flood plain News

More Radioactive Tests Sought at St. Louis School District

WASHINGTON, Mo. (AP) — In an unusual show of bipartisanship, Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley and Democratic U.S. Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri asked the federal government to perform more testing for radioactive contamination on properties owned by the Hazelwood …

Viewpoint: Subrogating Against God

The devastation of Hurricane Ian reminds us that the opportunity for property subrogation success is often disguised as an Act of God. The claims history of most domestic insurance carriers is littered with billion dollar claims as a result of …

Housing Market Slows Retreat from Rising Seas, Bigger Storms

Chuck and Terry Nowiski lived in their country-style farmhouse with a wrap-around porch for 36 years before it flooded. After hurricanes Matthew and Florence, they said “yes” to the state’s offer to buy their place and tear it down. Nearly …

Americans Are Paying $34 Billion Too Much for Houses in Flood Plains

At least 3.8 million U.S. homes lie in flood plains. Together, they may be overvalued by $34 billion. New research published today in a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper shows that markets fail to incorporate risks from flooding …

Iowa Town Working to Buy More Homes in Flood Plain

BETTENDORF, Iowa — The city of Bettendorf has been awarded a $2.2 million federal grant that, coupled with state and city contributions, will make $2.95 million available to buy out up to 22 homeowners in the flood plain along Duck …

Southern Illinois Village at Risk if no FEMA Levee Approval

PRAIRIE DU ROCHER, Ill. — The fate of a Mississippi River levee that’s awaiting a decision on federal accreditation could put a southern Illinois village at risk of destructive flooding, the village president says. If the levee in Prairie du …

Mississippi River City Ponders a Wall it has Long Rejected

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Hundreds of communities line the Mississippi River on its 2,348-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico, but Davenport, Iowa, stands out for the simple reason that people there can actually dip their toes in the river without …

Mobile Home Residents Hit With Soaring Rent After Hurricanes

LUMBERTON, N.C. — For eight years, James Lesane paid what he could for his mobile home lot rental every month _ $150. But in February, five months after Hurricane Florence flooded the Lumberton region and shortly after Florida-based company Time …

Cost of Buying Out Flood-Prone Homes: $5B and Rising

About the photo: This June 14, 2008 file photo shows floodwaters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Weeks after the latest massive floods in the Midwest, voluntary buyouts are again being considered in at least five states –Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and …

Stay or Go? As Weather Gets Wilder, States Urged to Prepare for Displacement

GENEVA — Warned that Typhoon Haiyan would slam into the coastal part of the Philippine town of Dulag in November 2013, Leah C. Caminong’s family rented a room 300 meters back from the shoreline where they planned to ride out …