AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 07 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe devastation from Katrina remains
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New Orleans-Because I had, like you, seen the horrifying images on television day after day I thought I a pretty firm mental grasp on the devastation that Hurricane Katrina inflicted on this city in late August and early September of 2005.
I wasn’t even close.
Until you see it up close, the human mind cannot conceive of what really happened here about 27 months ago.
College football will celebrate the end of a season to remember tonight when No. 1 Ohio State takes on No. 2 LSU for the BCS championship. It will cap a stretch of 10 days where hundreds of thousands of fans poured into the city, first to see the Sugar Bowl and now for biggest game of the season.
They have seen a downtown New Orleans that has recovered nicely from Katrina. The French Quarter is just as lively as ever and our hosts here have put out the hospitality as only this wonderful city can. It has been an impressive show. Hosting these two BCS games, which will pump about $300 million into the local economy, is a big part of the ongoing recovery effort.
But drive less an 10 minutes from my very nice hotel and you will see pieces of this community that will move you to tears.
On Sunday I traveled with a group of journalists on a tour sponsored by the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper, whose heroic deeds in covering Katrina were more than worthy of the Pulitzer Prize they received.
The reality of what we were about to see hit home when we traveled to Lakeview, a middle class neighborhood that was badly flooded. Our tour guide was Living Edtior James O’Byrne who took us to an empty lot that was surrounded by houses in various degrees of damage and repair.
The empty lot was where O’Byrne’s house used to be.
Then we went across the street to see a house where the floodwater had risen to the ceiling. The floors were buckled. There were faded photo albums on the floor. It was clear the house would have to be torn down.
“This,” he said. “Is one of the better ones.”
With each stop the neighborhoods got poorer and the devastation grew worse. And when we reached the Lower Ninth Ward, where the poorest of the poor once lived, the enormity of it all hit home.
The small houses that were not completely swept off their foundations by the floodwaters have pretty much been gutted out. The image that will stick with all of us on the tour was the black “X” on each door. It was put there by the National Guard search team to signify what they had found in the house. The number on the bottom of the X represented how many bodies were in the home.
But there is hope. Actor Brad Pitt, who now lives in New Orleans, stepped up and bought 150 lots and is raising money to build low cost homes. Among the grayness and despair of the Lower Ninth Ward is an incredible village of structures covered by pink tarps, each one representing where a house will be built. One those homes are built, the hope is that the rest of the area will begin to regenerate.
When our tour was done, we didn’t have to drive long before we ran head on into streets blocked by Ohio State and LSU fans getting ready to party the night away. The contrast to what we just witnessed was very sobering.
The point is this. Tonight’s game should be a celebration and the folks who have come here should enjoy every minute of it. This city has survived and has recovered from an unthinkable horror and still works every day to get better.
But not everyone has recovered here in New Orleans and we shouldn’t forget that. There are people here whose lives are not even close to being normal over two years later. And the sad truth is they may never be normal again.
I’ll come back later today once I get to the Superdome with some final questions to ponder before kickoff.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By bamadon
January 7, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
Tony, This is the best blog that I have read about want Katrina did to these poor folks. Thanks for the story you told about this subject!! Sports really don’t really matter after reading your article!! ROLL TIDE!!
By Chop Blockin'
January 7, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
What does an OL coach do when he’s outmanned & has to start 3 frosh? He teaches them to CHOP BLOCK!
By Brenda
January 7, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
These are the same thoughts I had as I drove through the Lower Ninth Ward last week when I was there for the Sugar Bowl. Nothing we have seen on TV prepares us for what is really there. It makes me angry when I see the lack of activity. And in some places, the debris hasn’t even been hauled away. What if someone had spearheaded an effort to have every UGA, HI, OSU, LSU fan stay in NO for an extra day and donate their time to work on houses? That would be a lot of manhours!!
By reality check
January 7, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this
Yes Katrina was devastating and it is right to feel for those who have suffered.
The real story to me is what our government did to cause the amount of devastation.
When the French originally settled New Orleans in what is still known as the French Quarter they chose the site for two reasons. One is that it was relatively high ground. The other is that it was far enough inland that the natural buffer formed by land, forests and Bayous between them and the Gulf would shield them from hurricanes like Katrina. They were right.
Unfortunately after decades of mismanagement by the US Army Corps of Engineers that 60 mile natural buffer no longer exists. The Army systematically altered nature, removed the buffer and replaced it with a manmade system of levees everybody agrees was inadequate and still is.
The US Army Corps of Engineers is one of the most incompetent organizations in the history of man in my view and they are still hard at work - in New Orleans as well as closer to home mismanaging our lakes and water sources.
Where is the accountability and why are we leaving these idiots in charge?
By Skydawg
January 7, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Ofcoure it hasn’t Tony. It takes years to recover from catastropes like this. It took close to 5 years for recovery after Hurricane Andrew. Why would anyone expect any less in New Orleans. Especially when there are more infrastructural issues to be dealt with in New Orleans. And most of this is to blame on local government, not federal or FEMA. I’m not trying to belittle the tragedy of Katrina. It was unimagineable. But we need to stop pointing fingers and understand that recovery for these type disasters do not occur in 2 years. We can talk about it til we’re blue in the face. But the fact remains, until infrastructural changes are made, a full recovery will never be made and we’re just another major hurricane away from seeing it all over again in New Orleans.
By fred
January 7, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
Their are two reactions to a severe natural diaster—-dust yourself off and move on with what you have (easier said, but we did with the “dust bowl” in the late 1930’s and the SF fire to name just two) or play a blame game. The Big Easy knew a “big one” was imminent. Now that thatis reality we must do all we can to restore the destruction (what better country to do this than ours?) and learn from the horrible experience (study Mississippi’s proactive response as well as Florida,NC,SC and others.)
By GeoffDawg
January 7, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Actually reality check, New Orleans was originally settled by the Spanish.
By gotodowntownatl
January 7, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
I find it kind of ironic that people think that the lower 9th ward is in disrepair. Apparently most of these people never drove down there until after the hurricane. If you remember it was the cite of public housing and wasn’t much to begin with. The sad thing is everyone is focusing there attention on this part of the city when its not the only part to be in ruins. Its just b/c the people that lived there were poor so people now think that we’re not helping out the poor. If you took a day off and drove throughout downtown Atlanta you would see that things in this city aren’t much better than the 9th ward. The sad part about that is that Atlanta has not experienced a hurricane, it has experienced the rath of shoddy real estate investors mixed with a corrupt government. Many houses in the 30310, 30314, 30311,30315 and other zip codes around Lakewood, West End and Turner Field are in worse condition than the homes that are located in New Orleans. Yet no one seems to realize this nor do anything about the problem. While it is terrible what has happened in New Orleans it was an act of nature. What has happened in Atlanta is an act of ignorance and greed.
By Hduke
January 7, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
Reality check II: Setting facts straight:
From Wilkovia
“The history of New Orleans, Louisiana traces its development from its founding by the French, through its period under Spanish control, then back to French rule before being sold to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.”
By Co
January 7, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
I would like to say THANKS to Tony for this article. I am an New Orleans native and this is really needed in the world today. Someone who actually cares and understand that New Orleans is not looking for a handout but HELP! We are entitled to that the same way any other disaster has occured in any U.S. city. If you watch T.V. it will never compare to the physical sight or smell or feeling you will get if you were to visit and see for yourself. So once again THANKS Tony and I speak for everyone who experienced Hurricane Katrina whether you were physically there or emotionally there. Thanks
By GT73
January 7, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
Tony:
I responded with Florida’s Urban Search & Rescue Team to the Katrina disaster. We had the sad duty of breaking into homes, more in a recovery mode than a search mode. The height of the water, most times over the interior ceilings, precluded the safe evacuation of most elderly, the very young or the incapacitated from these homes, as we found to our dismay. People seem to convey the fact that Hurricane Katrina hit NO with devastating wind forces but an inspection of NO downtown and French Quarter showed this was not the case. Unfortunately, one previous writer was correct; the devastation seen appeared to be mostly due to man made errors; badly designed or easily damaged levee’s, which caused the flooding that led to
the problems still lingering today. As in Hurricane Andrew, the recovery process, when dealing with private property, is, unfortunately, unduly long and tedious.
By Matthew
January 7, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
If you think things look bad now, you should have seen it two years ago. Things look much better now than they did.
If you want to see something even more devastating, go down to Waveland Mississippi and look at the coast, it looks like a bomb went off and destroyed the entire city.
The city was founded by the french, than it went under Spanish control, than briefly back under french control until Thomas Jefferson bought it.
By Chuck
January 7, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
You know, guys, rather than a political discussion about who’s to blame for the Katrina disaster, the focus needs to be on recovery and prevention of a future disasters. Brad Pitt’s “Make it Right” program is a great start. But, he isn’t going to do it on his own.
Rebuilding the levees to the point where they would never fail again is what’s necessary to prevent another catastrophe of that nature. The city survived the wind and rain of Katrina. It was the levee breach that flooded the city.
Still, if you want to pass out blame anyway…Is government to blame for the development that destroyed the barrier islands—what anyone knows is key to preventing flooding and erosion? You can’t insist on unrestrained free market place and no regulation and then blame the local government if overdevelopment occurs.
By O-Gee
January 7, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
katrina… schmatrina. let’s talk aout important issues like how the BSC cheated the dawgs out of a national title. brad pit and his wife are like the rest of holliwood: liberal.
By GeoffDawg
January 7, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
Ok, thanks for the correction. That’s what I was told by a tour guide while on a walking ghost tour of the city about four years ago. In any case, as long as the tourism comes back, then the city will recover. Tragedies happen but it’s also important to learn from past mistakes and I sincerely hope that a more effective evacuation plan will be in place should this ever reoccur.
By robby
January 7, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
face it…we all rolled the dice that a cat 4/5 hurricane wouldnt take a direct hit on new orleans…it was a national ‘itll never happen to me’ thing…
we should expect disasters…and live life expecting to deal with them…
what a sad loss of life…selfishness, greed, envy, racism, apathy all played into compounding the disaster in my view…thank goodness for people like brad pitt…what an example…I HOPE MANY OF THESE MILLIONAIRE ATHLETES FOLLOW…especially the ones who make their millions off the very community hit so hard…
how about the rural coast too…wow…life has been forever changed for these people…
By robby
January 7, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
of course god, family, and country come first … but thank goodness we have such exciting and honorable diversions like college football to help us get through such tragedies…
becoming more familiar with the great people of this sport, coaches and players, will bring wisdom, guidance, and strength to all in new orleans…these greats know how to truly live life and not just make it through…
im serious when i tell you that the words i read from the pen of coach dooley have effected my life…
‘the champion is not the guy who never gets knocked down; the champion is the guy who gets back up first’
By robby
January 7, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
of course god, family, and country come first … but thank goodness we have such exciting and honorable diversions like college football to help us get through such tragedies…
becoming more familiar with the great people of this sport, coaches and players, will bring wisdom, guidance, and strength to all in new orleans…these greats know how to truly live life and not just make it through…
im serious when i tell you that the words i read from the pen of coach dooley have effected my life…
‘the champion is not the guy who never gets knocked down; the champion is the guy who gets back up first’
By sUGAr_Girl
January 7, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Thank you for your column to remind us that there’s still work to be done. Organize your friends or church members to volunteer to help — go to www.habitat.org to find out how to get involved. Our country still needs to rally to help.
By B. Thenet
January 7, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
Well said Tony
By reality check
January 7, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this
Yes, Chuck, the government was to blame for the destruction of the barrier islands. It had nothing to do with private sector development of barrier islands. It has been well documented that Corps of Engineers dredging and channeling operations destroyed the natural barriers, which you acknowledge is key.
Let’s forget about blame. The question is, why let the people responsible for the mismanagement continue to operate without competent oversight, including asking the obvious questions? Do you think they are getting the job done?
I don’t.
Incidentally, Katrina was a class 3 hurricane by the time it reached New Orleans. We haven’t seen the big one yet.
I guess your answer would be to turn the whole thing over to Brad Pitt.
By reality check
January 7, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
All right, I’m off work today and a little bored, but since we are talking about recovery in New Orleans let’s talk about what Mary Landrieu (D) La is looking for: a disaster relief bill providing $250 Billion. That’s Billion with a B.
There are roughly 188,000 residences and 485,000 residents in New Orleans. $250 Billion translates into $516,000 per resident, or $1,329,000 per household.
New Orleans will still be 3 feet below sea level after that money has been spent.
I won’t express an opinion whether I think that is money well spent or whether Brad Pitt is the guy who should be put in charge.
What do you think?
By reality check is a moron
January 7, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
REALITY CHECK IS THE REASON I READ THIS BLOG! WHAT AN IMBECILE!!!!
By shane #1
January 7, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
unfortunately,new orleans is and always has been one of the most corrupt citys in the country.of the billions spent in the recovery effort probably only a small percentage reached the pockets of the poor people that need it.i saw a little bit of the destruction on the drive downtown and it was terrible,broken windows,empty streets,and boarded up houses.if things go according to form these homes will be razed and up-scale condos and homes will be built and the poor residents will be left out.there just isn’t any money to be made in building low cost housing.i doubt many of the poor that are scattered across the country have the money to move back home even if if they had a place to live.the goverment will build a few low cost housing developements just to appear to care,but the poor will lose,just as always.
By reality check
January 7, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
Is that your best shot?
Words like imbecile and moron are easy to write, especially when you are cowering in an anonymous environment and have nothing of substance to say.
By shane #1
January 7, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this
tony,thanks for your timely blogs.have chip and carter sobered up yet?are thay in jail?i know the n.o. cops are tough,but it seems that some of you guys would have bailed them out by now.if they aren’t locked up please ask them to write a blog for us now and then.thanks,shane——— BTW,reality check,that guy didn’t have much to say,but i liked his name!
By Mike
January 7, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this
As one who was born and raised in Newe Orleans, who was there during Camille and Betsy and many other hurricanes, and whose parents have been flooded out of their home twice in the last 15 years, I have a lot of things to say about this topic. But I won’t bore most of the other eaders. I will simply say that not only were the poor areas of the Lower Ninth hit, many middle class Americans in St Bernard, St Tammany and other parishes were also flooded. Nature does not discriminate on racial nor economic lines…it hits everyone. Our sympathy and help should be extended to everyone who needs the help, not just poor blacks.
By Mike
January 7, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
Bythe way, anyone who believes Al Gore and the US Government (or the UN) should be enlisted to solve the global warming issue should first go to New Orleans to see how the government solved the environmental issues there. If you think for a minute that “things would be different” now, you’re crazier than Mr. Gore. Governments don’t solve environmental crises, they almost universally make things worse.
By boots
January 7, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Tony, nice work, and it goes to remind us (which we all forget at times) that football - even in the SEC - is just a game.
By V Miller
January 7, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this
Hello, Mr. Barnhart:
Great story today on New Orleans. And thanks for mentioning Brad Pitt’s project, Make It Right. An fyi for you and your readers that these houses are being built on residents’ property if they desire them, and that Mr. Pitt has not bought up 150 lots. That was something that was important to the residents of the Lower 9th Ward, and it is important that the community remain theirs. Thanks for the forum to clarify this.
By reality check
January 7, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this
Yeah, I like it too shane. Any time someone is reduced to name calling as their only response it means they have lost the debate in a way that should be very embarassing to them.
By Ethan
January 8, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
I worked as an insurance adjuster for Katrina. by and large, I found the folks in N.O. to be agressive and rude. When I traveled to MS. the people were just as damaged but much more patient and cooperative. Life is hard. I have seen death and destruction all over the world. Life is not fair. I am tired of people who act like their pain is more or more important than others. Someone in Iraq is living in fear, a mother in Atlanta is praying for her child to beat cancer, if the box you lived in flooded with mud water, and you were forced to live with someone else, who says we should donate our precious spare time to you? I say forget the moaning, and attempts to draw attention to yourself. People died in the flood, people will die today and tomorrow. We all get that X sooner or later. If you want to help someone in pain you do not have to travel far. Brad Pitt visits the poorest countries in the world and then goes to New Orleans? Whatever.
By Ella Kliger
January 8, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
Thank you to everyone who took the time to write thoughtful comments, pro and con, on this issue. I have been volunteering on the Gulf Coast for 16 months. The perseverance of the communities is inspiring. If you lived day in and day out with the wreckage, you might find it hard just to rally yourself to face the day. Yet thousands of people do the hard job, the yuckymucky job, the steps that need to be done to get home again. Fortunately, hundreds of thousands of people have reached out to help citizens of the United States of America in their hour of need. www.reelrelief.com has more stories, videos and information about what is happening on the ground, how you can help. Rebuilding a region from slabs and debris is an enormous undertaking. Volunteers tell me every day that they received more than they gave. There is a doctor from NC who is here on his 20th volunteer trip to MS. If you want to change your life for the better, come down for just four days. Your life will be much improved for stepping out of your comfort zone into our discomfort zone.
By MadMatt
January 9, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
Great story Tony, New Orleans is a tragedy and lesson for sure.
I went to New Orleans last week for the Sugar Bowl but previously, I was there last year for the Falcons game/U2 concert. Compared to a year ago, New Orleans has improved dramatically. Yes, its going to take time, but it is coming back.
My friends in New Orleans were very worried about the putting their best foot forward for the two BCS games as they live in mortal fear of losing future big events if things go badly. Losing the BCS would hurt the city tremendously.
I love New Orleans and had a blast during my visit. Kudos to NO for a great job hosting!