FORCE OF THE SURGE

An aerial view of the damaged Mississippi Gulf Coast taken September 30, 2005, shows the progression of the surge moving from the shore in the foreground. Blue tarps farther inland attest to the ferocity of the winds that stripped homes of roofing.

POOL OF DESPAIR

The flooding that left most New Orleans neighborhoods waterlogged (above) left homes awash in mold as the water receded (right). An estimated 50,000 of the city's homes may have to bulldozed, according to November figures reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Current estimates of the total amount of debris left from Katrina have reached nearly 100 million cubic feet.