flooding News

The Challenges of Flood Disaster Recovery in Urban Environments

In recent years, cities worldwide have faced an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of flood events. These catastrophes have left urban areas grappling with extensive damage to infrastructure, buildings and equipment. As communities strive to recover from flood …

‘Surface Waters’ on Roof Are Not ‘Flood’ Waters, Massachusetts High Court Rules

The highest court in Massachusetts has ruled that rainwater accumulation on roofs of buildings does not constitute “surface waters” within the meaning of “flood” in property insurance policies. The court found that the term “surface waters” in policies is ambiguous …

Data Shows Hurricanes and Earthquakes Grab Headlines But Inland Counties Top Disaster List

Floyd County keeps flooding and the federal government keeps coming to the rescue. In July 2022, at least 40 people died and 300 homes were damaged when the eastern Kentucky county flooded. It was the 13th time in 12 years …

With American Mobile Cancellations, Florida Mobile Home Market Has ‘Fallen Apart’

Reinsurance in Florida’s long-stressed property insurance market was supposed to have stabilized this year – with moderate rate increases and more availability. But those calmer waters apparently have not reached the mobile home market, and Florida insurance agents are now …

Record Flooding and Tornadoes This Spring in Iowa Caused $130M in Damage

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Record flooding and powerful tornadoes ravaged parts of Iowa for weeks this spring, destroying or damaging thousands of homes, closing roads and bridges and costing over $130 million in infrastructure damage, officials said. The disasters …

Rebuilding After Hurricanes is Complex, Can Change Character of a Community

Before Hurricane Idalia smashed into a small fishing village in northwestern Florida, Charles Long, 68, was fixing up a two-bedroom house for him and his wife. After the August storm, he found remnants of it in a nearby canal and …

Vermont Seeks Federal Damage Assessment for Floods Caused by Hurricane Beryl’s Remnants

Vermont is seeking an assessment to determine whether last week’s flooding, which damaged homes, knocked down bridges and washed out roads, qualifies for a federal disaster declaration and aid. The flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl happened a year …

Biden Administration Raises FEMA Bar for Flood Resilience

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has finalized a rule mandating that projects built using its funds not only take into account previous and current levels of local flood risk, but for the first time consider the future risk …

Hurricane Beryl Roars Toward Jamaica on Destructive Path

Hurricane Beryl churned toward Jamaica with violent winds, heavy rains and a life-threatening storm surge that could cause more than $1 billion in damage. Beryl’s winds roared at 145 miles (230 kilometers) per hour early Wednesday, making it a Category …

Floodwaters Inundate Midwest, Where Flood Insurance is Rarely in Force

Floodwaters damaged hundreds of properties this week across parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota as the Midwest recovers from days of intense rainfall. Three days of torrential downpours resulted in as much as 18 inches of rainfall in …