Twenty years ago, a catastrophic storm changed the fabric of the southern United States.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, slamming directly into Louisiana before pummeling Mississippi and surrounding states. New Orleans saw the worst of the damage. Deadly floods inundated 80 percent of the city as levees and flood walls failed against torrential rain and storm surge.

The destruction was harrowing: More than 1,800 people died . Total damages, accounting for inflation, exceeded $200 billion .

Katrina’s impacts still linger today. The hurricane reshaped the South, fueling a widespread diaspora of disaster survivors into new areas that altered the economy and community connectedness. It also triggered a shift in disaster policy, prompting a reorganization

See Full Page