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WASHINGTON — Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) commemorates the 20-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, honoring the lives lost, the families forever changed and the extraordinary resilience of survivors and communities across the Gulf Coast.

On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi as a Category 3 hurricane. It became one of the most devastating disasters in U.S. history, claiming nearly 1,400 lives, displacing approximately 770,000 people and causing billions of dollars in economic losses and infrastructure damage. Federal disaster declarations ultimately covered about 90,000 square miles across the region. New Orleans and neighboring parishes were among the hardest hit by catastrophic flooding. An estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people did not, or were unable to, evacuate from the city, prompting a massive national and international response.

To date, FEMA has provided communities affected by Hurricane Katrina with more than $6.6 billion in Individual Assistance for housing and other needs, and more than $17.1 billion in Public Assistance to help rebuild critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, roads and bridges.

The federal government’s response to Katrina led to significant scrutiny and a comprehensive reexamination of how the nation prepares for and manages large-scale disasters. In 2006, Congress enacted the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which established FEMA as a distinct agency within the Department of Homeland Security, defined FEMA’s primary mission and

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SANTA FE, New Mexico – Hours are changing this weekend for two in-person centers supporting New Mexicans affected by severe storms, flooding and landslides that occurred June 23 – Aug. 5.

Starting Aug. 31, the centers in Doña Ana County and Lincoln County will be closed on Sundays. Labor Day schedules differ for the sites. See details for each location:

Labor Day Schedule and New Hours

Doña Ana County Location:

Disaster Recovery Center

Vado/Del Cerro Community Resource Center

180 La Fe Ave.

Del Cerro, NM 88048

Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Monday – Saturday

This center is OPEN on Labor Day

Lincoln County Location:

Disaster Resource Center

Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso Annex 

709 Mechem Dr.

Ruidoso, N.M. 88345

Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday – Saturday

This center is CLOSED on Labor Day

FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) staff are providing in-person assistance at the centers to help residents apply for federal assistance, including grants from FEMA and low-interest SBA Disaster Loans. FEMA staff can help individuals in other ways including checking the status of existing applications and informing residents about additional resources available.

For the latest information about New Mexico’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4886. Follow FEMA Region 6 on Facebook at facebook.com/femaregion6 and on X at x.com/FEMARegion6

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