It’s been 20 years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana, and Netflix’s newest documentary — Katrina: Come Hell and High Water — commemorates the anniversary by giving an intimate look at the experiences of New Orleanians before, during, and after the storm.
The three-episode series features interviews with survivors, journalists, and state leaders who were on the ground, offering an in-depth look at the impact that systemic racism had on rescue efforts for citizens trying to survive both a Category 5 storm and its aftermath.
On the 20th anniversary of Katrina, the country reflects on “a refugee crisis like the nation has never known.” Below are the 15 most interesting facts I learned straight from the documentary:
1.
Many New Orleanians were skeptical of the severity of Katrina due to the previous year’s warnings of Hurricane Ivan, which passed over the city at the last minute.
2.
Over 20,000 New Orleanians lined up to seek shelter at the Superdome stadium before the storm.
The documentary described the Superdome as a “last resort” for citizens who could not evacuate or did not leave in time, with the line stretching for 2 miles.
3.
Hurricane Katrina first hit landfall at 3:00 AM on August 30, 2005.
4.
Multiple levees — described as New Orleans’ “best defense against the storm” — broke during Hurricane Katrina, causing a foot and a half of water to fill the city streets every hour.
5.
The levees’ breaking was described as a “nuclear bomb [being] dropped on the city of New Orleans,” according to the Louisiana Lieutenant Governor at the time.
“I’m like shit, the sun is shining, we’re good. Next thing I know, somebody yells from across the way and says, ‘water’s coming in the city!’…and I’m looking at the ground, and I’m seeing water,” said Phyllis Montanta-Leblanc, a resident of New Orleans East.
6.
After the levees broke, the Lower 9th Ward — a historically Black neighborhood — was described as being “underwater,” causing many to drown in their own homes.
7.
Residents of the Lower 9th Ward acted as their own search and rescue team, riding around in boats to save their neighbors who were trapped.
8.
Those who were rescued from their flooded homes were later taken to the Superdome and forced to remain there for days alongside those who sought shelter.
9.
54 hours after the levees broke, Air Force One with President George W. Bush on board flew over the disaster zone of Katrina.
10.
Amidst the chaos, Lieutenant General of the United States Army Russel L. Honoré — a Louisiana native — took over as lead command for the city’s rescue efforts after the storm hit.
11.
Three days after the storm, people were told to walk miles to the Convention Center for help, but no aid was provided when they arrived.
12.
Bus operations to take survivors out of the city began at the Superdome, but were quickly shut down after gunshots were reportedly fired at rescue helicopters.
13.
Days after the storm, martial law was declared in the city of New Orleans due to inaccurate reports of “widespread looting.”
14.
The media’s racist framing of survivors further endangered Black New Orleanians.
15.
Vigilante violence against Black New Orleanians became a serious issue in the days after the storm.
A surgeon from a nearby hospital reported getting 6-10 gunshot victims per day, a significant jump post-Katrina.
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