Two years after Katrina....
|
Posted By: bob Brown on August 29, 2007 Two years ago, the Big Easy was the Big Heartache, a city submerged in water and death. Today, it is submerged in something else — the bitter memories of a town pounded by two disasters, one natural, the other man-made. Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast near New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, flooding the city, killing almost 2,000 people and devastating broad swaths of the area. It looked like the aftermath of a major war, with bodies strewn throughout the flooded sections of the city, some of them left in the water for days before emergency officials could collect them. Compounding the natural disaster was the bureaucratic bungling epitomized by Michael Brown, then head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Brown was so inept that during an interview with CNN, he had to be informed that thousands of evacuees had sought shelter in the New Orleans Convention Center. An absurdly positive performance review by the president — who told the FEMA head, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" — could not obscure the ugly truth: The government failed to respond, both before and after the catastrophe, in a responsible and intelligent manner. President Bush did not convene a federal task force until two days after the hurricane struck. Some people there have not eaten or drunk water for three or four days, which is inexcusable. Two years later, New Orleans is still struggling to recover from the devastation, and the government is still struggling to forge a system that will be better prepared to deal with future disasters. The results, on both fronts, have been mixed. A recent estimate places the population of New Orleans at 273,598, about 60 percent of its pre-Katrina population, according to the Louisiana Recovery Authority. And while the city is experiencing modest growth on the job front, especially in the mining and construction areas, the area is still down more than 100,000 jobs from the pre-Katrina days, authority data indicates. The federal government has provided more than $100 billion for rebuilding and recovery projects, according to the White House, a figure complemented by the millions that private corporations have provided. While the appropriations are encouraging, the total is misleading; according to a Government Accountability Office report issued last summer, between $600 million and $1.4 billion in taxpayer money had been wasted "on improper and potentially fraudulent individual assistance payments," the New York Times reported. In addition, the Times reported, the House Committee on Government Reform found that 19 Katrina contracts worth $8.75 billion "experienced significant overcharges, wasteful spending or mismanagement." Disasters will occur, but how the government responds to them can mitigate or aggravate the pain. It seems absurd to use the term "lucky" to describe an area that was plunged into so much misery two years ago, but New Orleans residents have been fortunate since then, having been spared the kind of disaster that could devastate an already ravaged city. How much longer can the Big Easy rely on luck? When it comes to preventing another disaster, the most crucial upgrade has to be centered on the levees that broke two years ago, the flood protection system that failed the city. The Army Corps of Engineers recently revealed plans for a $14.7 billion improvement that could be completed by 2011, a figure that doubles an earlier cost estimate, the Times reported last week. "I don't know of anything more significant than the new flood system for the long-term viability of the city of New Orleans," Donald Powell, the head of Gulf Coast reconstruction for the Bush administration, said. The cost seems staggering, particularly considering the amount already poured into the recovery effort, but the future of a once great American city may depend on it. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Blogs
 |
WOMEN OF GOD in UNITY Working Together5 Anointed Christian Women talking about things happening in our communities Throughout the nation and should be change with our help daily. And there will be 2 recording gospel Artist at this event p ...more
Min Sammy Jackson • 51 Views • March 9th, 2026 |
 |
WOMEN OF GOD in UNITY Working Together5 Anointed Christian Women talking about things happening in our communities Throughout the nation and should be change with our help daily. And there will be 2 recording gospel Artist at this event p ...more
Min Sammy Jackson • 44 Views • March 9th, 2026 |
 |
Behind the Wheel of the Hot 2026 Kia Sportage ReviewCompact SUVs remain competitive, and Kia’s best-selling model for 2026, the Sportage, gets a major mid-cycle update to stay ahead. During a week with the new Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige AWD, I tested ...more
Randi Payton • 162 Views • March 5th, 2026 |
 |
Season OpenerOpen door looks inviting; You see noone near the vehicle yet the door has been wide open for an unusual amount of time!
🤔💭“maybe I should help them out or should I just stick to th ...more
How May I Help You NC • 169 Views • March 4th, 2026 |
 |
Motivational Artist MARCUS PARKER Creates Rize Mode A AI Powered Artist@MARCUSPARKER #MARCUSPARKER
@RIZEMODE #RIZEMODE
@WISEDIVAS #WISEDIVAS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Underground Motivator MARCUS PARKER Launches AI Artists and New Guide to Help Others Build Their Own ...more
LaMarr Blackmon • 207 Views • March 2nd, 2026 |
Popular Blogs
 |
Divorce in America in 2009 – What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Join Brother Marcus and the cast and the crew of the Brother Marcus Show live this Sunday evening on February 1, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. for another hot topic in our community! “Divorce in America in 2009 ...more
Brother Marcus! • 70,865,781 Views • January 27th, 2009 |
 |
VISINE ALERT!!!Seemingly innocent medication such as Visine eyedrops are used by people to concoct a mixture with similar effects as a date-rape drug.
When mixed with alcohol and taken orally, the eyedrops can l ...more
Siebra Muhammad • 118,526 Views • May 23rd, 2009 |
 |
"Chain Hang Low" check out the real meaning of the Lyrics!Recently there is a new artist out of Saint Louis that goes by the name JIBBS. Jibbs debut single "Chain hang low" has a history that most people are not aware of. The particular nursery rhyme that th ...more
Tyhesha Judge-Fogle • 75,945 Views • November 9th, 2006 |
 |
HBCU Marketplace Gifts: Divine 9 Premium Fraternity / Sorority Playing CardsVendor: Charles Jones
Item Price: $20.00
Price Includes Shipping: Yes - Shipping Included
Item Description:
Pantheon Series - Divine 9 - Premium Playing Cards (choose Gold Series or Silve ...more
How May I Help You NC • 61,775 Views • December 2nd, 2018 |
