The 2005 Hurricane Katrina caused massive destruction, prompting the federal government to spend more than $125 billion on recovery and flood protection
Today marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, killing over 1,400 people and displacing around 1 million.
The 2005 storm caused massive destruction, prompting the federal government to spend more than $125 billion on recovery and flood protection.
A new USA TODAY/Ipsos poll shows 85% of Americans are familiar with Katrina, including young adults who were children or not yet born.
Despite rebuilding efforts, New Orleans faces ongoing challenges. Its main industries—tourism, shipping, and oil and gas—are losing jobs, pushing residents to leave.
The city’s population has fallen 23% since 2000, the fastest decline among similarly sized US cities. Income inequality has worsened, with Black households seeing no growth in two decades.
Many middle-class Black neighborhoods were never rebuilt, and critics say federal funds were often mismanaged.
Climate change threatens future storms, while the city’s $14 billion levee system faces sinking risk and potential budget cuts.