Obama upset about situation in New Orleans 10 years after Katrina

U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that he is not satisfied with the recovery of New Orleans, the largest city in the state of Louisiana, which was badly hit by Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago.

"Part of our goal has been to make sure that we not just recover from the storm, but also that we start dealing with some of the structural inequities that stood long before the start of the storm," said Obama in a speech in New Orleans for the 10th anniversary of the disaster.

"Our work here won't be done when almost 40 percent of children still live in poverty in this city. That's not a finished job. That's not a full recovery," Obama was quoted as saying by media.

He added that many people who fled New Orleans following Katrina have not returned.

There remains crime and structural inequality that left many people, especially the poor and people of color, without good jobs or affordable health care or decent housing, Obama said.

It is reported that 52 percent of black men in New Orleans are currently unemployed while more than 50 percent of black children under 18 live in poverty.

"What started out as a natural disaster became a man-made disaster, a failure of government to look out for its own citizens," said Obama.

On Aug. 29, 2005, Katrina caused major damage to the Mexico Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, and nearly 2,000 people died.

Source: XINHUA