Hurricane Katrina Causes Over 1,300 Deaths, Massive Destruction in Louisiana, Mississippi

August 29, 2025, marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history, which caused over 1,400 deaths and nearly $200 billion in damage, primarily affecting Southeast Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Katrina's catastrophic impact was amplified by levee failures that flooded 80% of New Orleans, with over 100,000 residents unable or unwilling to evacuate. The storm's intensity peaked as a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf with 175 mph winds before weakening to Category 3 at landfall, yet still causing widespread destruction, including uprooting over 320 million trees. Experts warn that if a similar storm struck today, the federal government would be ill-prepared to respond effectively, especially amid talks by President Donald Trump to dismantle FEMA, the nation’s primary disaster relief agency. This concern is echoed by disaster preparedness experts and FEMA employees, who issued a warning to Congress about the negative consequences of current administration policies, though some officials defend ongoing reforms aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays. The anniversary has also prompted reflection on the storm's social and political ramifications, including issues of racial portrayal in media and infrastructure failures that exacerbated the disaster's impact.