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Can the US Census Keep Up With Climate-Driven Displacement?

Summary

Four years after Hurricanes Laura and Delta hit Lake Charles, Louisiana, thousands of residents remain displaced, raising concerns about the U.S. Census' ability to track population shifts caused by climate disasters. Lake Charles lost around 7% of its population, exacerbating long-standing racial and economic divides, particularly in northern, predominantly Black neighborhoods. The 2020 Census, disrupted by the storms and the COVID-19 pandemic, failed to fully capture this displacement, affecting redistricting, federal resource allocation, and local political representation. This issue highlights broader challenges in tracking disaster-driven migration across the U.S. amidst growing climate-related disruptions.

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