Robin Roberts Explores Gulf Coast Recovery 20 Years After Katrina

NEW YORK, NY — Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of the Gulf Coast, Robin Roberts will return to the region to document its recovery. Her new special, “Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm with Robin Roberts,” is set to air on Friday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Roberts, a Gulf Coast native, will explore how the storm has shaped the region and how local communities, including her hometown of Pass Christian, Mississippi, have come together to rebuild. She announced the special on “Good Morning America” (GMA), sharing her reflections on the impact of the storm.

“It is hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” Roberts said during the broadcast, noting the “damage and heartache” the region experienced. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, as a Category 3 hurricane, becoming one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history and causing over $100 billion in damage, according to the National Weather Service.

During the special, Roberts will return to New Orleans to engage with musicians, including Grammy-award winner Harry Connick Jr., to discuss the revival of the city’s music and culture scenes, notably its famous Jazz Fest. She will also visit Pass Christian, where she spoke with the town’s former mayor and toured her former high school and other beloved local spots.

Viewers can tune in to “Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm with Robin Roberts” on ABC. The special will also be available for streaming the following day on Hulu and Disney+ for bundle subscribers. The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News, Hulu, and Disney+.