Record-setting 2020 Hurricane Season Highlights Need for Federal Funding in Flood Resilience
American Flood Coalition urges the federal government to develop a proactive and equitable approach to planning and preparedness in the face of a devastating season
Washington, DC — Yesterday marked the end of the historic 2020 hurricane season, which brought a record 30 named storms, including 13 hurricanes, to communities along the Atlantic coast. With higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding becoming commonplace, American Flood Coalition stresses the importance of proactive and equitable planning to ensure that communities are resilient.
The increased storm activity this year supports evidence that more frequent and stronger storms will develop each season, which increases the risks of devastating flooding. In fact, this hurricane season marked only the second time in history when the Greek alphabet was needed for naming storms; the season capped off with Hurricane Iota.
This year, on top of the higher number of storms and increased flooding, communities faced the overlapping threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. As new challenges emerged, the pandemic wrought a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations who often lack resources to rebound from destructive storms and who are disproportionately at risk when floods arrive. Earlier in the season, American Flood Coalition released the Dual Disaster Handbook, a comprehensive guide developed to help local leaders address the “dual disaster” scenario of flooding during the pandemic.
“The unprecedented challenges of this hurricane season demonstrates the pressing need for a shift in our approach to better disaster preparedness and recovery systems,” said Melissa Roberts, Executive Director of the American Flood Coalition. “American Flood Coalition continues to provide resources to help communities proactively prepare for future hurricane seasons and underscores the vital need for innovative resilience projects, equitable response systems, and federal investment in resilient infrastructure.”
For graphics, video, and audio clips from American Flood Coalition on end of hurricane season takeaways, visit here.
About the American Flood Coalition
The American Flood Coalition is a nonpartisan group of cities, elected officials, military leaders, businesses, and civic groups that have come together to drive adaptation to the reality of higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding through national solutions that support flood-affected communities and protect our nation’s residents, economy, and military installations. The Coalition has over 240 members across 19 states.
Cities, towns, elected officials, businesses, and local leaders wishing to join the American Flood Coalition or read more about the organization’s work can visit the Coalition’s website (www.floodcoalition.org) to find out more.
