20 Years After Rita: The Evacuation that Changed Houston Forever

Nederland Mayor Jeff Darby recalls historic Hurricane Rita mass evacuation 20 years later

Hurricane Rita struck Southeast Texas 20 years ago, but the chaotic mass evacuation remains the most vivid memory for many residents.

On This Date: Hurricane Rita, One of America's Most Forgotten

It was both one of the most intense Atlantic Basin hurricanes on record, but also one of its most overshadowed. Here's why 2005's Hurricane Rita should never be forgotten.

Resilience and renewal: Looking back on Hurricane Rita 20 years later

By Emily Burleigh Today marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Rita’s landfall — the first major hurricane to hit Southwest Louisiana in almost 50 years. Rita peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 180 mph at its most powerful. The hurricane was a Category 3 with sustained winds of 115 mph by the time it reached Southwest Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service. Then-Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Hal McMi…

20 years after Rita: The evacuation that changed Houston forever

From mass gridlock to tragic loss of life, Rita’s evacuation left lasting scars. Here’s how the lessons learned continue to shape Houston’s storm response.

Editorial: Twenty years later, Rita's lessons not forgotten

In September 2005, as Louisiana was still reeling from the blow dealt by Hurricane Katrina, another monster storm was brewing in the Gulf. That storm, Hurricane Rita, would make landfall Sept. 24 on the Texas-Louisiana border as a Category 3…