The Day New Orleans drowned...

U.S. Senate committee's final report includes some of first images of the 17th St. Canal breach. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
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Statements by the Army Corps of Engineers that the New Orleans area was protected against the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane were "at best a rough estimate and at worst simply inaccurate," according to a Senate committee's final report on Hurricane Katrina released yesterday. The Corps claims that weakness in the levees was the direct result of a lack of funding.

As the finger-pointing continues there is a real concern over whether the repaired levees will be able to withstand a strong hurricane. The hurricane season begins in June.

In the meantime, Mayor Nagin announced yesterday a plan to get people out of the city when the next hurricane strikes. The Superdome will not be used.