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Business Wire
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Resilient Recovery Initiative Receives Grant From the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Following Eaton and Palisades Wildfires
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Climate Resolve and Resilient Cities Catalyst together received a $250,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to seed development of a comprehensive Resilient Recovery Roadmap in response to the Eaton and Palisades wildfires that devastated Los Angeles communities. The Resilient Recovery Roadmap will shape a multi-year, multi-million dollar community-led effort that will guide billions of dollars in long-term recovery funding and build resilience to future disasters. "With the Hilton Foundation's support, we can begin the critical work of bringing diverse stakeholders together to develop actionable plans for recovery and future resilience." The Roadmap will serve as a comprehensive and actionable plan that addresses both immediate recovery needs and long-term community resilience. The project will bring together global expertise from successful disaster recovery efforts while prioritizing local community experiences and needs. "This initiative builds on our previous work following the 2018 Woolsey Fire and applies global best practices in resilience planning to the specific challenges facing Los Angeles neighborhoods," said Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director of Climate Resolve, who also serves on LA County's Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery. "With the Hilton Foundation's support, we can begin the critical work of bringing diverse stakeholders together to develop actionable plans for recovery and future resilience." Global nonprofit Resilient Cities Catalyst brings extensive experience in disaster recovery, with a team that has led resilience-building efforts following Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, and other crises. Climate Resolve, meanwhile, combines direct community engagement with successful policy advocacy in California and has authored several wildfire reports, including Lessons from the Woolsey Fire in 2020 and Mental Health Effects Of Wildfire Smoke, Solastalgia, and Non-Traditional Firefighters in collaboration with the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions in 2021. 'Resilient Cities Catalyst is honored to support this critical recovery effort in partnership with Los Angeles communities,' said Sam Carter, Founding Principal at Resilient Cities Catalyst. 'Every place is unique, but we are excited to share the lessons we have learned from around the world to inform a resilient recovery process.' With a target release date of fall 2025, the Roadmap will be driven by an inclusive and equitable process that integrates convenings, engagement with key stakeholders, and alignment with other existing recovery efforts. For more information about the Resilient Recovery Roadmap or to learn how to support or collaborate in advancing this effort, please contact Kris Eclarino, Senior Technical Manager at keclarino@
Hindustan Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Sarah Aragón glanced at the growing line of people snaking down Central Avenue, waiting for their allotment of everything from melons to pinto beans to frozen catfish. She wondered how she'll keep feeding them all. This year, the federal government has canceled food deliveries and cut hundreds of millions of dollars in annual aid to food banks. For Aragón, the head of programming for Roadrunner Food Bank, New Mexico's largest charitable food operation, that has meant losing more than seven million pounds of food she had been counting on. President Trump's megabill, passed earlier this month, includes cuts to food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Food banks across the country were already straining under rising demand. Now, they worry many more Americans will go hungry. Some food banks and pantries are pushing for more state, local and private funding. Others are considering cutting back services and the amount of food they can distribute. 'It's getting to the point where we can't fill every single need in terms of food,' Aragón said. 'I don't know how much more creative we can be to make things stretch.' Food banks have seen requests for assistance from households—including those with children—jump sharply over the past few years, driven by the end of pandemic aid programs and the impact of inflation on grocery prices. According to a recent survey from Feeding America, a national network of food banks, over half of 162 food banks reported demand rising this past April compared with April 2024. Sarah Aragón is the head of programming for the Roadrunner Food Bank in New Mexico. Earlier this year, the Agriculture Department canceled millions of pounds of shipments to food banks that were part of its emergency food-assistance program for low-income people. A spokesperson for the department said it had only terminated an additional fund set up by the Biden administration that resulted in inflated spending on the program. Deliveries for the main emergency food effort continue uninterrupted, the department said. A separate pandemic-era program, slated to disburse roughly $500 million this year to food banks to buy produce, dairy items and meats from local farmers, was also cut by the Agriculture Department. The department said it had released hundreds of millions of dollars to food banks that had been previously promised as part of the program. Yet food banks say they are already feeling the impacts of federal cuts. 'This is the most challenging situation I've seen in 17 years here,' said Paule Pachter, president and chief executive of Long Island Cares, a food bank that serves New York's Long Island. 'We've been through Superstorm Sandy, Covid, but this is a self-imposed crisis.' Pachter's organization faces mounting demand, opening two additional pantries over the past few years to add to its four others. In 2019, it recorded just over 59,000 visits from people needing food. In 2024, that number was more than 193,000. A waiting line last month at a Roadrunner Food Bank distribution in Albuquerque, N.M. The Roadrunner Food Bank is pushing state lawmakers to allocate more funding to offset cuts. Earlier this year, a delivery of a quarter million pounds of food from the emergency food program was canceled, Pachter said. Pachter and other food bank leaders say the SNAP reductions included in the new budget bill will strain resources by pushing more people whose benefits have either been cut or reduced toward pantries to get food. Republicans say changes to the SNAP program will ensure people receiving the benefits are working, as required. The budget bill expands work requirements for SNAP, raising the upper age limit for able-bodied adults from 54 to 64, meaning those people will typically have to work for 80 hours a month to qualify for food benefits. Caregivers of children ages 14 and older previously didn't have to work to get SNAP assistance. The new legislation removes that exemption in most cases. These changes are set to go into effect immediately, while other changes that shift some of the cost of paying for SNAP from the federal government to the states will be implemented in the coming years. A congressional analysis of an earlier House version of the bill found that roughly 3.2 million people would lose SNAP benefits in an average month over the next decade. Some food banks have seen a rise in people accessing their services who also get SNAP assistance. A pandemic-era program that provided households with the maximum amount of food benefits ended in 2023. According to data from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, the number of people who use its pantries and were also enrolled in SNAP jumped by 64% between the end of 2022 and the end of 2024. Zach Zook, chief strategy officer for the Pennsylvania organization, said the rise showed that even before the cuts, SNAP benefits often weren't enough. Families enrolled in the program use food banks to fill the gap. Madaline Yazell, 75, at left, says Roadrunner in Albuquerque enables her to supplement the groceries she buys with her Social Security money. Since April, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has also had 23 loads of emergency food-assistance program goods canceled. The food bank receives $173,000 a month from the Agriculture Department's local food program to buy local pork, chicken and dairy items, among other products from farmers. The last payment will be in July, before its funds from the program run out, Zook said. The food bank has seen demand soar over the past several years. The number of times it served children nearly doubled between fiscal years 2019 and 2024. Some front-line pantries, the groups that actually distribute the food provided by food banks, are considering reductions in services to conserve resources. The Love Thy Neighbor community pantry in King George County, Va., recently drafted a contingency plan to prepare for the cuts. Among the options being considered: limiting the number of times people can visit pantries from weekly to biweekly, and reducing the 50 to 55 pounds of food each household receives per visit. 'There are different dials that we can spin to try and keep serving people in a reduced way,' said Ryan Ragsdale, treasurer and secretary of the pantry. In New Mexico, roughly one in five residents are enrolled in SNAP—among the highest participation rates in the country. Roadrunner is ramping up food drives and pushing state lawmakers to allocate more funding to offset cuts. Brian Hall, a burly former Army infantryman, is a regular at one of Roadrunner's weekly distribution sites. Hall, 60 years old, said a back injury has left him unable to work at all since 2018. He had been interested in working as a counselor for other veterans, but a recent series of strokes derailed that plan. Brian Hall, a veteran in Albuquerque, says he never thought he would seek help from a food-bank program. Hall said he gets $1,400 in disability payments from his back injury and $140 a month in SNAP benefits. He still relies on Roadrunner each week to help get enough to eat, calling it a lifeline. 'I moved to Albuquerque to help my parents because they're older and I wanted to give them a hand. But now I'm the one getting the help,' he said. 'Never in a million years, did I think I'd be in this situation.' Aragón said that this year, Roadrunner's distributions run out of food more often than they have in the past. 'When we have to tell people that we have no more left, the look on their faces when they walk away is like 'What am I going to do now?'' she said. 'I don't have an answer.' Write to Dan Frosch at Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
10 Deadliest US floods in the last 25 years that still haunt in the nation's history
Source: New York Times Texas flash floods have claimed at least 82 lives, with numerous other holiday visitors and campers still missing after torrential rains triggered a rapid and devastating rise in water levels. Kerr County emerged as the worst-hit region as nearly 12 inches of rain fell early Friday morning during an overnight storm, causing the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes. The disaster unfolded over the holiday weekend, catching many off guard and overwhelming campsites, roads, and riverside communities. This tragedy underscores a stark reality: flash floods are the deadliest weather hazard in the United States, surpassing hurricanes and tornadoes in annual fatalities. The National Weather Service reports an average of over 125 flood-related deaths each year. As communities continue to reel from this latest disaster, it becomes yet another entry in a long history of devastating US floods from Hurricane Katrina to Superstorm Sandy that reveal the escalating threat of extreme weather events. Here are the 10 most disastrous flood events in the US in the last 25 years that will shake you. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mucus in Lungs? Do This if You Feel Breathlessness Neuracare Learn More Undo 10 major flood disasters in the US from Katrina to Kentucky Event Year Location(s) Fatalities Hurricane Helene 2024 FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA ~250 Eastern Kentucky Floods 2022 Eastern Kentucky 45 Waverly, TN Flash Flood 2021 Waverly, Tennessee 20 Hurricane Harvey 2017 Houston and Southeast Texas 68 West Virginia Floods 2016 West Virginia 23 Superstorm Sandy 2012 US East Coast (esp. NY & NJ) 147 (72 in US) Mississippi River Basin Floods 2011 OK, MO, AR, LA, TN 24 Hurricane Ike 2008 Texas Gulf Coast 100+ Hurricane Katrina 2005 Gulf Coast, especially New Orleans ~1,400 Tropical Storm Allison 2001 Texas and Louisiana (especially Houston) 41 Major flood disasters in the US The Texas Hill Country flood now adds to the growing list of flood disasters that have devastated parts of the US Here's a closer look at some of the most severe flood events in the US: Hurricane Helene (2024) Source: Bloomberg O ne of the most recent deadly events, Hurricane Helene tore through Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia in September 2024. The storm caused around 250 fatalities, most of which were due to inland flooding, not wind. North Carolina alone reported 108 deaths, and entire Appalachian communities were left cut off from electricity, communications, and vital supplies. It was the deadliest hurricane since Katrina in 2005. Eastern Kentucky Floods (2022) Source: Reuters In July 2022, relentless rainfall triggered catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky, killing 45 people, according to the Associated Press. Meteorologists noted that the floods destroyed entire neighborhoods, schools, water systems, and roadways. Thousands of residents lost their homes and belongings overnight, marking one of the worst natural disasters in Kentucky's history. Waverly, Tennessee Flash Flood (2021) Source: Washington Post A staggering 17 inches of rain fell within 24 hours in Waverly, Tennessee, in August 2021. The resulting flood claimed 20 lives, including young twin babies swept from their father's arms. The rapid rise in water levels overwhelmed communities, destroying homes, vehicles, and businesses. Hurricane Harvey (2017) Source: ABC News One of the most infamous recent disasters, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, then stalled, releasing historic rainfall over Houston and surrounding areas. The National Hurricane Center reported 68 deaths, with the vast majority caused by freshwater flooding. Harvey resulted in over $125 billion in damages and destroyed more than 300,000 structures. West Virginia Floods (2016) Source: USA Today A seemingly mild rainstorm turned deadly in June 2016, as flooding swept through West Virginia. The flood killed 23 people and left dozens stranded. The event exposed vulnerabilities in emergency preparedness and infrastructure across the state. Superstorm Sandy (2012) Source: USA Today Superstorm Sandy was a powerful hybrid system that struck the East Coast in October 2012. The storm caused 147 deaths, 72 of which occurred in the US Most fatalities were attributed to drowning, and massive storm surges flooded subways, damaged homes, and left millions without power, especially in New York and New Jersey. Mississippi River Basin Floods (2011) Source: Britannica In the spring of 2011, excessive rainfall and record snowmelt caused widespread flooding across the Mississippi River Basin, resulting in 24 deaths across multiple states including Oklahoma, Missouri, and Louisiana. Communities were overwhelmed as levees were breached and emergency systems failed under pressure. Hurricane Ike (2008) Source: New York Times Striking the Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, Hurricane Ike produced a 20-foot storm surge in Galveston and dumped torrential rains on Houston. The storm killed over 100 people, many due to floodwaters, and severely damaged homes, roads, and vehicles. Hurricane Katrina (2005) Source: YouTube The deadliest and costliest flood disaster in US history, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005. When levees broke, entire neighborhoods were submerged, forcing rooftop rescues. The death toll reached nearly 1,400 people, with damages exceeding $200 billion. The event remains a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of flood mismanagement and climate vulnerability. Tropical Storm Allison (2001) Source: National Geographic In June 2001, Tropical Storm Allison stalled over Texas and Louisiana, unloading over 40 inches of rain in parts of Houston. The prolonged deluge caused 41 deaths, with extensive damage to homes, businesses, and city infrastructure. The storm left tens of thousands stranded as emergency services struggled to respond. From Texas to Kentucky and New Orleans to New Jersey, the destructive force of flash floods has reshaped communities, taken lives, and cost the nation hundreds of billions of dollars.
Boston Globe
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Boston Globe
A look at some of the deadliest floods in the US in the last 25 years
Authorities are still assessing the deadly effects of heavy rains that caused devastating flash floods in Texas Hill Country, leaving at least 32 people dead and many others missing as frantic parents sought word about their daughters unaccounted for at a girls camp near the Guadalupe River. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Hurricane Helene, 2024 Hurricane Helene struck Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia in September 2024. The storm caused about 250 deaths, according to the National Weather Service. Advertisement Many of those who died in Helene fell victim to massive inland flooding, rather than high winds. Helene was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The storm decimated remote towns throughout the Appalachians and left millions without power, cellular service and supplies. In North Carolina alone, Helene was responsible for 108 deaths, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Kentucky, 2022 Raging floodwaters in eastern Kentucky in late July of 2022 led to 45 deaths, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said Saturday. The floods destroyed homes and businesses and caused significant damage to schools, roads, bridges and water systems. The disaster robbed thousands of families of all their possessions. Advertisement Tennessee, 2021 Twenty people were killed when creeks near the small Middle Tennessee town of Waverly overflowed after more than more than 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain fell in the area in less than 24 hours in August 2021. Homes were washed off their foundations, cars were wrecked and businesses were demolished. The dead included twin babies who were swept from their father's arms. Hurricane Harvey, 2017 Hurricane Harvey barreled into Texas in August 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm. Harvey hovered for days as it trudged inland, dumping several feet of rain on many Gulf Coast communities and the Houston area. Harvey killed at least 68 people, according to a National Hurricane Center report. All but three of the Harvey deaths were directly attributed to freshwater flooding, which damaged more than 300,000 structures and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage. West Virginia, June 2016 A rainstorm that initially seemed like no big deal turned into a catastrophe in West Virginia, trapping dozens of people during the night and eventually leaving 23 people dead around the state. Superstorm Sandy, 2012 Superstorm Sandy was a late fall freak combination of a hurricane and other storms that struck New York and surrounding areas in October 2012. Sandy killed 147 people, 72 in the eastern U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center. More than 110 deaths were attributed to drowning, Roys said. Mississippi River, 2011 Heavy rainfall in several states, plus a larger-than-normal slow melt, led rivers in the Mississippi River Basin to swell and flood in 2011. Flash floods associated with these storms caused 24 deaths across Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee in April and May, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane Ike, 2008 Hurricane Ike struck the southeast Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, creating a storm surge as high as 20 feet (6 meters) in the island city of Galveston. Advertisement Ike then poured more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of rain on In all, Ike was responsible for more than 100 deaths, many caused by flooding. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Hurricane Katrina is the deadliest flood event in the U.S. in the past 25 years. The storm crashed into the Gulf Coast and caused devastating flooding when levees failed in New Orleans, where people had to be rescued by boat and helicopter from rooftops. The costliest storm in U.S. history, Katrina caused nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damages. Tropical Storm Allison, 2001 Tropical Storm Allison caused 41 deaths, mostly attributed to flooding caused by 40 inches (101 centimeters) of rain that fell in Texas and Louisiana, Roys said. Allison remained a threat for days as its remnants lingered after making landfall in June 2001, causing major flooding in Houston.
Hamilton Spectator
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
A look at some of the deadliest floods in the U.S. in the last 25 years
Flooding has caused an average of more than 125 deaths per year in the United States over the past few decades, according to the National Weather Service, and flash floods are the nation's top storm-related killer. Here's a look at some of the most deadly flooding nationwide in the past 25 years. Texas, July 2025 Authorities are still assessing the deadly effects of heavy rains that caused devastating flash floods in Texas Hill Country, leaving at least 27 people dead and many others missing as frantic parents sought word about their daughters unaccounted for at a girls' camp near the Guadalupe River. Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. Hurricane Helene, 2024 Hurricane Helene struck Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia in September 2024. The storm caused about 250 deaths, according to the National Weather Service. Many of those who died in Helene fell victim to massive inland flooding, rather than high winds. Helene was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm decimated remote towns throughout the Appalachians and left millions without power, cellular service and supplies. In North Carolina alone, Helene was responsible for 108 deaths, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Kentucky, 2022 Raging floodwaters in eastern Kentucky in late July of 2022 led to 45 deaths, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said Saturday. The floods destroyed homes and businesses and caused significant damage to schools, roads, bridges and water systems. The disaster robbed thousands of families of all their possessions. Tennessee, 2021 Twenty people were killed when creeks near the small Middle Tennessee town of Waverly overflowed after more than more than 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain fell in the area in less than 24 hours in August 2021. Homes were washed off their foundations, cars were wrecked and businesses were demolished. The dead included twin babies who were swept from their father's arms. Hurricane Harvey, 2017 Hurricane Harvey barreled into Texas in August 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm. Harvey hovered for days as it trudged inland, dumping several feet of rain on many Gulf Coast communities and the Houston area. Harvey killed at least 68 people, according to a National Hurricane Center report . All but three of the Harvey deaths were directly attributed to freshwater flooding, which damaged more than 300,000 structures and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage. West Virginia, June 2016 A rainstorm that initially seemed like no big deal turned into a catastrophe in West Virginia, trapping dozens of people during the night and eventually leaving 23 people dead around the state. Superstorm Sandy, 2012 Superstorm Sandy was a a late fall freak combination of a hurricane and other storms that struck New York and surrounding areas in October 2012. Sandy killed 147 people , 72 in the eastern U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center. More than 110 deaths were attributed to drowning, Roys said. Mississippi River, 2011 Heavy rainfall in several states, plus a larger-than-normal slow melt, led rivers in the Mississippi River Basin to swell and flood in 2011. Flash floods associated with these storms caused 24 deaths across Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee in April and May, according to the National Weather Service . Hurricane Ike, 2008 Hurricane Ike struck the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008, creating a storm surge as high as 20 feet (6 meters) in the island city of Galveston. Ike then poured more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of rain on Houston , destroying thousands of cars and leaving hundreds of thousands of families with flood-damaged homes. In all, Ike was responsible for more than 100 deaths, many caused by flooding. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Hurricane Katrina is the deadliest flood event in the U.S. in the past 25 years. The storm crashed into the Gulf Coast and caused devastating flooding when levees failed in New Orleans, where people had to be rescued by boat and helicopter from rooftops. The costliest storm in U.S. history, Katrina caused nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damages. Tropical Storm Allison, 2001 Tropical Storm Allison caused 41 deaths, mostly attributed to flooding caused by 40 inches (101 centimeters) of rain that fell in Texas and Louisiana, Roys said. Allison remained a threat for days as its remnants lingered after making landfall in June 2001, causing major flooding in Houston. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
