Hurricanes, floods, freezes: the Louisiana city battling Covid amid chaos

Lake Charles has withstood four federally declared disasters in less than a year all while responding to the fourth wave of coronavirus

About a foot of drywall is cut out near the floor in parts of the regional health department building in the city of Lake Charles, south-west Louisiana. The roof is leaking in one room and blue painter's tape marks the walls that are still holding water. The agency attempts to conduct business as usual, despite missing pieces.

The same can be said for people in the community, who have withstood four federally declared disasters in less than a year. Hurricane Laura - which made landfall as a Category 4 storm in August 2020 - dealt the first blow. Six weeks later, Hurricane Delta hit. A freeze this February followed by torrential rain in May destroyed more homes.