It is 10 years since Hurricane Katrina, a colossal storm that wreaked havoc across Americas Gulf Coast and brought catastrophic devastation to the Louisiana city of New Orleans. After forming over the Bahamas on 23 August 2005, the category five hurricane tore its way across the Gulf of Mexico with winds of up to 175mph.
Over 80% of New Orleans was flooded after the levees designed to protect the city failed on 29 August 2005. Those who lacked the means of ability to evacuate were left stranded in the city.
Thousands flocked into the iconic Superdome stadium, which was converted into an enormous relief shelter, whilst others were rescued from rooftops as the flood waters washed away whole neighbourhoods.
The images of desperate citizens wading through the deluge, decomposing bodies left on city streets and the thousands begging for food and water inside the superdome shocked the world, with Fema (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the state of Louisiana and the US government coming under heavy criticism for their delayed response to the humanitarian crisis.
All in all the storm caused 1,833 recorded fatalaties, with more than one million people displaced. Causing $108bn in damage, it remains the costlist natural disaster in US history.
Commemorating 10 years since the disaster, the above video from IBTimes UK compiles archive video footage of the hurricane and the subsequent turmoil the city of New Orleans suffered in the subsequent days, weeks and months as residents struggled to rebuild their lives.
