Ruin To

Recovery

Louisiana A 

Review

The coming of Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 left a path of destruction through New Orleans and surrounding areas in Louisiana. With the breech of the levees that protected the city from the waters of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, the damage to the city and outlying communities was even more severe than it would have been if only the hurricane had passed through. Recovery from the Katrina disaster has been long and expensive, though four years since the disaster pass,a slow but steady progress has been made

The damage in New Orleans was the most obvious portion of Katrina's destruction in Louisiana, but it was not the only portion of the state that was hit hard by the storm.  Slidell, St. Bernard Parish, Morgan City, Mandeville, Buras, and other areas surrounding the New Orleans area were so highly damaged by the heavy winds and damaging floods from the storm surge and the breaking of levees in and around New Orleans that evacuations were ordered. Up to 80 percent of the population of New Orleans and surrounding communities attempted to get out of the path of the storm.  (Katrina Hits Louisiana, Threatens New Orleans and Biloxi, API wire reports, 2005)

The recovery efforts and government assistance took significantly longer to arrive than any would have expected.  Four days after the disaster, President Bush signed an emergency disaster relief aid bill that would grant $10.5 billion to relief and recovery efforts while praising the recovery efforts that had already begun and acknowledging that action should have been taken sooner.  (Bush Signs $10.5 Billion Disaster Aid Bill, Deborah Feyerick and Ted Barrett, 2005)  Non-profit and community action groups responded much more quickly by providing temporary shelter for refugees, essential food, water, and other goods to those who had lost their homes, and manpower to begin the long task of cleaning up after the storm.  (A Continuing Storm: The Ongoing Struggles of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees – An Appleseed Report, Linda Singer, James Howell, et. al., 2006)

The first year of recovery passed slowly, with both federal agencies and nonprofit volunteers assisting with cleanup efforts and rebuilding damaged Louisiana communities.  An additional $16.7 billion was given to the Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to assist with the rebuilding of homes and other structures damaged by the storm.  (The First Year After Hurricane Katrina: What the Federal Government Did, Department of Homeland Security report, 2008)  Task forces set up within Louisiana to assist with economic and workforce development, environmental concerns, infrastructure repair, and improvements in healthcare and other civil areas under the Louisiana Recovery Authority. 

Recovery and rebuilding efforts continue four years later in New Orleans and surrounding Louisiana communities. Life is beginning to return to normal though years of additional repair and recovery work remain.  The major problems facing the affected communities include lack of operational schools and affordable housing in low-income areas.  (Katrina: Four Years Later, Chris Levister, 2009)  Remaining debris from the hurricane also pose a problem, though leading FEMA and the Coast Guard to pledge to assist in waterway cleanup.  (Dangerous Hurricane Debris Clogs Waterways Four Years Later, Chris Kirkham, 2009)  Despite the amount of work remaining, 

Louisiana residents are still hopeful for the future and anticipate great strides in recovery in the coming years. It isn't a consolation by saying Louisiana will become better out of hurricane Katrina because no one would agree that the devastation and tragedy was part of the outcome and purpose at the cost of millions of lives, property damage and dignity. Better aptly said that the resilience of Louisiana and other states to get back what they lost and indemnifying themselves by making their lives, homes and city better than before is more appropriate and speaks of human nature not to settle for the debris but overcome it. The loss of residents of Louisiana and surrounding states experienced can never fully be articulated on how it affected the human spirit however their demonstration to rebuild, recover and fix areas of the government that was previously ineffective again speaks volumes of the human spirit to overcome. A review of Louisiana since the hurricane Katrina concludes that its residents in spite of great loss did not allow the tragedy to choke their spirit, their dreams and their future.