Key Findings:

• In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which left more than 1,400 dead and hundreds of thousands more forced to evacuate, seven journalists traveled to New Orleans to try to answer the question: How could this have happened?

• The result — City Adrift: New Orleans Before and After Katrina, a book published by the Center for Public Integrity that provided a comprehensive, in-depth look at the storm’s impact by taking into account the perspectives of homeowners, evacuees, politicians, and first responders. “What sets this book apart from other reporting out of New Orleans is its comprehensiveness and authority,” said the Center’s Diane Fancher, who edited this project.

• City Adrift revealed the government’s unpreparedness in the event of another natural disaster and ultimately called for ways to prevent future breakdowns.