The 1000 Year Flood

South Louisiana is no stranger to a summer thunderstorm, but on August 12, 2016 residents of Baton Rouge and the surrounding communities were surprised by a powerful storm that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Unpredicted and unprecedented, the unnamed storm stalled over the state dropping 7 trillion gallons of rain in three days. It was determined to be a 1,000 Year Flood, meaning this type of weather event happens only once in 1,000 years.

The resulting flooding left tens of thousands homeless, having lost their home and all of their possessions. When the water subsided, FEMA rolled in, a seeming knight in shining armor, but eventually revealed to be a Trojan Horse.

The people of Louisiana banded together to form several grassroots organizations to feed, shelter, clothe, and rebuild the survivors. These concerned citizens created an association of groups known as the Cajun Nations, with an infrastructure that soon rivaled and outperformed multi-billion dollar government agencies.

1000 Year Flood follows the painstaking recovery of the survivors of South Louisiana’s “Great Flood,” the men and women who banded together to survive, and the government who ultimately failed them.

Watch the documentary at vimeo.com/1000yearflood/1000yearflood.