Devastation caused by
Hurricane Katrina in
New Orleans,
Louisiana during 2005, shown here looking down on
Interstate 10 at West End Boulevard towards
Lake Pontchartrain. Over 1,800 people were confirmed dead with 705 still missing. It was the costliest
Atlantic hurricane in history causing around
$86 billion in damage. This photo shows flooded roadways as the
United States Coast Guard conducted initial damage assessment overflights of New Orleans on Monday, August 29, 2005. The city flooded due primarily to the failure of the
levee system. Many who remained in their homes had to swim for their lives, wade through deep water, or remain trapped in their attics or on their rooftops.
Photo credit: Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Niemi, USCG