Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry's little sister gets terribly sick, they're forced to stay home and wait out the storm.
At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century—alone?
At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century—alone?
Did You Know...Facts about the Hurricane Katrina, 2005
- Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters ever to strike the United States, with a death toll that reached 1,800 people
- More than 340,000 people evacuated from New Orleans before the storm hit. But many were too old or sick to make the trip, or couldn't afford the costs of evacuation-leaving an estimated 100,000 people behind.
- In the weeks after the flood, the Humane Society of the United States organized the biggest animal rescue in history. They broke into boarded-up houses, plucked dogs and cats from rooftops and trees, and even rescued pigs and goats.
- Americans donated more than $1 billion to help the victims of Katrina. Other countries donated, too. The largest donor was the government of Kuwait, which gave $500 million.
- Today, New Orleans is protected by a storm-protection system, a 133-mile long chain of new levees, flood walls, gates and pumps. There is no guarantee that the system will be 100-percent effective in a strong hurricane. But is a vast improvement over what existed when Katrina struck in 2005.
