Hurricane Katrina: then and now

This building in Bay St. Louis dates from the 1950s, housing Ramsey's Department Store and a dental practice, becoming the Bay Emporium and finally O'Dwyer Realty, according to former resident Avra O'Dwyer, who lived upstairs but evacuated before the storm. "I think a tornado hit it," she said. Hurricane Katrina was known to have spun tornados through the area, in addition to its high winds and 35-foot storm surge. Five years later, the lot stands empty. The white building to the left is Hancock Bank, which was flooded but opened again in 2007.

In the photo at left, Betty Benvenutti and neighbor Wayne Hayn watch an excavator demolish the front end of her house after it suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Katrina. She lived there 41 years with her husband Pete. The Benvenuttis converted its remains to a smaller guest house, and now live in a new structure that's taller and further back on the property. Hayn's house down the street was knocked off its foundation by the storm, and he moved to Natchez, Miss.

This house belonged to Betty and George Waymire, neighbor of Pete and Betty Benvenutti on Felicity St. in Bay St. Louis. The lot is empty now.

The Brothers of the Sacred Heart Cemetery on Hancock Street in Bay St. Louis is dedicated to the brothers who served at St. Stanislaus College, which was founded in 1854. The parking lot next to it served as a temporary holding ground for wrecked cars after the storm.

This oak tree still stands on Bienville drive on the edge of Waveland, but the house beyond it was torn down and rebuilt.

This oak tree stood among debris in Waveland for months after the storm, but now only a stump remains as the neighborhood rebuilds.

After the storm, all that remained of Waveland's city hall was the mural at left. You can see a story about the artist who created it below. Now a new city hall is under construction at the site. •Full story: Artist Elizabeth Veglia describes her design of the tile mosaic mural that survived Katrina at Waveland's city hall.

This PT Cruiser sat for months near the site of the Fire Dog Saloon after the storm in the old downtown area of Bay St. Louis.

This house in Waveland took water about halfway up its walls during the storm, and afterwards was gutted and put on market. Jeffrey Garber bought the place, and renovated it with the help of family.

In the months after the storm, this gas station along Highway 90 in Waveland served as a distribution site for donated clothing.

The corner of St. Joseph and S Bourgeouis streets in Waveland.

Five years later, this tree at the corner of Hancock and Citizen St. still stands, but the lot remains empty.