Hurricane Katrina was a life-changing event for the people who lived in its path. This is a collection of photos by Ron Charest of the before, during, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Storm Day
August 29, 2005. No one who lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that day will ever forget where they were and what they were doing. Winnie and I rode out the storm with friends at their house, in a location we thought was safe. Spoiler alert – It wasn’t.
NOAA Image of Hurricane Katrina
NOAA Image of Hurricane Katrina
hurricane katrina satellite image
Hurricane Katrina satellite image of the storm cloud overlaid on an outline map of the U.S. Gulf Coast.
hurricane katrina track
The NOAA plotted historical storm track of Hurricane Katrina. This path took the storm directly over the western border town of Bay St Louis, Mississippi, about 40 miles to the west of Gautier where I was living.
NOAA diagram showing the predicted wind pattern.
NOAA diagram showing the actual wind pattern in wind strength.The Entire Mississippi Gulf Coast was well within max storm winds of this hurricane.
Water rising up to the front door of the house
Early Monday morning we watched as the storm surge rolled in up over the front lawn and starting trickling into the house we were staying in.
Some of the storm debris that floated into the sideyard
After the flood waters started receding, we went back out and put the boat back on the trailer. Then we tried to get large items away from the house while they were still floating. The most exciting item was a very large propane tank.
On the boat - as if I needed a life jacket then.
After swimming through storm ravaged flood waters just to get to the boat, William actually thought I might need a life jacket.
Getting Ready to Evacuate Before the Storm
Final preps for evacuating to our friends home on Sunday afternoon, August 28. The windows were all boarded up, furniture and belongings inside of the house was picked up, covered over, and supplies ready.
Looking out the front living room windows
Milli looks out the back window at the flooded neighborhood.
We are so over this!
As the flood waters continued to recede, we had a bit of a party.
As The Flood Waters Receded - WeiFang is still standing.
Winnie poses for a picture as the waters recede and hurricane winds continue to die down. This was her first hurricane.
A partially flooded house at the peak of Hurricane Katrina Landfall
Taken about 1:30PM August 29, sitting on the boat we had just prepared to use for evacuation. The waters were just starting to subside as seen by the black mark on the walls of the house.
Flooded Neighborhood
A nightmarish shot of neighbors houses - also flooded
Flooded Truck
Taken about 1:30PM, immediately after the previous photo. We had moved the cars to the higher elevation driveway when flood waters started rolling over the front lawn earlier that morning. It was wasted effort, except one truck that was saved by moving it to higher ground.
Back of House Boarded Up
Front of House Boarded Up
We made standard hurricane preparations before evacuating, but it wasn't enough. Even with these coverings, the three windows were broken and pushed in from the force of receding floodwaters.
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Assessing Damages
After the storm passed, it was time to assess what we still had left…
The Greatroom After Hurricane Katrina
The Greatroom after Hurricane Katrina. We put the smaller and more valuable items up high, but not high enough.
The Hallway After Hurricane Katrina
The Hallway after Hurricane Katrina. The current from retreating flood waters sucked anything that could float towards the dining room, which was the point closest to the bayou with large windows.
Winnie in the Kitchen After Hurricane Katrina
Winnie in the Kitchen. Potting soil from the houseplants floated and made a nice clean high-water mark during Hurricane Katrina.
The Boat I Was Restoring After Hurricane Katrina
This is how our house looked from the street immediately after Hurricane Katrina ended. The boat ended up pushed against the front window, resting in a flower bed
The Front of Our House After Hurricane Katrina
Flood debris piled knee deep against the front door of our house as a result of Hurricane Katrina flooding.
My Boat "Sea Dreams" After Hurricane Katrina
Sea Dreams was stored next to the garage, tied down to the trailer before the storm. It floated down to the bottom of the yard during Hurricane Katrina flooding, stopped by the tree.
My Workshop After Hurricane Katrina
My workshop. Hurricane Katrina flood waters rose to the first row of shingles on the roof - but the shop was still standing! I built it.
Inside My Workshop After Hurricane Katrina
Inside my shop looking in from the double doors. Hurricane Katrina flood waters rose inside to just below the tops of the rafters, a full eight feet up.
Inside My Shop After Hurricane Katrina
Inside my shop, looking in from the missing side wall. Hurricane Katrina flood waters rose inside to just below the tops of the rafters, a full eight feet up.
Back Porch With Tree Branch After Hurricane Katrina
Another indication of how high the flood waters rose during Hurricane Katrina.
Inside Our House After Hurricane Katrina
Looking out the front living room windows after Hurricane Katrina. It was good that I boarded them up prior to the storm... Kept stuff from floating outside...
Our Living Room After Hurricane Katrina
Our Living Room after Hurricane Katrina. A bookcase blown apart by books swelling from absorbing water
Our Living Room After Hurricane Katrina
Our Living Room after Hurricane Katrina. My Computer Desk and beloved computer system.
Our Dining Room After Hurricane Katrina
The dining room was the point closest to the bayou that had windows. It appeared that everything inside the house was sucked to here by retreating Hurricane Katrina flood waters.
Flooded Refridgerator After Hurricane Katrina
Refrigerators can float if the doors are kept closed. Who Knew?
The Kitchen After Hurricane Katrina
The Kitchen. It was clean before the storm.
Inside the Garage After Hurricane Katrina
Inside the garage. The garage is a few inches lower elevation than the house, so the water was deeper here.
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Gutting Out and Cleaning Up
Once we assessed damages, it was time to get to work gutting out damaged stuff and cleaning up the mess…
The Mattress
Dragging Stuff Outside to dry or stage for discard after hurricane Katrina.
Trash Removal after hurricane Katrina
Initially, the city hauled all the trash to an open part of the city for staging. We knick named that pile of trash "Mt Katrina."
Pulling My Boat Out of Winnie's Flowerbed
Pulling My Boat Out of Winnie's Flowerbed after hurricane Katrina
Privacy Was A Bit of A Problem
Living arrangements inside our home after hurricane Katrina after gutting
Our Master Bedroom and Double Sink
What was left of our master bedroom and double sink vanity after hurricane Katrina gutting
Gutting the kitchen
All Cabinets had to come out to get out the drywall and insulation. Hurricane Katrina gutting
The Living Room With No Walls
The Living Room With No Walls after Hurricane Katrina gutting
Our Master Bedroom Cosets
They still had clothing tucked up on the top shelves where Winnie moved them prior to the storm, after Hurricane Katrina gutting
A Pile of Katrina Trash
Points given for the biggest pile, most colorful pile, and the pile with the strangest things. Cleanup following Hurricane Katrina
Cleaning and Drying Stuff Out
Cleaning and Drying Stuff Out after hurricane Katrina
Winnie helping to gut the house
Winnie helping to gut the house after hurricane Katrina
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Around The Mississippi Gulf Coast
Meanwhile, around the Mississippi Gulf Coast, tens of thousands of other people were also impacted by Katrina. These are a few images of our community after the storm.
Our Neighborhood in Gautier After Hurricane Katrina
Our Neighborhood in Gautier after Hurricane Katrina
By The Scott Aquarium
On the Biloxi side of the Ocean Springs Bridge on US 90 after Hurricane Katrina. Once a very popular local aquarium.
The Highway 90 Biloxi to Ocean Springs Bridge
The Highway 90 Biloxi to Ocean Springs Bridge after Hurricane Katrina.
Remnents of the Biloxi Mural Under Highway 90
There had been a pedestrian walkway under US 90 connecting two parks, with a mural painted by a local artist depicting the seafood heritage of Ocean Springs and Biloxi. It was completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina
A tree by the Scott Aquarium
Weeks after Hurricane Katrina trees were still draped with storm debris.
The Isle of Capri Casino - Landbound
Formerly floating in the Mississippi Sound, now washed up in it's parking lot during Hurricane Katrina.
A Pickup Truck After Hurricane Katrina
Remnants of a pickup truck In a residential neighborhood in Biloxi, after Hurricane Katrina.
A FEMA park
Trailers issued out by FEMA created entirely new neighborhoods. These trailers were provided as temporary housing to Gulf Coast Residents displaced after Hurricane Katrina.
The Palace Casino with a Prayer
A view of the partially sunken Palace Casino in the background, with a small memorial in the foreground.
And Life Goes On
Amidst all the destruction, people still found ways of going on after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.
A House and a Boat
A boat resting on what was a house before Hurricane Katrina
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Rebuilding Our Home
After the cleanup, it was time to rebuild. This is a very small collection of photos as we really didn’t have much time to take pictures during the months we spent rebuilding.
Winnie with a Screw Gun
Putting up new drywall. Winnie was lethal with a screw gun!
Painting the Kitchen Cabinets
Winnie was a good fit for most any rebuilding project
Putting down new kitchen countertops
Winnie putting down tile countertops during our home rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina
We had to improvise
Living arrangements during the year's rebuilding were makeshift, and we improvised. A lot.
Building The Kitchen Countertops
Winnie putting down tile countertops during our home rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina
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One Year After – Our Rebuilt Home
We used the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort to upgrade our home. This Photo Gallery shows “Before” and “After” photos of our home after nine months of very hard construction work. The “Before” photos were taken in September 2003. The “After” photos were taken in August 2006.
bedroom_different_view_june_2003
A view of the bedroom, showing the double sink vanity, prior to Hurricane Katrina.
bedroom_june_2003
A view of the master bedroom prior to Hurricane Katrina.
Our Dining Room
A view of the dining room looking towards the back of the house, prior to Hurricane Katrina.
Our Living Room
View of the living room after Hurricane Katrina showing the new entertainment center.
Another View of The Living Room
A view of the left front corner of the living room. The front windows are smaller, and the polished wood floors brighten the room with reflected sunlight.
Our Rebuilt Kitchen
Our rebuilt kitchen after Hurricane Katrina, with the happy Master Chef.
Our Entry Room
Our entry room after Hurricane Katrina. We relocated the large china cabinet here, along with a newly acquired display case.
Our Dining room
Our dining room after rebuilding our home. Moving the large china cabinet made the dining room much larger.
Our Entry Room
Our entry room after rebuilding, looking towards the back corner.
Looking Down The Hall
We added a arched doorway into the hallway at Winnie's request.
Living Room After Rebuilding
Looking at the right front corner of the living room after rebuilding
New Bookcases in the New Living Room
I replaced the previous birch wood home-built bookcases with new oak unfinished furniture that I varnished. One of the old bookcases were salvageable and was donated to a local church.
Our Master Bedroom After Rebuilding
Looking at the new sink vanity with new mirrored closet doors after rebuilding the house.
The Living Room After Rebuilding
Looking at the middle-left wall area after rebuilding. My home office was moved to the front of the room closer to the windows.
Entry Room
A view of the entry room, looking towards the back of the house, prior to Hurricane Katrina.
Living Room and My Computer Desk
A view of part of the living room, middle left wall, prior to Hurricane Katrina. This was were I had my home office
Another View of the Living Room
A view of the front right corner of the living room prior to Hurricane Katrina. This was the entertainment center.
The Kitchen - Before
A view of the kitchen prior to Hurricane Katrina.
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Stories written by Ron Charest on Hurricane Katrina:
- The Year of Hurricane Katrina : A story about living through what was, at that time, the worse natural disaster to hit the United States and the year-long clean-up and rebuilding efforts.
- Before The Storm…Hurricane Katrina Report Part I : The events of the day prior to Hurricane Katrina making landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- Storm Day…Hurricane Katrina Report Part II : The events of the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- Storm Day…Hurricane Katrina Report Part III – A : Part one of a two-part story on the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, and the first week afterwards.
- Storm Day…Hurricane Katrina Report Part III – B : Part two of a two-part story on the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, and the first week afterwards.
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[…] photos are included in this story, for more please go to our Katrina Photo Gallery. This hurricane was a major Life-Altering Event for everyone who experienced it. This article and […]
[…] Hurricane Katrina : My collection of photos during and after Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, during the year of clean-up. Before The Storm…Hurricane Katrina Report Part I : My blog entry the day prior to Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Life would never be the same after.One Year After Katrina : My reflections on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall.Katrina Two Years After : My reflections on the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall. Life is getting better, but different. […]