Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Its impact was felt most in New Orleans and parts of Louisiana, where the storm exposed vulnerabilities in the infrastructure, government preparedness, and social treatment. We’ll explore the devastation that Katrina left behind and highlight Spike Lee’s documentaries ‘When the Levees Broke ‘ and ‘If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise,’ which describe the disaster’s aftermath.
On August 23, 2005, Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical cyclone before rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. By the time it had made landfall, it had become a Category 3 storm near Louisiana and Mississippi, and its winds reached up to 125 mph. However, it wasn’t just the wind that caused the destruction—it was flooding from the levee failures that took a major toll on New Orleans.
Over 1,800 people died, 80% of New Orleans was underwater for weeks due to engineering flaws, it caused over $160 billion in damages, and many residents were forced to leave their homes. It revealed that efforts to help were minimal, especially with evacuating. Those with financial resources could better escape, while others, particularly poorer communities, were left stranded without enough food, water, or shelter. While the wind caused the majority of the damage, it left thousands stranded and homeless. Though the death toll reached 1,292, many people have come out saying their family members were either left behind or simply unaccounted for to this day.
Nearly 6,000 people went missing after the storm. Many were swept away by the floodwaters or lost in their own homes. Families were separated and scattered around the country due to the disorganization of the evacuation efforts. Cities like Dallas, New York, Houston, and more suburban areas welcomed evacuees, but many were calling them refugees, which they felt the government purposefully wanted them scattered.
In response to the housing crisis caused by Katrina, FEMA deployed over 145,000 trailers to provide temporary shelter for survivors. While these trailers offered immediate relief, they came with significant problems. Many of the trailers contained toxic levels of formaldehyde, which would cause respiratory issues for occupants. Some FEMA trailers didn’t even come with anything, and some came in with mold and unlivable conditions. FEMA’s housing mission ended in 201,2, and many survivors ended up finding another problem, which was permanent housing.
In addition to the flooding and destruction, survivors faced sweltering heat during Katrina’s aftermath. Temperatures reached the high,0s especially with humidity levels being just as unbearable. Extreme heat added another layer of misery to the already dire situation.
Spike Lee’s documentary ‘When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts’ provides an emotional and detailed account of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath. The film explores themes such as government failures in disaster response and the resilience of New Orleans residents. It also highlights how inequalities have left the communities affected.
Lee’s documentary sheds light on stories of separation and loss that continue to resonate today. Families torn apart by evacuation efforts are a recurring theme in the film – many were sent to cities they have never heard of and where they don’t feel connected to without ever knowing if they will ever be able to return especially with crime rates rising, looting, bad education in the areas and mold in every single building.
While New Orleans has made strides in rebuilding its infrastructure and economy since Katrina, it remains a city transformed by tragedy, and not always is it meant for the better. The city’s population fell from 485,000 to around 386,000 residents. Almost 50% of the evacuees never returned. Many reasons, such as gentrification, lack of jobs, poor public services, and lingering trauma. For some former residents – especially those who have lost their homes or loved ones – New Orleans no longer feels like home.
Post-Katrina the Haitian earthquake hit which not only made it where it exposed systematic failures but also the infrastructure and government. Haiti’s 2010 earthquake killed over 200,000 people and displaced many. Many were saying that both events had parallels to each other.
After Katrina, public housing in New Orleans started to deteriorate. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) and HUD began demolishing thousands of units, such as C.J Peete, B.W. Cooper, Lafitte, and St. Bernard. Despite many people protesting and claiming that the buildings had nothing structurally wrong with them, they were replaced by higher-income developments. Less than 10% of the units became affordable housing.
Though New Orleans has a long history of police misconduct, one incident was the Danziger Bridge, where on September 4, 2005, police officers opened fire on unarmed civilians who were seeking help after the storm, killing two individuals and injuring others. Cases like these do lead to federal investigations and civil rights lawsuits. Though that branch wasn’t the only one being taken to court, the U.S. government faced lawsuits over the handling of Katrina. Survivors claimed that they maintained negligence over a “sand-built levee”.
Lee’s documentaries serve as powerful reminders of how systemic failures—whether in infrastructure, housing policy, law enforcement, or disaster management—can amplify human suffering during crises. Hurricane Katrina was not just a natural disaster—it was a human tragedy that exposed systemic flaws in disaster preparedness and response while reshaping New Orleans forever. Documentaries like ‘When the Levees Broke,’ ‘If God Is Willin’g’, and ‘Da Creek Don’t Rise’ Continue to explore these themes while advocating for accountability and justice for affected communities.
