INLAND LOUISIANA: COASTAL RESETTLEMENT

The Great October Storm of 1893, known locally as the “Cheniere Caminada hurricane,” brought devastation to Southeast Louisiana. Cheniere Caminada was a fishing village located in coastal Jefferson Parish just west of Grand Isle. The horrific storm took an estimated two thousand lives from Louisiana to Alabama. In Cheniere Caminada, many of the 779 deaths were children killed by the surge or crushed by the roofs of their home.

Following the 1893 storm, there was talk of abandoning the barrier island of Grand Isle and the region. I have read accounts from the late 19^th and early 20^th century where communities came together after a calamity to decide to rebuild or move on. The people would gather with leaders from their biggest employer. This would include the bank and the mayor to set a path forward. So, it was not unusual to openly question whether a community should rebuild or not.  

On October 14, 1893, The Times-Picayune, a New Orleans newspaper, published an article titled, “A Region not to be Abandon.” The journalist did a great job promoting the region. He rationalized and compared our hurricane risks to other parts of the country.

"People do not desert California or Charleston because the latter has once been shaken by an earthquake, and in spite of the fact that the Gold State has been repeatedly visited by such terrifying forces. It may be some time before property owners at Grand Isle rally sufficiently to rebuild their improvements, but, sooner or later, they will do so."

                          Times-Picayune excerpt from “A Region not to be Abandon”

Under threat

In 2023, we still rationalize and compare our risks to other States. The people on the Louisiana Gulf Coast have suffered from multiple hurricane impacts, subsidence, coastal erosion and sea levels rise. Long before their recovery from the 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons is complete, they will likely be struck again by another storm.

Louisiana's coast will look very different in the coming decades. We need to plan and act on a Blue-Sky Day. 

Governor Bluefish

Inland communities need to prepare for the “Governor Bluefish" scenario. In this scenario, families evacuate inland, and the Gulf of Mexico reclaims their land. They have no geography to rebuild upon after the storm passes. They become perpetual evacuees stranded in the host shelter Parish.  

Strategy

At this moment, people are organically relocating themselves. They’re tired and running low on resources and opportunities. A strategy needs to be developed to assist coastal communities with resettlement in a methodical fashion. 

The development of a strategy will take time. Families will need to be stabilized while the plans are being made. 

There is room for families and businesses in Central and North Louisiana.  

Sources: Newspaper.com, NOAA, FEMA and Local knowledge

Tom M.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - When The Levee Breaks (Glastonbury 2022)

                                                                                                                     ©2022 Tom Malmay