NEW ORLEANS —

Hurricane Katrina uprooted lives, sparking one of the largest internal displacements in modern American history.

More than one million people were forced to flee their homes in search of safety. Advertisement

For Becky Steinkamp, her temporary evacuation would turn permanent.

Like many other evacuees, Steinkamp thought she would eventually return, but her plans changed quickly.

"I got a call from a friend, and she said, 'You can't go back.' She said, 'There, you cannot see a rooftop from the river to the lake. This is St. Bernard Parish.' And so, then we were just like, OK, now what do we do?"

Steinkamp and her family were among millions headed for uncertainty.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 1.5 million people left their homes in Louisiana, Mississ

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