Hurricane Katrina Evacuees Search for Family in Houston

Searching for Loved Ones Amidst Chaos

• 💔 Many individuals arrived in Houston from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, desperately searching for lost family members.
• 📍 Relatives were often last seen on rooftops or in attics in New Orleans East, with communication lines completely down.
• ✈️ Some evacuees, like Diane Kelly from Florida, flew into Houston specifically to find their missing relatives.

The Astrodome as a Hub

• 🏟️ The Astrodome became a temporary shelter for thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims, with 5,000 claiming disaster assistance on the floor.
• 👥 Over 11,000 others slept in stadium seats, hoping to reunite with family or learn of their survival.
• 🤝 The stadium facilitated emotional reunions, such as Diane Kelly finding her big brother, Lewis Nelson, and his grandkids.

Stories of Survival and Reunion

• 📞 Lewis Nelson and his family, who initially tried to ride out the storm, were eventually rescued and reunited with Diane.
• ✈️ Diane Kelly was able to fly her reunited family back to Florida, expressing immense gratitude for finding them.
• 🙏 Despite finding some family, the search for others continued, highlighting the widespread impact of the hurricane and displacement.