Gov. Tate Reeves has declared Friday as “Hurricane Katrina Remembrance Day” in Mississippi.
It marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall near the Mississippi-Louisiana border on Aug. 29, 2005. Considered the most devastating storm in state history, Katrina killed at least 238 people in Mississippi, displaced hundreds of thousands more, and caused over $125 billion in property damage.
As part of the proclamation, Mississippians are asked to set their clocks for 8:29 a.m. for a statewide moment of silence “in memory of the lives lost, a recognition of the resilience of Mississippi communities, and a reflection on the journey of recovery and hope.”
“In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippians demonstrated a spirit that cannot be broken, a core strength that survives all hurt, a faith in God that no storm can take away an unyielding determination to clear the wreckage and build back communities better than they were before,” Reeves said in a press release. “I’m proud to proclaim August 29, 2005, as Hurricane Katrina Remembrance Day in the state of Mississippi, and I encourage Mississippians to take part in the minute of silence beginning at 8:29 a.m.”
Reeves will address the state alongside members of the Mississippi National Guard and other partnering agencies during a Hurricane Katrina 20th anniversary ceremony that begins at 8:25 a.m. at Barksdale Pavilion at Jones Park in Gulfport. The ceremony will be live-streamed on Reeves’ Facebook page.
