NEW ORLEANS — On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Plaquemines Parish and then along the Louisiaia-Mississippi border. It devastated coastal communities. And, most of New Orleans filled with water after the floodwalls meant to protect the city failed.
WGNO is remembering this day with our special report Hurricane Katrina: 15 Years Later, hosted by Susan Roesgen and LBJ.
We visit some of the areas hit hardest by the storm for an update on the recovery.
Stephanie Oswald speaks with Plaquemines Parish president Kirk Lepine about where the parish is in its rebuilding.
“People of Plaquemines are so resilient,” says Lepine. “They’ve been, and I hate to use this word, but they’ve been beat up. They’ve been beat up.”
We also talk to the superintendent of schools in St. Bernard Parish, Doris Voitier, about getting the school system back up and running in just weeks after the storm hit.
“I made the pledge that the first student who would step foot back in St. Bernard Parish, we would provide education services,” says Voitier.
In Mississippi, Waveland Mayor Mike Smith tells us about his plans to build a 23-foot high boardwalk along the beach.
“Could you just imagine sitting at a table overlooking–you’re 23 feet in the air so you’re overlooking a nice, small marina, on a nice, sunny, windy day that’s comfortable,” says Smith. “I can just see it. I envision it. I don’t sleep well at night because I can’t wait for this to get started.”
We also go to the Lower 9th Ward for an update from Habitat for Humanity, hear how the City of New Orleans is building back green, and cross St. Tammany Parish for a look at how that parish has recovered.
You can watch the entire special report Hurricane Katrina: 15 Years Later on WGNO and WGNO.com.