NPR stations targeted for cuts by Trump have provided lifelines to listeners during disasters
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, North Carolina, the sound coming from open car windows as residents gathered on a street at the top of a ridge trying to get cell service last fall was Blue Ridge Public Radio. And as they stood in line for water or food, the latest news they'd heard on the station was a frequent topic of conversation.
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Newsweek
43 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Maps Show Homes Most At Risk of Damage As Hurricane Season Starts
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of homes in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, New Jersey, and New York are at risk of suffering billions of dollars in storm-related and hurricane-wind damage this storm season, according to a new report by Cotality. Tom Larsen, assistant vice president of product marketing for insurance at Cotality, told Newsweek that the country is looking into "wind damage from hurricane-force winds threatening tens of millions of properties" and storm-surge flooding "that could inundate more than 6 million homes," as well as washed-out roads, disabled municipal water systems and overwhelmed power and wastewater networks in affected states. "It may not take a record number of storms to inflict record-level damage," he said. "Property owners, insurers and local governments should plan for at least one major landfall and the possibility of back-to-back billion-dollar events." Why It Matters This year's hurricane season, which officially began on June 1 and will continue until November 30, is expected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to have a 60-percent chance of being above-normal, with 13-19 projected storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes. A series of devastating storms such as the ones suggested by NOAA could cause major damage in the most at-risk states, including Florida and Texas, where homeowners are already facing rising home insurance premiums as a result of more frequent and more severe extreme weather events. What To Know Forecasters are expecting a slightly less active hurricane season this year than in 2024, when Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as five others and eight tropical storms, hit the U.S. But "it only takes one landfalling hurricane to cause significant damage to homes," Julia Talieson, data journalist at Insurify, told Newsweek. "Hurricanes bring strong winds, unrelenting rain, and steep storm surges that can wreak devastation on coastal and inland homes. Major hurricanes can tear away roofs, cause catastrophic flooding, fling debris through windows and doors, and damage home utilities," she said. Hurricanes Helene and Milton together caused more than $100 billion in damages last year, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. "Just one strong storm can cause significant structural and financial damage," Talieson said. According to Cotality's analysis of nationwide data, there are more than 33.1 million homes nationally facing moderate or greater risk from hurricane-force winds and more than 6.4 million homes, ranging from Texas to Maine, currently facing a moderate or greater risk of sustaining damage from storm-surge flooding this year. It would cost an estimated $11.7 trillion to rebuild the homes damaged or destroyed by hurricane-force winds and about $2.2 trillion to rebuild those damaged or destroyed by storm surge. These are "significantly high" numbers, according to Larsen. They are likely so high because more Americans are living in harm's way today than ever before, Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute told Newsweek. "The fastest-growing states in the country are the two states most prone to landfalling hurricanes—Florida and Texas," he said. "Despite the hazards and cost of living associated with living along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Americans want to be close to the beach." This choice, however, is becoming increasingly costly for homeowners—especially considering that only few of them currently have flood coverage. Should this year's hurricane season be above-normal, as NOAA researchers believe to be likely, homeowners in at-risk states may be in a very fragile position. "All it takes is one landfalling hurricane to make it a bad season for families and communities," Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute told Newsweek. "After five U.S. landfalling hurricanes last year, all residents in Atlantic and Gulf Coast states should prepare now." Crucial Gap in the Country's Insurance System Standard property insurance policies cover windstorm damage from hurricanes, but exclude flood damage, forcing homeowners to purchase separate coverage from either the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood insurer. A recent study conducted by the Insurance Information Institute and reinsurance company Munich Re found that approximately 88 percent of U.S. homeowners have property insurance. Only about 6 percent of all homeowners, however, have flood insurance—the majority of these are concentrated in coastal zones, Friedlander said. "Lack of flood coverage is the biggest insurance gap across the country," he told Newsweek. "As we saw last year with Hurricane Helene, inland flooding can be catastrophic from a landfalling hurricane. Ninety percent of U.S. catastrophes involve flooding," he added. "This is why flood insurance is essential for all residents, not just in coastal communities." With budget cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) introduced by the government, "there is no guarantee emergency grants will be available for storm victims who don't have adequate insurance coverage this season," Friedlander said. "It's essential for consumers to own their risk and make sure they are financially protected from storms by purchasing adequate levels of property insurance and flood insurance." An employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center at a news conference in Miami on May 30, 2025. An employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center at a news conference in Miami on May 30, 2025. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images Wind-related hurricane damage is a different story. "Most homeowners are probably covered against wind-related hurricane damage because standard HO-3 policies include wind protection," Talieson said. "However, some homeowners in high-risk areas may have policies that exclude wind damage under their standard deductible, which is how insurers cover hurricane-related damages." This could mean that these homeowners have a separate hurricane or wind deductible. "Instead of their standard deductible of $1,000 or $2,500, this deductible could be as much as 10 percent of their dwelling coverage," Talieson said. "For a home that has $400,000 dwelling coverage, this would mean that the hurricane damage would have a deductible of $40,000. In extreme cases, hurricane-related damage could be excluded completely and homeowners would need to find coverage elsewhere." The Growing Cost of Living in Harm's Way The high number of homes at risk of suffering severe damage during this year's hurricane season show that "living in hurricane-prone areas is beginning to come with a major financial burden," Talieson said. The situation is particularly risky for homeowners who have reduced their coverage by increasing their deductibles or forgoing optional protections, she added. "If a homeowner has a 5-percent or 10-percent hurricane deductible with $400,000 dwelling coverage, that means they must pay $20,000 or $40,000 out of pocket before insurance kicks in," Talieson said. "At this point, most wouldn't consider going through insurance unless their home was completely destroyed. And, since home insurance doesn't cover flood damage, going without flood insurance could leave homeowners even more vulnerable." With climate change making extreme weather events more unpredictable and more destructive, and President Donald Trump's administration's cutting FEMA's budget, Timothy Davidson, a professor at the School of Social Work at Tulane University, told Newsweek that homeowners should veer toward being overly cautious this year. "With FEMA in flux and response systems stretched extremely thin, individuals need to take preparedness into their own hands immediately," Davidson said. "Secure your home, stock essentials—more than you think you need—have backup power if possible, and make an evacuation plan NOW. If a major storm is forecast and you have the means, don't wait—leave early." In a crisis, he said, "self-reliance and community coordination will matter more than ever, connect with your neighbors, church groups and so on. With the FEMA staffing cuts, limited ability for coordination and collaboration with historic FEMA partners, and the current general state of limbo with disaster response…there is real potential for a Katrina level catastrophe or worse, and that is not an exaggeration," he added. "Don't count on aid coming. If it does, it will be very delayed and will likely be minimal at best. Prepare, prepare, prepare!"
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
A look at remaining Helene debris at South Holston Lake in SWVA
ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) — Earlier this week, News Channel 11 spoke to Washington County, Virginia leaders who are addressing concerns about debris in South Holston Lake from Hurricane Helene. On Sunday, News Channel 11 crews visited the lake to see the state of the lake debris and talk to residents who frequent the waterway. At the Washington County Park and Campground, debris such as logs and limbs can be seen mostly in coves near the shoreline. PREVIOUS: Officials address South Holston Lake debris concerns Steven Statzer, the chairman of the board for the Washington County Park Authority, previously said the park is communicating with the Army Corps of Engineers to help with the cleanup. He said the agency is waiting on permitting to be able to help. In the meantime, he urged those who use the lake to use caution. One camper News Channel 11 spoke to said they've been doing just that because of the debris. 'We've seen a lot of large floating trees, limbs, deck parts,' said lake camper Anne Whitt. 'We actually encountered a house door yesterday.' Whitt said she still enjoys the water, just more cautiously. 'We're going a lot slower now. Because you just don't know where the trees are. We don't go out at night at all.' County leaders say that while the lake is federal property, they recognize the importance of the space as a recreational asset and are doing what they can to keep the waterway safe for all. Lake users are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any significant debris locations to authorities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
NC must be ready to pay for hurricane recovery if FEMA loses funding, Gov. Stein says
North Carolina legislators may need to put hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's rainy-day fund to help with hurricane relief in case the federal government stops supporting disaster recovery, Gov. Josh Stein says. At a press conference marking the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, Stein said Thursday that President Donald Trump's cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency could leave states on their own to fund disaster recovery. Cuts to the federal agency that provides emergency aid to individuals and communities after events such as hurricanes, floods and fires constitutes 'a man-made disaster,' Stein said. The governor also said he was concerned about cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service forecasts provide the basis for weather-related planning to keep people out of harm's way. 'We are heading into this hurricane season with more uncertainty than usual,' Stein said, because funding for FEMA and NOAA are both in flux. Forecasters at NOAA and Colorado State University both have said they expect a busier-than-average hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. NOAA's forecasters say the Atlantic and Gulf coasts should expect 13 to 19 named storms in 2025. Of those, six to 10 are forecast to become hurricanes, including three to five that could be major hurricanes, Category 3 or stronger, with winds of at least 111 mph. The Atlantic basin has been in a period of more frequent hurricanes that are stronger and more destructive than in the past, probably due in part to climate change, researchers say. Hurricane Helene, which came ashore on Florida's Gulf Coast last September, was a tropical storm by the time it reached North Carolina, but has been blamed for 107 deaths in the state and caused more than $53 billion in damage, according to estimates made in October. As of May 30, FEMA said it had given North Carolina more than $656 million through the Public Assistance program, which funds state and local governments' response and recovery work, including road repair, debris removal and infrastructure repair. Through FEMA's Public Assistance program, the state received more than $484 million at a 100% federal cost share for 180 days, funding projects for road repair, debris removal, critical infrastructure repair and more. Since Jan. 20, 2025, more than $172 million in Public Assistance reimbursements has been approved to support the recovery efforts in North Carolina. The agency says it also has approved more than $455 million to help storm survivors pay for food, medicine, housing and home repairs, and another $22.4 million to repair private roads and bridges damaged by Helene. Stein and William Ray, the state's director of emergency management, said the beginning of hurricane season is a good time to start an emergency kit, which could be filled and ready to go when the season ramps up in North Carolina, usually beginning in August. has specific guidance on what to put into a hurricane kit and information on evacuation zones and routes. This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.
