"On August 25th, 2005, one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in history hit the Gulf of Mexico. High winds and rain pummeled coastal communities, including the City of New Orleans, which was left under 15 feet of water in some areas after the levees burst. Track this powerful storm from start to finish, from rescue efforts large and small to storm survivors' tales of triumph"--

Amid the ruins of New Orleans, ordinary people--musicians, chefs, residents--find themselves clinging to a unique culture and wondering if the city that gave birth to that culture still has a future.

Ten stories of the people who risked their lives to save others during Hurricane Katrina.

Featuring eyewitness testimony, Nova takes an in-depth look at what made Hurricane Katrina so deadly and analyzes how, despite technically sophisticated flood and storm defenses, this event has resulted in unprecedented destruction for the Gulf Coast. In less than 12 hours on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Louisiana coast, leading to more than a thousand deaths and transforming a city of over one million into an uninhabitable swamp....