As seen on Reuters:
New Orleans’ population is still only 41 percent of its size before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city 15 months ago, according to a state survey that casts doubts on rosier predictions by the mayor.
In the most extensive population study since the deadly storm, the Louisiana Public Health Institute estimated 200,665 people live in Orleans Parish, which comprises the city proper, compared with a 2000 U.S. Census number of 484,674.[...]
Among other parishes, according to the state data, Jefferson staged the largest population recovery with 439,968 people, 97 percent of the pre-Katrina number.
An estimated 25,489 people live in St. Bernard parish, just east of New Orleans where virtually every structure sustained damage, or 38 percent of the 2000 census.
The article also mentions that about one-third of the remaining/returned population is considering moving away, due to the lack of progress and increased crime rates.
While any Katrina-like event will take a long time to recover from, I can’t help but wonder if recovery could have been expedited if a good recovery plan had been developed and ready to go before the storm hit.
Perhaps there is a disaster-preparedness lesson here to be learned?