Networks Matter: Examining migration networks using cellphone data following hurricane Maria

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate migration patterns in a post-disaster setting using aggregated cell-phone data that tracked thousands of people that fled Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. These data allow us to assess the relationship between post-disaster migration and levels of social and economic vulnerability in destination counties in the context of pre-existing migration networks. Our findings suggest that pre-disaster migration patterns predict post-disaster destinations, suggesting that existing networks act as valuable support systems that post-disaster migrants rely upon when leaving areas facing significant disruptions. Further, these findings suggest that understanding existing flows of migration before a disaster can help anticipate climate-induced migration patterns that may create stressors on local jurisdictions as disasters become more frequent and severe.