US President pays tribute to people of New Orleans

US President Barack Obama has paid tribute to the people of New Orleans, five years to the day after Hurricane Katrina destroyed large parts of the city. Mr Obama said his administration would stand by them and continue rebuilding until the job is done. Katrina was a natural disaster but also a man-made one, he said, which saw a shameful breakdown of government. More than one thousand eight hundred people died when Katrina hit the Gulf coast in 2005.
Ceremonies in New Orleans to mark the anniversary include the tolling of the bells at St Louis Cathedral. Mr Obama made his speech at Xavier University which, like much of New Orleans, was flooded when the levees protecting the city were breached by flood tides. He described the city as a symbol of resilience and community.
Across New Orleans, those who lived through Hurricane Katrina are marking the anniversary in very different ways. Some are attending symbolic funerals for Katrina, a chance to try to put the past behind them and move on. But for others, the memories are too raw and their losses too great.
The city has made big strides over the past five years. Three quarters of the pre-Katrina population have returned and many more new residents have made New Orleans their home.
President Obama acknowledged that much has been accomplished but that there is still a long road to full recovery. Five years ago, some thought New Orleans was finished but it is hard to kill the spirit of one of America’s most remarkable places.

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