Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina fill the streets near downtown New Orleans, La., on Aug. 30, 2005. One of the victims is Ms. Lewis, a 46-year-old home health-care worker from New Orleans East, who asked that her first name not be used. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. I went to the Adjutant General [Landreneau] and I went to Gov. And he said: 'Mr. "I know more sexual assaults took place. Remembers Covering Katrina Preserving History After Hurricane Katrina Katrina's Affect on Charter schools quiz: 10 Questions on Katrina. And the president comes, and we have this meeting. Around 9:30 a.m. Mayor Ray Nagin issues a mandatory evacuation. Because of the ensuing . New Orleans residents are still trapped by the floodwaters, and dispatchers receive about 1,000 emergency phone calls from people needing to be rescued. 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. At least 1,800 lives were lost in Hurricane Katrina, often considered one of the worst hurricanes in US history. Michael Brown, FEMA director: And they hadn't. 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.' 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. Team members said they delivered babies, treated gunshot and stab victims, and ultimately fled for their own safety. . Four were wounded, and 17-year-old James Brisette and 40-year-old Ronald Madison were killed. "They didn't have no food. 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. Left to right: Mayor Ray Nagin, President Bush, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director Michael Brown, Gov. More than 1,800 people died in what was the costliest . We arent looking for a handout, but its hard to believe that the city that we love (and everyone lovesthe Mardi Gras, the jazz, the hospitality!) Oh, absolutely not. 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. Required fields are marked *. I said, 'If you guys don't get together and work this out, this is going to get worse.' Neville says she was sexually assaulted early the morning of Aug. 31st, while she was sleeping on the roof of Drew Elementary School in the Bywater Neighborhood, where she and others had taken refuge. The 42 reports include assaults that happened inside New Orleans and outside the city, for instance, in host homes. Get as many people out as possible. 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. Pack carefully. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Around 6 a.m., Category 4 Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast with 145 mph maximum sustained winds. "There was a period of days when we weren't sure who was directing the federal response and were all the actions being taken. Producer Martin Smith: So, although you said that, you didn't feel that way at that time? "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". But they're designed for short hauls.". Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. home+introduction+watch online+interviews+analysis+14 days ", In Washington, President Bush publicly acknowledges the inadequacy of the federal government's response: "Many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need, especially in New Orlenas. FEMA National Situation Update: His death came nearly two years to the day after his wifes passing. 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. And the mayor began to tell us some of the things that he needed. And the guard unitspent most of the next 24 hours saving itself. As the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, explore three different FRONTLINE documentaries about the disaster, its lingering aftermath and the lessons learned. We have so much intelligence down here in New Orleans, and yet, even four years after the hurricane, we cant rely on the school system. Rescuers drop them off wherever there is high ground; many are dropped at interstate overpasses and the Superdome. Female victims, now displaced from New Orleans, are slowly coming forward with a different story than the official one. A hurricane warning is issued for north central Gulf . But one man then-82-year-old Herbert Gettridge was determined to rebuild the house he had built more than 50 years earlier in the Lower Ninth Ward, with or without government support. Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. Several parishes and the city of New Orleans announce emergency responders will stop venturing out once the wind exceeds 45 mph. 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. 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. Her husband [Raymond Blanco] is there. August 27, 2015, 2:18 PM. And I had a piece of paper where I wrote down like a five-point plan of the things that we needed to do. First categorized as a tropical storm, Katrina hit New Orleans, flattening buildings, breaking levees, and flooding the city with terrifying 125 mph winds. "The fact that something wasn't reported to the police doesn't mean it didn't happen," Benitez says. "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. so you had a very dynamic situation.". "I admit that rapes are underreported," Benelli says. Kathleen Blanco: Nature Documentary hosted by Helen Baxandale, published by Channel 4 in 2010 - English narration Cover Information . "All I could do was pray, pray for rescue, pray that I didn't have any type of transmitted disease," she says. New Orleans's flood-protection system was improved by increasing in the heights of earthen berms and upgrading floodwalls and floodgates. Some parishes order mandatory evacuations. What I hope people will realize when they see Trouble the Water is that we still have so much to do here, and that Katrina really changed so many lives, but we are a really resilient people and we want our city to come back. President Bush flies over the area on his way back to Washington. I laid that out for him. Hundreds of people already have been rescued. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, Congress appropriated an unprecedented $126.4 billion for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts. We'd sent them all the information they needed. web site copyright 1995-2014 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. U.S. Cities and States Are Suing Big Oil Over Climate Change. As Katrina hit, Alexander found himself in a desperate situation. A hurricane warning is issued for the Southeast Florida coast. 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. The National Guards didn't want to hear it.". . " After her rape, Lewis says, there were no clinics open, so she washed herself with bleach. [2] Approximately 10,000 residents, along with about 150 National Guardsmen, sheltered in the Superdome anticipating Katrina's landfall. All I can tell you is that in the city of New Orleans we had maybe 250 guardsmen that we could account for. We've all feared a catastrophic hurricane striking New Orleans. 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. 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. Within five hours I start to get reports from my staff members, who are out doing assessments, the water's rising. At 7 am Katrina is a Category 5 with 160 mph maximum sustained winds. On August 28, 2005, at 6 am, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced that the Superdome would be used as a public shelter. She says as she watched New Orleans descend into chaos after Katrina, she knew what would happen. Buckles' intimate connection to the people he interviews many of them family members, friends, and former . National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield tells the Times-Picayune newspaper, "This is scary this is the real thing." During Hurricane Katrina, around 20,000 people took refuge in the Superdome. It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. A Louisiana State University computer model of a 115 mph storm strike shows the overtopping of levees protecting New Orleans and nearby areas. Thats why films like Trouble the Water are so important, and why its great that its making it to a wide audience via HBO. ", Richard Falkenrath, Homeland Security Adviser (2001-2004): ", Leo Bosner, FEMA watch officer: The hurricane and its aftermath claimed more than 1,800 lives, and it ranked as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. [Mayor Nagin] was upset with everything. And he said: 'No, you don't have to leave. 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. Then, the airman hesitated a minute, and asked Landreneau to hold. So I finally just walked up to Danny and said, Mr. Go up there, face to face and say, "What is happening here? The groups went in shifts, sneaking down over to the garage, up the stairs and to the helipad. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual . 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. In Louisiana, New Orleans is of particular concern because much of that city lies below sea level. The storm initially formed as a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas on August 23. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. 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. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual assault in the lawless days after the storm. And then somebody came and called me and said, 'The president would like to see you.' It took me too long and I worked too hard to build what I had here.. And the bosses say, 'Oh, okay. Michael Brown, FEMA director: August 28, 2015, 2:21 PM. After being damaged by. They lost 15 high-water trucks with mobile communications packages. But prosecutors have struggled to hold officers accountable. And Michael Brown was there listening. They didn't have communication. 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. Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. [Governor Blanco] probably should have asked sooner. I've heard some terrible stories since that the stuff wasn't getting there. Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, says he is "extremely pleased with the response of every element of the federal government and federal partners to this terrible tragedy." I immediately hung up the phone, called my city attorney because they had always advised that you can't do a mandatory evacuation. Kathleen Blanco: Hurricane Katrina first made landfall on Aug. 25, 2005, in Florida, weakening to a tropical storm as it briefly passed over land. After suffering heavy damage during Hurricane Katrina, the Superdome was re-opened on September 25, 2006 for the Saints' Monday night game against the Falcons. 11.1.2005. Katrina Cop in the Superdome. The outer ends of the hurricane also produced tornados . She insists other women were raped in the same apartment building over the next four nights, but her claim could not be checked out. Gov. They were making suggestions about we need to do this and that. Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: Civil order had completely broken down. Watch it: For a powerful story of resilience and determination in the face of tragedy. The Times-Picayune reports the Convention Center evacuees are still being loaded onto buses and evacuated and search-and-rescue operations continue. 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 . 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. People continue to head towards the Superdome, which is now surrounded by water. Around 8 a.m. the storm's eye passes eastern New Orleans. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. Explore FRONTLINEs collected and ongoing reporting on Russia's war on Ukraine. Producer Martin Smith: So we're just eating sandwiches and making nice while people are stranded on rooftops? Persons, pets, and livestock exposed to the winds will face certain death if struck. And why it wasnt stopped sooner. She requests President Bush to declare a state of emergency in Louisiana. And I knew it wasn't true, because 8:00 or 10:00 that morning, I received a report from one of my staffers that either a levee had been topped or had actually broken. I've got to know. She contacted the New Orleans police in October and filed a report that she was beaten with a bat and raped on Sept. 6th in broad daylight next to a flooded McDonald's at Gentilly Boulevard and Elysian Fields, near her father's house. Where is all the things that we need to get out of here?"' In October 2005, The Historic New Orleans Collection initiated Through Hell and High Water: Katrina's First Responders Oral History Project, partnering with local, state, and federal agencies to document their experiences. We'll put a couple of medical teams on standby. Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News/epa/Corbis. Mayor Nagin estimates 50,000 to 100,000 people remain in the city. I aint about to leave, Gettridge said. And then they'd gone around the room, and everybody's talking to the president and giving their opinions. Years later, much of the money committed to New Orleans residents had yet to reach them. There was nobody there to protect you," Lewis says. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip). On June 4, 2006, Pamela Mahogany was interviewed for her personal experience involving the events following Hurricane Katrina. Where is food? 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 . Nearly two decades after Hurricane Katrina, Edward Buckles Jr. asks what happened to the generation of kids who grew up with that trauma in the documentary "Katrina Babies" on HBO Max. 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. And he passes, literally, hundreds of school buses lined up to come and get these folks. The spot urges victims to report their assault by calling 1-800-656-HOPE. I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. The two of us are going to leave. I talk to her every other day, and thats her main question How long is it going to be? The interviews done as part of this project reflect the disaster's painful, chaotic, and murky aftermath. In all, more than 1,500 died either duringthe storm or inthe famouslybungled aftermath which saw local, state, and federal officials uncoordinated and overwhelmed. "[Michael] Brown I did not see the first couple of days. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New . Issues of race, class, government response and responsibility, and political rivalries . "And so now I think it's swung the other direction and it's underreported. Copyright All rights reserved. He came right back and he said, I dont know why, but theres probably a foot of water on Claiborne Street, Landreneau said.
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