The Washington Post: Thousands of uninsured homes were in Helene’s path


Homeowners hundreds of miles inland rarely consider insuring their house against hurricanes the way coastal homeowners often do. What happens when a major storm like Hurricane Helene hits close to home?

Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) affiliate and natural resource economist Craig Landry provided expertise in a recent article by The Washington Post exploring this growing issue.

A very small portion of homes in the region affected by Helene were insured against flooding- less than 1%. While relief efforts are underway (read more and find links to some of them here), these are largely intended to handle temporary shelter, food, water, and emergency supplies in the short-term. Households across the Southeast have lost everything, and long-term support involves a complex system of federal aid that rarely comes close to the cost of the resources lost.

“It’s something people don’t want to think about,” Landry said. “People have an optimistic perception of disaster resilience, and in reality, it’s not that generous.”

The Post also spoke to North Carolina locals, flood assistance professionals, and emergency management experts. Overall, researchers and communities are in agreement: the flood insurance system is not sufficient to tackle the risks of future major storms.

Check out the full article here.

IRIS is an interdisciplinary group of experts at the University of Georgia working to change the status quo of resilience in the United States. Learn more about how we’re working to build a more resilient people and planet here.

Top image: Flooding along Highway 70 near Silver Creek in Burke County after Helene. Photo by NC Department of Transportation.