By — Betty Ann Bowser Betty Ann Bowser By — Lea Winerman Lea Winerman Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/the-ninth-ward-five-years-after-hurricane-katrina Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The Ninth Ward, 5 Years After Hurricane Katrina Nation Aug 25, 2010 5:44 PM EDT Correspondent Betty Ann Bowser returned to New Orleans on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Her reports will appear on air and online in the coming week. In this first dispatch, an audio slide show from the city’s Ninth Ward, she looks at what has changed — and what hasn’t — since flooding from the storm devastated the area five years ago. Listen to Betty Ann Bowser on what has changed in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans — and what hasn’t. A Rescue BoatAUGUST 29, 2005: New Orleans police bring people ashore from a rescue boat in the flooded Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, La. The neighborhood flooded when water breached the Industrial Canal. (Photo by Marko Georgiev/Getty Images) Levee BreechThe levee breech along the industrial canal, on September 16, 2005. (Photo by Scott Saltzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Waiting for RescueLower Ninth Ward residents stranded on the roofs wait for a rescue boat on August 29, 2005. (Photo by Marko Georgiev/Getty Images) Only Mud RemainsBy Sept. 18, 2005, the water had receded and a thick layer of mud covered the streets of the Ninth Ward (OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) A Church Amid the RubbleA church remained standing amidst destroyed houses in the Lower Ninth Ward on September 16, 2005. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) An Empty NeighborhoodFew residents have returned to the Ninth Ward since Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) An Empty StreetTall grass lines empty streets in the neighborhood. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) A Razed HouseOnly the foundation remains where a house used to stand. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Rescue Signs, Five Years LaterA five-year-old sign, spray-painted by rescuers in the aftermath of the hurricane, remains on an abandoned house. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) The New Levee WallThe repaired Industrial Canal levee wall stretches alongside the Lower Ninth Ward, on August 24, 2010. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Making it RightActor Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation is building 150 new homes in the area. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Affordable Houses for Returning ResidentsPotential homeowners must be former residents of the Ninth Ward. The foundation helps the residents secure mortgages to buy the homes. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Green BuildingsThe homes are all “green,” incorporating solar panels and sustainable building materials, among other features. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Unique ArchitectureThe homes are also unique, designed by 21 architects working pro bono. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Stormproofing the HomesThe homes are also built on raised pilings, to be storm-resistant. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Musician’s VillageThe other bright spot in the Ninth Ward is Musician’s Village, a community of 72 houses and 10 rental units, built by Habitat for Humanity for musicians and other residents who lost their homes. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) A Center for MusicMusicians Village also includes a center where musicians can teach and perform. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) High-profile SupportMusicians Village was built with the support of musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, both natives of New Orleans. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) The Rest of the NeighborhoodOutside of bright spots of the Make it Right homes and Musician’s Village, few residents have returned to the Ninth Ward. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Hoping to RebuildFormer residents are scattered from Houston to Atlanta and beyond, and few have the means to return and rebuild. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Betty Ann Bowser Betty Ann Bowser Betty Ann Bowser, the new Health Correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, graduated Ohio Wesleyan in 1966. By 1974, she was working for CBS, where she remained for the next 14 years. For the CBS Nightly News, she covered countless international stories, including famine in Africa and troubles in the Middle East. She also was the co-anchor of 30 Minutes, a news magazine program that won four Emmy's as well as DuPont and Peabody awards. By — Lea Winerman Lea Winerman
Correspondent Betty Ann Bowser returned to New Orleans on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Her reports will appear on air and online in the coming week. In this first dispatch, an audio slide show from the city’s Ninth Ward, she looks at what has changed — and what hasn’t — since flooding from the storm devastated the area five years ago. Listen to Betty Ann Bowser on what has changed in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans — and what hasn’t. A Rescue BoatAUGUST 29, 2005: New Orleans police bring people ashore from a rescue boat in the flooded Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, La. The neighborhood flooded when water breached the Industrial Canal. (Photo by Marko Georgiev/Getty Images) Levee BreechThe levee breech along the industrial canal, on September 16, 2005. (Photo by Scott Saltzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Waiting for RescueLower Ninth Ward residents stranded on the roofs wait for a rescue boat on August 29, 2005. (Photo by Marko Georgiev/Getty Images) Only Mud RemainsBy Sept. 18, 2005, the water had receded and a thick layer of mud covered the streets of the Ninth Ward (OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) A Church Amid the RubbleA church remained standing amidst destroyed houses in the Lower Ninth Ward on September 16, 2005. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) An Empty NeighborhoodFew residents have returned to the Ninth Ward since Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) An Empty StreetTall grass lines empty streets in the neighborhood. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) A Razed HouseOnly the foundation remains where a house used to stand. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Rescue Signs, Five Years LaterA five-year-old sign, spray-painted by rescuers in the aftermath of the hurricane, remains on an abandoned house. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) The New Levee WallThe repaired Industrial Canal levee wall stretches alongside the Lower Ninth Ward, on August 24, 2010. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Making it RightActor Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation is building 150 new homes in the area. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Affordable Houses for Returning ResidentsPotential homeowners must be former residents of the Ninth Ward. The foundation helps the residents secure mortgages to buy the homes. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Green BuildingsThe homes are all “green,” incorporating solar panels and sustainable building materials, among other features. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Unique ArchitectureThe homes are also unique, designed by 21 architects working pro bono. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Stormproofing the HomesThe homes are also built on raised pilings, to be storm-resistant. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Musician’s VillageThe other bright spot in the Ninth Ward is Musician’s Village, a community of 72 houses and 10 rental units, built by Habitat for Humanity for musicians and other residents who lost their homes. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) A Center for MusicMusicians Village also includes a center where musicians can teach and perform. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) High-profile SupportMusicians Village was built with the support of musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, both natives of New Orleans. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) The Rest of the NeighborhoodOutside of bright spots of the Make it Right homes and Musician’s Village, few residents have returned to the Ninth Ward. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) Hoping to RebuildFormer residents are scattered from Houston to Atlanta and beyond, and few have the means to return and rebuild. (Photo by Betty Ann Bowser) We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now