logo
episode-header-image
Aug 30
9m 5s

Covering Katrina: navigating New Orleans...

NPR
About this episode

Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans twenty years ago this week, leaving a trail of destruction across the city and the Gulf Coast. NPR journalists were on the ground covering the developing story of what became the costliest storm in U.S. history. 

NPR’s Greg Allen reflects on covering the catastrophe and digs into the archives to remember the feel of the city after the storm.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or atplus.npr.org

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Kai McNamee, Daniel Ofman and Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Adam Raney and Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.



Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Up next
Yesterday
A week into the shutdown, federal workers are stuck in limbo
It's been a week since a federal shutdown ground work at numerous government agencies to a halt. There's no indication that an agreement could come soon, as Republicans and Democrats in congress trade continue blame. Meanwhile, federal workers are stuck in limbo, and its unclear ... Show More
7m 50s
Oct 7
The National Guard arrives in Chicago. What now?
The clock is ticking for Chicago and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.President Trump has deployed the National Guard to the country’s third largest city, and he says they’ll begin operations no later than Wednesday.Pritzker, a democrat, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are fightin ... Show More
9m 20s
Oct 6
Trump calls cartels terrorists. Is that enough to go to war?
Nearly a quarter century after the September 11th attacks, the Trump administration is using the language of terrorism to target a new enemy: Latin American drug cartels.The president says we’re in armed conflict with drug cartels.We talk to a Bush-era lawyer who says the powers ... Show More
9m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
The Aftermath: Hurricane Katrina
New Guest Expert! On this week’s Aftermath, Rebecca speaks with Dr. Craig Colten, author of An Unnatural Metropolis: Wresting New Orleans from Nature, about Hurricane Katrina and its lasting effects on the city of New Orleans. He shares fascinating insight on the history of the c ... Show More
27m 34s
Aug 29
Katrina Was Predicted: Revisiting Warning Signs 20 Years Later
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Scientific American revisits the storm’s tragic legacy and the scientific warnings that went unheeded. Senior editor Mark Fischetti shares his experience reporting on the city’s vulnerability years before the levees bro ... Show More
23m 24s
Aug 29
Katrina Was Predicted: Revisiting Warning Signs 20 Years Later
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Scientific American revisits the storm’s tragic legacy and the scientific warnings that went unheeded. Senior editor Mark Fischetti shares his experience reporting on the city’s vulnerability years before the levees bro ... Show More
23m 24s
Aug 28
The Generation That Inherited Hurricane Katrina
It’s been 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. But for many, the storm is not just a memory, it’s an inheritance. At Be Loud Studios, an after-school program that helps young people tell their stories through radio, educator Alex Owens created Born After the S ... Show More
27m 19s
Oct 4
Another Take: Two hurricanes in two weeks – life after Milton and Helene
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on October 14, 2024. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. It’s a strange experience for journalist Natasha Del Toro to be on the other side of the mic, sharing ... Show More
22m 41s
Oct 2024
Hurricane Helene’s 600 Miles of Destruction
Warning: This episode contains strong language and descriptions of death.Over the past few days, Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation, killing more than 100 people, driving thousands from their homes and leaving millions without power.Judson Jones, a meteorologist and ... Show More
27m 51s
Oct 2024
A hurricane of misinformation
Lies about disaster relief are spreading like never before this hurricane season, and it’s making FEMA’s job harder. Juliette Kayyem, author of The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters, explains.This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, Victoria Chamberlin ... Show More
27m 22s
Aug 28
America marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Twenty years on, Americans remember Hurricane Katrina, which killed nearly 1,800 people and caused $125bn in damage to the city of New Orleans. Also: the battle over control of the US's public health agency, and the hunt in New Zealand for a partner for a rare snail.The Global Ne ... Show More
30m 41s
Jul 14
What Does The Federal Response To Texas Floods Indicate About FEMA's Future?
President Trump has said he is considering eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. We discuss FEMA's role in helping Texas communities recover from recent flash floods, and what that response indicates about the agency's future.This episode: senior White Hou ... Show More
14m 26s
Oct 2024
The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Hurricane Helene - The Aftermath
In this episode, Tudor speaks with Matt Lennon, a caterer who has been actively involved in disaster relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. They discuss the challenges faced by communities affected by the hurricane, the emotional stories of those impacted, a ... Show More
31m 31s