Just beyond Highway 23, a mere 30 miles south of New Orleans, lies the small town of Ironton, Louisiana. After Hurricane Ida pummeled the area, the town’s approximately 52 Black families are trying to rebuild their lives. Again. The residents of Ironton have had to rebuild their lives in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, and in 2012, after Hurricane Issac. Most of the homes are completely unlivable, with no electricity or running water. Ida’s 12-foot storm surge dislodged coffins and tombs, scattering them around the town.

“I was born and raised here,” Wilkie Declouet, a lifelong resident of Ironton, who posted photos of coffins and tombs on social media, told DeSmog. “This is in my blood. So I will give it one more try.” The residents of Ironton want the federal government to prioritize a renewed levee system and assistance with rebuilding. (DeSmog; Climate Signals background: 2021 Atlantic hurricane season)