On August 29, 2005, monster Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana and Mississippi. In the catastrophe that resulted, over 80% of New Orleans was flooded and 1,836 people in Louisiana and Mississippi died. The storm caused over $150 billion in damages and forced thousands of New Orleans and Gulf Coast residents to relocate, some permanently. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the population of New Orleans was 484,000, while today only 391,000 people live in the city. It forever scarred a 300-year old city that has faced a number of challenges, but none greater than Hurricane Katrina.
Before the disastrous storm hit the city, President George W. Bush was at his ranch in Crawford, Texas enjoying a four week vacation. On the day Hurricane Katrina smashed into the Mississippi coast, Bush took a brief break from his vacation to visit Phoenix, AZ to promote his Medicare prescription drug legislation. He also presented a cake and posed for pictures with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who was celebrating his 69th birthday.
