on August 29th 2005 Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast in some areas
pounded the Gulf Coast in some areas
pounded the Gulf Coast in some areas storm surges nearly three stories high
storm surges nearly three stories high
storm surges nearly three stories high wreaked havoc on coastal and inland
wreaked havoc on coastal and inland
wreaked havoc on coastal and inland communities alike whole towns were
communities alike whole towns were
communities alike whole towns were devastated some nearly wiped off the map
devastated some nearly wiped off the map
devastated some nearly wiped off the map in New Orleans a levee breach sent water
in New Orleans a levee breach sent water
in New Orleans a levee breach sent water flowing into much of the city leaving
flowing into much of the city leaving
flowing into much of the city leaving tens of thousands homeless many stranded
tens of thousands homeless many stranded
tens of thousands homeless many stranded in their homes for days in economic
in their homes for days in economic
in their homes for days in economic terms
terms
terms Katrina was the most destructive storm
Katrina was the most destructive storm
Katrina was the most destructive storm to ever strike the United States it was
to ever strike the United States it was
to ever strike the United States it was the costliest and among the most deadly
the costliest and among the most deadly
the costliest and among the most deadly official estimates list total deaths
official estimates list total deaths
official estimates list total deaths from the hurricane and its aftermath at
from the hurricane and its aftermath at
from the hurricane and its aftermath at over 1,800 and while Katrina’s effect on
over 1,800 and while Katrina’s effect on
over 1,800 and while Katrina’s effect on New Orleans remains etched in our minds
New Orleans remains etched in our minds
New Orleans remains etched in our minds the hurricane storm surge by far reached
the hurricane storm surge by far reached
the hurricane storm surge by far reached its highest levels in Mississippi
its highest levels in Mississippi
its highest levels in Mississippi Gulfport a storm surge at about 28 feet
Gulfport a storm surge at about 28 feet
Gulfport a storm surge at about 28 feet all along the coast
all along the coast
all along the coast block after block of homes and
block after block of homes and
block after block of homes and businesses destroyed some swept away by
businesses destroyed some swept away by
businesses destroyed some swept away by the water
Katrina’s I focused on the Louisiana
Katrina’s I focused on the Louisiana Mississippi border with the storms
Mississippi border with the storms
Mississippi border with the storms stronger East Point lashing
stronger East Point lashing
stronger East Point lashing Mississippi’s Coast with 120 mile per
Mississippi’s Coast with 120 mile per
Mississippi’s Coast with 120 mile per hour winds and an unimaginable mountain
hour winds and an unimaginable mountain
hour winds and an unimaginable mountain of a storm surge the Coast has yet to
of a storm surge the Coast has yet to
of a storm surge the Coast has yet to recover fully
the campus of the University of Southern
the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast is located on
Mississippi Gulf Coast is located on
Mississippi Gulf Coast is located on Beach Boulevard in Long Beach
Beach Boulevard in Long Beach
Beach Boulevard in Long Beach Mississippi some of its buildings date
Mississippi some of its buildings date
Mississippi some of its buildings date back more than 80 years the seaside
back more than 80 years the seaside
back more than 80 years the seaside location is inviting to prospective
location is inviting to prospective
location is inviting to prospective students but with storm surges at
students but with storm surges at
students but with storm surges at upwards of twenty eight feet at Long
upwards of twenty eight feet at Long
upwards of twenty eight feet at Long Beach the campus was covered by the Gulf
Beach the campus was covered by the Gulf
Beach the campus was covered by the Gulf waters about 12 feet of water swept over
waters about 12 feet of water swept over
waters about 12 feet of water swept over the place washed out to the bottom floor
the place washed out to the bottom floor
the place washed out to the bottom floor of every building on the front part of
of every building on the front part of
of every building on the front part of the campus the old buildings that
the campus the old buildings that
the campus the old buildings that survived from the 1920s were all
survived from the 1920s were all
survived from the 1920s were all severely damaged even five years later
severely damaged even five years later
severely damaged even five years later those buildings remain unusable and
those buildings remain unusable and
those buildings remain unusable and unrestored Hardy Hall was an
unrestored Hardy Hall was an
unrestored Hardy Hall was an administrative building with a large
administrative building with a large
administrative building with a large conference center that once served as a
conference center that once served as a
conference center that once served as a ballroom it was actually a grand old
ballroom it was actually a grand old
ballroom it was actually a grand old building my office was was upstairs on
building my office was was upstairs on
building my office was was upstairs on the second floor
but while Mother Nature takes away
but while Mother Nature takes away sometimes she leaves some of her own
sometimes she leaves some of her own
sometimes she leaves some of her own creations this is a live oak it’s 500
creations this is a live oak it’s 500
creations this is a live oak it’s 500 years old but it survived every storm on
years old but it survived every storm on
years old but it survived every storm on the Mississippi Gulf Coast since
the Mississippi Gulf Coast since
the Mississippi Gulf Coast since Columbus standing just a few hundred
Columbus standing just a few hundred
Columbus standing just a few hundred yards from the Gulf
yards from the Gulf
yards from the Gulf what is it secret well this is a tree
what is it secret well this is a tree
what is it secret well this is a tree that has a dome-like structure it was
that has a dome-like structure it was
that has a dome-like structure it was not a tree planted by modern
not a tree planted by modern
not a tree planted by modern civilization and cropped down into a
civilization and cropped down into a
civilization and cropped down into a lollipop shape Native Americans who
lollipop shape Native Americans who
lollipop shape Native Americans who camped near here they say didn’t have
camped near here they say didn’t have
camped near here they say didn’t have the the interest in cropping the tree
the the interest in cropping the tree
the the interest in cropping the tree off so this tree developed over 500
off so this tree developed over 500
off so this tree developed over 500 years with its limbs growing naturally
years with its limbs growing naturally
years with its limbs growing naturally with no one cutting off branches during
with no one cutting off branches during
with no one cutting off branches during the trees early years their limbs
the trees early years their limbs
the trees early years their limbs anchored in the earth providing balance
anchored in the earth providing balance
anchored in the earth providing balance in high winds and surging tides beyond
in high winds and surging tides beyond
in high winds and surging tides beyond Mississippi’s Shores barrier islands
Mississippi’s Shores barrier islands
Mississippi’s Shores barrier islands filled with trees might have provided
filled with trees might have provided
filled with trees might have provided more protection by slowing wind and
more protection by slowing wind and
more protection by slowing wind and storm surges
storm surges
storm surges but those islands have been shrinking
but those islands have been shrinking
but those islands have been shrinking professor Smith tells how one Island was
professor Smith tells how one Island was
professor Smith tells how one Island was once lush with trees and vegetation
once lush with trees and vegetation
once lush with trees and vegetation during the civil war on Ship Island
during the civil war on Ship Island
during the civil war on Ship Island federal forces used that as a staging
federal forces used that as a staging
federal forces used that as a staging area this is a fairly small island but
area this is a fairly small island but
area this is a fairly small island but there were 20,000 Union troops staged on
there were 20,000 Union troops staged on
there were 20,000 Union troops staged on Ship Island for the assault on New
Ship Island for the assault on New
Ship Island for the assault on New Orleans and they burned everything every
Orleans and they burned everything every
Orleans and they burned everything every stick wood that was out there today Ship
stick wood that was out there today Ship
stick wood that was out there today Ship Island is protected by the federal
Island is protected by the federal
Island is protected by the federal government as part of Gulf Islands
government as part of Gulf Islands
government as part of Gulf Islands National Seashore
but it’s unlikely that larger and lusser
but it’s unlikely that larger and lusser barrier islands could have protected the
barrier islands could have protected the
barrier islands could have protected the mainland from Katrina’s forces
Katrina’s storm surge reached up to 12
Katrina’s storm surge reached up to 12 miles inland in Mississippi and the area
miles inland in Mississippi and the area
miles inland in Mississippi and the area has still not fully recovered in the
has still not fully recovered in the
has still not fully recovered in the devastation and death brought by this
devastation and death brought by this
devastation and death brought by this incredible storm
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