James Moorhouse
Sobering photos taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have emphasised the apocalyptic scenes which were prevalent in America at the time.
Natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis can be devastating, with heartbreaking images taken from the volcanic mudflow in Colombia back in 1985 emphasising just how dangerous they can be for humanity.
While most modern cities and towns have the infrastructure to deal with disasters more comfortably nowadays, with a recent tsunami triggered in Russia thankfully leading to no deaths.
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However, the Hurricane Katrina disaster, which struck at this time of year back in 2005 in the US, tragically led to a significant loss of life and remains the costliest tropical cyclone on record, with damages estimated at $125 billion.
The hurricane began as a very low-pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The system strengthened, forming a hurricane that moved west, approaching the Florida coast on the evening of the 25th August 2005.
By the time it hit areas in Florida, Texas and notably New Orleans, it was recognised as a Category 5 hurricane, something which the infrastructure in New Orleans simply wasn't capable of handling, which led to catastrophic damage across America's east coast.
As many as 1,392 people lost their lives during the natural disaster, and it took several months - and even years in some cases - for some semblance of normalcy to return.
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Richard Misrach, who captured over 1,000 photographs of affected areas following the deadly storm, said to The New York Times: “It wasn’t lyrical. It wasn’t romantic. But it was unlike anything I’d ever seen.”
Photos shared on Reddit also highlight the end-of-world feel in many areas following the natural disaster, with the images depicting vandalised buildings with pleas for help or warnings to stay away, as the civil structure essentially collapsed.
Netflix is set to release a documentary tomorrow to mark 20 years since Hurricane Katrina first struck the US.
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In Katrina: Come Hell and High Water, the people of New Orleans will share their stories in their own words, as well as providing 'a stark call for vigilance and preparation as cataclysmic natural disasters continue to become more and more commonplace all over the world.'
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Showrunner Alisa Payne said: “It is such an honour to work with the team that originally told the story of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath: the incomparable Spike Lee, Sam Pollard and Geeta Gandbhir, whose work on this subject (since 2005) firmly cemented this event in the minds of Americans.
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"This go round, director Samantha Knowles joined the team, as we look at this story in a fresh new way to galvanise viewers again. Twenty years later, at this moment in our history, this series feels even more urgent and relevant.
"It will not only inform those who know little about Katrina and the aftermath for New Orleans, but will provide new revelations to those who think they know this story and this country.”