One of the least-talked about consequence of Hurricane Katrina is the psychological damage many New Orleanians suffered. People who stayed struggle to cope with the memories of the horrific days after the storm. One woman describes driving past a cemetery in New Orleans four days after the storm:
After four days we'd decided to get the fuck out of town. Things were out of control and we had no idea if they were going to improve. The National Guard was standing on street corners firing rifles into the air, there were rumors of roving gangs killing indiscriminately, and the whole city stunk.
As we tried to find a safe way out of town, we drove past the cemetery. I just began crying. There were caskets strewn on the ground. Fortunately I didn't see any actual bodies. But after four days of wondering if the world was ending, to see coffins lying there, I just broke down.
Driving by there last week, it all came back. I started crying again, not just because of the memory of the cemetery, but from the memory of the whole thing.
As she was telling me this story, she began crying. For many victims with whom I've spoken, they relive the event when they retell the story. Despite this, people want to tell their stories. "How'd you make out from the storm," and "where'd you evacuate to?" have replaced inanity about the weather.
Bars and restaurants are full of chatter about remodeling, elevating, and FEMA checks. As the rest of the country moves on, this is the defining event in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.