Hurricane Katrina's prolonged recovery in the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the area initially hit hardest by the disaster

Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on August 29, 2005, near the Pearl River, the boundary between Louisiana and Mississippi, brought devastation to the small coastal town of Waveland. Ninety percent of the city was destroyed, and the storm surge inundated the entire 70-mile shoreline of Mississippi.

The Waveland Police Department, located about 3 miles inland, was one of the many institutions affected. The department had to start from scratch after Hurricane Katrina flooded their headquarters. In a desperate attempt to escape the flooding police department headquarters, Chief Michael Prendergast and 26 other officers and staff had to break through storm shutters during the hurricane. It wasn't until 2016 that the department moved out of temporary quarters and into their new building.

Another cultural treasure in Waveland, the United Methodist Gulfside Assembly, was also destroyed by the hurricane. Twenty years later, the organization is still struggling to regroup, working out of a donated church building. Executive Director Cheryl Thompson shares that they are still working towards regrouping.

The hurricane took a heavy toll on the city's population as well. Waveland's population decreased by nearly 20% in the decade after Hurricane Katrina, with the city losing 1,560 residents.

The aftermath of the hurricane required lots of outside help, and 48 other states came to the rescue in Mississippi. Major disasters like these often come with initial bumps, but the federal response improved, and the state received reimbursement for cleaning up debris. More than $5 billion in federal grants were key to Mississippi's recovery.

Jayne Crapeau, owner of Turtle Landing Bar and Grill in Pearlington, was one of the many business owners affected. She lost her business for 2 1/2 months after the hurricane and had to repair the bar with a new roof, electrical, plumbing, and kitchen, moving upstairs to higher ground.

Twenty years later, Waveland Mayor Jay Trapani shares that it took 10 years for the city to recover, and they are still trying to do so. Stricter building requirements due to high flood risk make construction more expensive, but the city continues to rebuild.

The state of Mississippi turned to the United States Northern Command for help during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane was packing winds of 120 miles an hour and a storm surge nearing 30 feet. Hurricane Katrina killed 238 people in Mississippi and nearly 1,400 overall. More than 60,000 structures were uninhabitable, and more than 25,000 were completely gone after the hurricane.

As we reflect on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, it's clear that the impact on Waveland and Mississippi was immense. However, the resilience of the community continues to shine through as they rebuild and move forward.

Hurricane Katrina's prolonged recovery in the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the area initially hit hardest by the disaster