I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005, sheds light on the deep emotional and physical impacts of Hurricane Katrina. Barry, his family, and friends suffer immeasurable loss through the storm’s impacts, becoming displaced and uncertain as to when they will ever be able to return to the city they call home. The experiences of the characters in the novel mirror the real-life experiences of millions of Louisiana residents who lost everything in the hurricane, enduring lasting emotional and physical impacts that echo today.

One of the most jarring physical impacts of Hurricane Katrina was the displacement of people and damage the storm caused: “The mass exodus from the Gulf Coast and New Orleans during and after Katrina represented one of the largest and most sudden relocations of people in US history. Some 1.2 million Louisianans were displaced for months or even years, and thousands never returned” (Pruitt, Sarah. “Hurricane Katrina: 10 Facts About the Deadly Storm and Its Legacy.” History, 27 Aug. 2024). This displacement resulted in a crisis for those who now struggled to find temporary or long-term housing. People estimate the physical damage Hurricane Katrina caused at over $160 billion, which makes it one of the costliest natural disasters in US history (Opfer, Chris, and Sarah Gleim.