To commemorate the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on August 27, 2011 and its place in news history, the Newseum has opened “Covering Katrina,” an exhibit that highlights the extraordinary risks journalists took to cover one of the nation’s most destructive hurricanes.

Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast, setting off one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. Katrina formed over the Bahamas and traveled north, gathering strength as it crossed Florida and Mississippi. When the storm finally ended, 80 percent of the city was submerged in water. In some places, the water was more than 20-feet deep. The human toll of Katrina was devastating: More than 1,800 people died; more than 1 million were displaced.
Twenty four-hour news coverage allowed TV viewers across the United States and throughout the world to watch the continuing destruction and suffering.

“Covering Katrina”  will run through September 2011.