's and Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie and gather up food and water and start distributing it because we had 60 hours' worth of resources that we had stored, but now we're out of it. 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. Nicola Mann and Victoria Pass. Around 6 a.m., Category 4 Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast with 145 mph maximum sustained winds. "They didn't have no food. Michael Brown, FEMA director: 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. 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 . / HBO Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. "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. Hurricane Katrina Superdome. WGBH educational foundation, "A close eye will be kept this system could strengthen ", "Media reports attribute Katrina with four fatalities [in Florida], more than a million customers were without electricity", "Katrina will regenerate on Friday over Gulf of Mexico, head west-northwest then turn northward. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual . And they both shook their heads and said, 'Yes, you're right.' 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 Kim's family and others through the . "I was told that they could mobilize immediately 2,500 National Guards members. Here's all these thousands of people that don't have any way to get out of the city. In Louisiana, New Orleans is of particular concern because much of that city lies below sea level. Half of telephone service is back. 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. And [FEMA Director] Michael Brown was with me at that time. Lewis and others had taken refuge in the Redemption Elderly Apartments, in the Irish Channel section of New Orleans. It was there, she says, that an unknown man with a handgun sexually assaulted her. Five officers were ultimately indicted: one for the shooting, and four additional officers on charges related to burning Glovers body and obstructing a federal investigation. Met in the little office at the Super Dome where the heliport is. 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, and horrific loss of life. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe#NationalGeographic #HurricaneKatrina #StormsAbout National Geographic:National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. producer's chat+tapes & transcript+press reaction+credits+privacy policy After her rape, Lewis says, there were no clinics open, so she washed herself with bleach. And that is unacceptable. And Mayor Nagin expressed his concerns. According to a New York Times article of September 29, "During six days when the Superdome was used as a shelter, the head of the New Orleans Police Department's sex crimes unit, Lt. David . And he basically asked me, 'Mr. A Louisiana State University computer model of a 115 mph storm strike shows the overtopping of levees protecting New Orleans and nearby areas. So I finally just walked up to Danny and said, Mr. On Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made its historic landfall on the Gulf Coast, hitting a number of cities along the Louisiana-Mississippi border, with the eye . The networks all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, epic miniseries, and scripted event programming. About 16,000 people . We had pre-positioned supplies, medical teams, Meals Ready To Eat, and food in the Superdome. 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. Here in New Orleans East, we desperately need a hospital. In September 2006, the New Orleans Saints marched into the Superdome for their first game since Hurricane Katrina, providing the spark for a revival. "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". "I remember reading [that New Orleans had dodged a bullet]. She gripped my arm at the store, and she told me, the way you shared with everybody so openly, you helped me to heal. Buckles' intimate connection to the people he interviews many of them family members, friends, and former . 1) At least 1,800 people died due to Hurricane Katrina. 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. By. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. 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 . In downtown New Orleans, some streets were merely wet rather than swamped. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. And you need to order mandatory evacuation. Where is all the things that we need to get out of here?"' The Army Corps of Engineers renews work to fix the breach in the 17th St. Canal. I just expressed to her my concern about the lack of unified command, and the need to have more of a structure of what was going on. The Army Corps of Engineers projects it could take 80 days to pump the water out of the city. She says as she watched New Orleans descend into chaos after Katrina, she knew what would happen. Gov. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip). After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, Congress appropriated an unprecedented $126.4 billion for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts. Because of the ensuing . Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. '", Michael Brown, FEMA director: 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. FEMA National Situation Update: 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. By the end of the day it is 335 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River. President Bush flies over the area on his way back to Washington. It regained strength as its path turned northwest. The mistake that I made was not doing that sooner and not giving them the orders that we needed them to do all of that immediately. The groups went in shifts, sneaking down over to the garage, up the stairs and to the helipad. After being damaged by. ", Michael Brown, FEMA director: Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. 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 downtown New Orleans, some streets were merely wet rather than swamped. And the bosses say, 'Oh, okay. In New Orleans last year, there was a rape every other day on average. To get food out. ", At that time, I thought we had done a pretty good job because we had gotten about 80 percent of the people out. Gov. Looting becomes more widespread; hotels begin turning out guests. 1. Pack carefully. If we arent talking about what we still need, how can we be sure people wont forget? Abandoned cars remain on Interstate 10 in front of the heavily damaged Superdome September 14, 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News/epa/Corbis. The National Weather Service writes that Hurricane Katrina is "one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever strike the United States." Hurricane Katrina caused up to $161 billion worth of damage, largely due to the fact that the breached levees led to flooding in 80% of New Orleans. I think the American Red Cross already had shelters and was already feeding people. 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. hide caption. 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. Concerned over unreported and underreported rapes, her organization, together with the National Sexual Violence Resource Center -- which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- created a national database to track sexual assaults that happened after Katrina. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty. 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 . FEMA was doing what it's supposed to be doing. Civil order had completely broken down. 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,. Rescue efforts are delayed because of the inability of rescuers to communicate with each other. Hundreds of people already have been rescued. A decade later . August 29, 2005. ". We all did. Years later, much of the money committed to New Orleans residents had yet to reach them. He co-wrote the novel,"The Spencer Haywood Rule," and he was co-producer of the "Katrina Cop in the Superdome," a 2010 documentary about the experiences of a black New Orleans police officer and other citizens as they sheltered in the Louisiana Superdome during the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005. Required fields are marked *. We do our video conference calls before and during disasters. William E. Brown Jr. -. "Some bad things happened, you know. Reports put the population there in the tens of thousands. 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. And that was that.". 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. ', So they went into another section of the plane, had a meeting. I've never seen a hurricane like this in my 33-year career. 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. Bring enough to sustain yourself, your family, your children. In the first few hours after Katrina hit, many people believed that New Orleans had dodged a bullet. On that first night after the storm, the city had lost power, and she was sleeping in a dark hallway, trying to catch a breeze. " 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. The Superdome is an intrinsic part of the city of New Orleans. A spokesperson with the Resource Center said the number is steadily growing. Web Site Copyright 1995-2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. Mayor Nagin estimates 50,000 to 100,000 people remain in the city. With camera lenses and lights abounding, the . A Tropical Depression with 35 mph maximum sustained winds is located 250 miles east-southeast of southeast Florida. And that rap song she sings at the end of the film about growing up so poor, with her mother on drugs and being forced to stealit just shows that she is a strong woman, and so honest, real, determined, courageous, and intelligent. 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. The only person I saw from FEMA was basically this guy named Marty [Bahamonde]. Photo. FEMA organizes 475 buses to be sent in to transport many of the estimated 23,000 people from the Superdome to the Houston Astrodome. Before Hurricane Katrina hit, New Orleans residents gathered to ride out the storm in what seemed like a pretty safe place, the Superdome, the city's football stadium . Your email address will not be published. He estimates 5,000 to 10,000 people are still in the city, with many of them still waiting to be rescued. 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.". I said, 'OK, great.' Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. These three documentaries and nearly 190 more are all streaming online at pbs.org/frontline.