DISASTERS

Despite Katrina lessons, flood plan in Louisiana shows gaps

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FILE- In this Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016 file aerial photo, a boat motors between flooded homes after heavy rains inundating the region, in Hammond, La. Eleven years ago, Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation. Lessons learned from that 2005 monster storm formed the backbone of state and federal reaction as flooding ravaged 20 Louisiana parishes last month. (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016 file photo, Danielle Blount kisses her 3-month-old baby Ember as she feeds her while they wait to be evacuated by members of the Louisiana Army National Guard near Walker, La., after heavy rains inundated the region. Eleven years ago, Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation. Lessons learned from that 2005 monster storm formed the backbone of state and federal reaction as flooding ravaged 20 Louisiana parishes last month. (AP Photo/Max Becherer, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016 file photo, President Barack Obama talks on the tarmac after arriving on Air Force One at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Baton Rouge, La. Obama is traveling to the area to survey the flood damage. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Baton Rouge, La. Mayor Kip Holden, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, from left. Eleven years ago, Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation. Lessons learned from that 2005 monster storm formed the backbone of state and federal reaction as flooding ravaged 20 Louisiana parishes last month. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (The Associated Press)

Eleven years ago, Hurricane Katrina exposed huge gaps in the disaster response plans of Louisiana and the nation.

Lessons learned from that 2005 monster storm formed the backbone of state and federal reaction as flooding ravaged 20 Louisiana parishes last month.

The response in the immediate aftermath of the flooding was widely praised by officials and storm victims, Republican and Democrat alike.

That's a striking contrast to the heavy criticism after Katrina.

But the slog of the longer-term recovery is starting to show that cracks remain in the disaster safety net — and that wariness lingers about federal help after Katrina.

Criticisms are emerging about the pace of housing aid, the size of grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the question marks that surround rebuilding and recovery.