This week’s devastating flooding in Vermont serves as a stark reminder of the increasing threat of catastrophic floods occurring anywhere, with little to no warning. Experts caution that the United States is ill-prepared to face this danger. While the notion that rain can cause floods is not new, rising temperatures exacerbate the problem by enabling the air to hold more moisture, resulting in intense and sudden rainfall even in unexpected areas.
Rachel Cleetus, policy director for the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, expresses concern about the difficulty of adapting to these changing conditions. The impact is widespread and constant. The federal government is already struggling to safeguard American communities from severe flooding by investing in improved storm drains, pumps, levees, sea walls, and elevated infrastructure. However, the escalating sea levels and worsening storms could easily deplete the government’s entire climate resilience budget if focused solely on the most flood-prone regions such as New Orleans, Miami, Houston, Charleston, and even parts of New York City.
While federal flood maps are intended to guide housing and infrastructure development, they often fail to accurately depict the full extent of flood risk. This is partly due to limited resources, but also due to resistance from local officials who oppose new development restrictions. Vermont’s recent flooding underscores the need for a comprehensive and up-to-date national precipitation database that can inform homeowners, communities, and the government about the growing risks posed by heavy rainfall. Data from the First Street Foundation reveals that the actual number of at-risk homes in Vermont is three times higher than what federal flood maps indicate. Similarly, the number of properties at risk in Utah, Pennsylvania, and Montana is significantly higher when accounting for rainfall.
This hidden risk is present throughout the country, with approximately 16 million properties at risk nationwide compared to the 7.5 million properties located in federally designated flood zones. Consequently, severe flooding occurs in unexpected locations, as exemplified by the closure of parts of Yellowstone National Park due to rainstorms and federal disaster declarations in Nevada, the country’s driest state. Matthew Sanders, leading state resilience efforts for the Pew Charitable Trusts, emphasizes the need for increased investment in flood modeling and planning. Understanding how water will flow is crucial in determining the most effective interventions.
Tragically, these floods often strike communities that are least equipped to handle them. Eastern Kentucky experienced flash floods last year that destroyed homes, vehicles, and left 35 people dead. These communities, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, are no strangers to flooding from nearby creeks. However, the severity of the recent flood caught residents off guard. The flood risk in these areas is further exacerbated by the ecological damage caused by coal mining, which has stripped hillsides and destroyed forests, leading to increased rain runoff.
Houston has long been prone to deadly and devastating floods, as evidenced by storms like Tropical Storm Beta, Tropical Storm Imelda, Hurricane Harvey, and the Tax Day flood. Alarmingly, up to half of the homes affected by floodwaters were located outside of official flood risk zones. Flash floods also wreaked havoc in Summerville, Georgia, causing significant damage to homes and businesses despite being outside the 100-year floodplain.
Horry County, South Carolina, which includes Myrtle Beach, has also been plagued by flooding. Approximately half of the flooded homes in the county are located outside the designated flood zone, creating ongoing financial and emotional hardships for affected families. As the threat of flooding and other climate-related disasters intensifies, the federal government has increased funding for climate resilience projects. The infrastructure bill allocated a record-breaking $50 billion for such initiatives. However, this funding still falls short of the actual need, as evidenced by the overwhelming number of applications received by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Experts argue that more funding should be directed towards economically vulnerable communities that lack the resources to undertake resilience projects independently. Furthermore, this scale of intervention offers an opportunity to rectify previous mistakes. Amy Chester, managing director for Rebuild by Design, suggests reimagining urban development by returning land built near rivers, streams, and wetlands to nature and creating new green spaces capable of absorbing rainfall. Adapting to climate change presents a chance to redefine how we want to live and interact with our environment.
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