The number of Americans filing

A fisherman’s catch of the day lays on a makeshift “corcho” raft before being covered and transported from the Malecon sea wall in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A fisherman’s catch of the day lays on a makeshift “corcho” raft before being covered and transported from the Malecon sea wall in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A fisherman sits on his makeshift “corcho” raft as he shows off his day’s catch in Cojímar, east of Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A fisherman sits on his makeshift “corcho” raft as he shows off his day’s catch in Cojímar, east of Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)A fisherman places the day’s catch on the boardwalk after fishing on a makeshift raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A fisherman places the day’s catch on the boardwalk after fishing on a makeshift raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Fishermen talk after a day of fishing on makeshift “corcho” rafts next to a classic American car loaded with garlic and onions for sale in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Fishermen talk after a day of fishing on makeshift “corcho” rafts next to a classic American car loaded with garlic and onions for sale in Cojimar, east of Havana, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A fisherman carries his catch of the day after using a makeshift “corcho” raft in Cojimar, east of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Atsu Godslove Afeli poses for a portrait in his room in his family home that was destroyed by coastal erosion in Avegadzi, Ghana, Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

The destruction of Atsu Godslove Afeli’s home began gradually. But a month ago, the last of the building collapsed, leaving him, his four children and his brother with nowhere to sleep but a fuel station behind their destroyed home.Afeli said he never thought it could happen because “the distance from our house to the seashore was very long and it (was) hard to believe that the sea could reach this place.” In recent months, however, he became sad, depressed and frustrated as the waves got closer and finally toppled his home.

“I hope we can obtain sea defenses so we can reclaim our land,” he said. “We need help to start our lives over again.”Waves are visible through a window of Atsu Godslove Afeli’s room, which was destroyed by coastal erosion in Avegadzi, Ghana, Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)