SAVANNAH, Ga. () — When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, many evacuees came to the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry to seek safety.
Many of them never left.
Jeremy Davis and Clay Johnson lead the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra and are well-known figures among local music enthusiasts. Originally from Louisiana, both decided to settle permanently in Savannah after Hurricane Katrina struck.
Davis said the time leading up to the hurricane’s landfall was surreal.
“Navigating through the mass exodus on the interstate, with countless others escaping the Gulf Coast, we headed to the coast. It was an undeniably hectic day.”
Johnson and his family didn’t leave ahead of Katrina. They stayed in Baton Rouge, north of the storm. He still recalls how scary it was.
“We returned to our in-laws and took shelter there during the storm. As we monitored the news, the hurricane hit, eventually knocking out the power, leaving us with only the radio. We stayed awake through the night, listening to the fierce wind. By morning, the winds were still strong, tearing up trees and causing more damage until it became safe for us to leave.”
NEW ORLEANS – SEPTEMBER 11: Floods waters from Hurricane Katrina devastate houses between Poland Avenue and Galvez Wharf September 11, 2005 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rescue and clean up efforts continue in the areas affected by the storm three weeks after it hit. (Photo by Jerry Grayson/Helifilms Australia PTY Ltd/Getty Images) Satellite View Of Flooded New Orleans In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Katrina (31 August, 2005), (2 Of 2 In A Series, See M2-0397 For First In Series). (Photo by Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Aug. 30, 2005 | Water surrounds homes in the devastated Ninth Ward in this aerial view of damage from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. (Photo by Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) WAVELAND, MISSISSIPPI – OCTOBER 02: Damage from Hurricane Katrina is seen from this aerial view of Waveland, Miss., on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005. Hurricane Katrina did significant damage to the Mississippi coast. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
After the storm passed, they faced the harsh reality of its impacts. “Baton Rouge was heavily affected,” Johnson shared with News 3, mentioning how its population surged as evacuees fled north. Temporary housing like FEMA trailers and tent cities sprung up for those displaced.
Stacy Reeves and Jason Gulledge
It took Johnson a while to catch up with Davis in the Coastal Empire but the two musicians say they can’t imagine living anywhere else now.
“There’s a striking resemblance between Savannah and New Orleans: the architecture, the vibrant blend of cultures, the emphasis on the arts and entertainment… these similarities made Savannah a natural choice for us.”
Even though both men and their families now call Savannah home, their hearts will always be in Louisiana.
“The most heart-wrenching aspect is the human toll, the loss of lives. But beyond that tragedy, it’s the dispersion of the unique and vibrant New Orleans community. These individuals, with their distinctive flavors and personalities, found warm welcomes and friendships wherever they relocated.”
They include themselves in that group, saying Savannah has been everything they hoped it would be and more.
