18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Wrath of Hurricane Laura

For over 70 years Margaret Vanwinkle called this house her home. Along with her husband, she moved into this house right after they got married. As hurricane Laura swept past her small town in Louisiana, a tree fell on the roof, making the the place uninhabitable. Till insurance adjuster inspects the place, she can’t start repair work. When I met and spoke to her, it had been over 2 weeks since the hurricane destroyed her place, and the insurance adjuster was yet to make it. She isn’t even allowed to go inside the house to pick up any of her belongings due to the safety risk. While the country is still reeling from the affects of the pandemic, stories like these show that people are battling disasters on multiple fronts.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: DeQuincy, Louisiana, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Copyright: © Osman Sharif