FOX News Report: THE STORM OF A LIFETIME

FOX News TONIGHT: HURRICANE KATRINA: THE STORM OF A LIFETIME 

Friday, August 21st 10pET/9pCT

As we know, New Orleans is the “jewel” of American cities. It’s famous for its cuisine, music and is home of the annual Mardi Gras Carnival. Built between the Mississippi River and Lake Ponchartrain much of the city is below sea level. Hurricanes have flooded NOLA before but never like it did ten years ago on August 29, 2005.

Katrina was the most devastating hurricane to hit the US in decades causing 1200 direct deaths in New Orleans and east along the Gulf of Mexico coast. 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded with water depths up to 20 feet when levees were breached. An under-told story was the huge storm surge that hit Waveland, LA, Gulfport and Biloxi, MS wiping homes and businesses off the map. It is estimated that Katrina caused more than $100 billion in damage.

While there were many heroic first responders’ stories, including the U.S. Coast Guard who rescued over 33,400 people in New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco seemed unprepared for the disaster. FEMA and its Director Michael Brown took days to establish operations in New Orleans and many in the media were quick to blame him as well as President Bush, for what seemed like a slow response with relief efforts.

This timeline of the events of Hurricane Katrina will feature backstories from correspondents, residents and officials about the poor preparation, evacuation, and what went right and what went wrong.

Additionally, there will be updates on the costly rebuilding of the breached levees, the slow recovery of New Orleans and “lessons learned” from this tragic natural disaster.

New Orleans native and FOX News anchor Arthel Neville contributes to a special marking the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The special features Hurricane Center’s Max Mayfield, Former Head of FEMA Michael Brown, Historian and former NOLA resident Douglas Brinkley, US Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore’, US Coast Guard Lt. Cmd. James Duckworth, Former Lieutenant Governor (at the time of Katrina) and current NOLA Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Former Bush Chief of Staff Andy Card, Plus first responders and victims of the storm.