Vineyard Haven: President Barack Obama is traveling to New Orleans to tell residents he remains committed to rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina on the fifth anniversary of the devastating storm.

Obama ends his Martha's Vineyard vacation on Sunday and heads to the Gulf five years to the day from when Katrina made landfall. Eighty per cent of New Orleans was flooded when levees meant to protect the city broke, and 1,600 people died.

The city was getting back on its feet when the BP oil spill in the Gulf dealt another blow.

Obama is to speak at Xavier University. The White House says he will discuss what's been done and remains to be done in rebuilding from Katrina, and also talk about cleanup from the Gulf spill.