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Sinking into the Sea    Page  1  2  3  4

Sinking Towns

Here in Louisiana, people's lives are already changing.

  
This graveyard once stood on solid ground. Photo: William Brangham/NOW with Bill Moyers

In the cemetery, in the town of Leeville, Rick Eddy runs the bait and tackle shop. He's taking us out on his boat to show us where the townspeople are buried, because this is the only way you can see it.

"OK, see over here—here's one of the headstones sticking up out of the water," points out Eddy. "The tides a little high right now, but usually you can see anywhere from 25 to 30 headstones.

"It's definitely all under water," continues Eddy. "The cemetery's all under water. It's eroded right away. I've been in this area for 15 years. When I first came into this area, there was all land there. It's very heartbreaking. And to have something like this come along—and erosion. Some of the headstones are all busted up. The mausoleums, it's just a pile of rubble really. Kinda hard to put it in words. "

Part II: An Unlikely Activist


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