Massive storm exposes growing threat looming over cities in the U.S. South: 'A constant existential fear'

When Hurricane Debby (later downgraded to Tropical Storm Debby) hit the East Coast recently, it caused extensive damage and at least seven deaths. In Charleston, South Carolina, the storm revealed just how vulnerable the city is to extreme weather events, which are becoming more common and more intense, the Washington Post reported.

What's happening?

Though Charleston hasn't had a direct hit from a hurricane since Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the city has experienced massive flooding from other tropical storms over the past decade, including Florence in 2018, Irma in 2017, Matthew in 2016, and Joaquin in 2015.

"It's no longer a question of if these storms can happen; we've seen them happen now again and again and again," Jessica Whitehead, executive director of the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience at Old Dominion University, told the Post. "There's only so much you can do to plan for 20 inches of rain in a single storm, and beyond that, it's emergency management."

Why are extreme weather events concerning?

The prospect of flooding is "virtually just a constant existential fear we have throughout the year," Charleston resident Damon Black told the Post.

As our planet continues to get hotter, largely as a result of burning dirty energy sources such as gas and oil, climates are continuing to change — for the Southeastern United States, that has meant more, bigger, and wetter storms.

Unfortunately, many of the places most affected by this extreme weather, such as Florida, are moving away from solutions meant to curb the trend. 

What's being done about storm preparedness in Charleston?

As the city of Charleston has experienced so much flooding over the past decade, it is now working on several flood mitigation tactics. These include raising the Battery, the city's historic seawall, and building tunnels and pump stations. The city is also considering building a barrier to protect its harbor from storm surges.

However, if these storms continue to become more frequent and intense in the future, even those tactics won't be enough to save homes. In order to truly address the threat that extreme weather events pose, we must halt the overheating of our planet caused by dirty energy.

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