Warm water in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico can fuel powerful hurricanes, but how destructive a storm becomes isn’t just about the climate and weather – it also depends on the people and property in harm’s way.
In many coastal cities, fast population growth has left more people living in areas at high risk of flooding.
I am a geographer who studies the human dimensions of climate change and natural disasters. My research and mapping with colleagues shows that socially vulnerable communities – those least able to prepare for disasters or recover afterward – tend to be concentrated in areas that are more susceptible to flooding, particularly on the Gulf Coast.
Larger, vulnerable populations
Nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives in a coastal co