20 years after Katrina, St. Bernard Parish's population hasn't recovered

By Jeff Brady

Published August 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM EDT

After Hurricane Katrina flooded St. Bernard Parish near New Orleans in 2005, residents had to decide whether they would return and rebuild. Twenty years later, about half of the residents chose to leave, but new flood protections encouraged some to return to their homes.

Jeff Brady

Jeff Brady is a National Desk Correspondent based in Philadelphia, where he covers energy issues and climate change. Brady helped establish NPR's environment and energy collaborative which brings together NPR and Member station reporters from across the country to cover the big stories involving the natural world.

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