In Deep American Public Media

In a span of nine months, Lake Charles, Louisiana, endured two hurricanes, an ice storm, and a flood. The federal government promised to help the city rebuild. But as time wore on, Lake Charles remained a sea of blue tarps and debris. People like Alexis Sheridan were struggling. Alexis, who was seven months pregnant, resorted to sleeping in a tent. In this episode, we spend time with Alexis and her fiancé as they search for somewhere to live before their baby is born.

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In the wake of three historic storms, many residents of Lake Charles, Louisiana, were struggling. Roishetta Sibley Ozane felt she had to do something to keep her community together. She started feeding people, clothing people, even paying to house them in hotels. All while she struggled to find a permanent home for her six children. In this episode, we follow Roishetta as she becomes the safety net for a city that the federal government neglected.

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People in Lake Charles expected the federal government to help them rebuild their battered city. That’s what they had been promised. That’s what had happened after previous storms. But this time was different. In this episode, we report on why the federal government kept thousands of storm victims waiting. And why similar neglect could happen anywhere in the nation.

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After severe storms struck Lake Charles, many homeowners expected to rebuild quickly. They had been paying home insurance premiums for years for just this moment. But instead of receiving prompt payouts, their claims were delayed and denied. In this episode, we learn how the insurance industry has started playing hardball after weather disasters — and what that might mean for communities across the country in the age of climate change.

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Toward the end of our team’s time in Lake Charles, the city made one last push to clean up debris that was still left over from back-to-back hurricanes. No one could have predicted what happened next. In our final episode, we learn how residents are trying to move forward after a year of storms and how their experience could be repeated in other communities nationwide.

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In one year, Lake Charles, Louisiana, endured two hurricanes, an ice storm and a flood. The federal government promised help. Lake Charles is still waiting. And rebuilding on its own. In Deep, Season 2, begins September 27.

Learn more: indeep.org