When massive hurricanes strike, the immediate destruction, including power outages and damaged property, is often just the beginning.
Hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, is not quite over. In 2024, several record-breaking storms have already caused significant destruction and loss of life.
In predominantly Black communities, the aftermath of massive storms can linger for years, exacerbating existing inequities and creating new challenges.
Recent studies have shown that hurricanes disproportionately impact communities of color, particularly Black populations.
You May Also Like
In fact, Black Americans are three times more likely to die after a hurricane than their white counterparts, according to a study published in Nature.
The study pointed to inequities in disaster response efforts. Marginalized groups are more likely to experience “inadequate resources, slower recovery, and poorer health outcomes.”
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida before devastating parts of North Carolina, causing several deaths and hundreds of thousands of power outages, according to the Florida Phoenix.
Reportedly, vulnerable populations, including low-income neighborhoods and people of color, were impacted the most by the Category 4 storm. Helene is considered the deadliest one to strike the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
In North Carolina, where recovery efforts are ongoing, these communities may face years of health and economic struggles due to the storm.
Hurricane Ian impacts Black family
Florida has had its fair share of storms that caused significant damage to homes, resulting in long-term consequences for residents.
The Gavin family, descendants of one of the first Black families to settle on Sanibel Island, were forced to leave their historic home located on the west coast of Florida due to Hurricane Ian.
The storm’s ferocity put entire neighborhoods underwater and cut power for over two million people.
“Our family has been a fixture of that community for a very long time,” Phoebe Gavin told the BBC. “The idea of losing that is losing a huge part of who we are.”
Wreaking havoc on health and jobs
For Black communities, Hurricanes often bring long-term economic hardships, housing instability, and job loss.
The health impacts are also devastating, with increased mortality rates due to lack of access to health care and increased stress levels. Hurricanes also cause thousands of additional deaths in the years following the storm, often due to lack of access to health care and increased stress, the Nature study noted.
“In any given month, people are dying earlier than they would have if the storm hadn’t hit their community,” Solomon Hsiang, an author of the study and professor of environmental social sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, said in a report.
“A big storm will hit, and there’s all these cascades of effects where cities are rebuilding or households are displaced or social networks are broken. These cascades have serious consequences for public health.”
The impacts of climate change
Climate change disproportionately affects Black communities, exacerbating existing inequalities. Black Americans are more likely to live in areas that are vulnerable to extreme weather.
An article by Forbes highlighted how systemic factors, such as economic disparities and lack of access to resources, make these communities more vulnerable to climate change.
According to the Forbes article by Shelley Stewart, “Black neighborhoods are at greater risk of flooding and other climate-related disasters, leading to significant economic and health impacts.”
“About half of all Black people in the United States reside in 11 states in the southeast where exposure to extreme heat, hurricanes, and flooding is particularly high,” Stewart writes.
Hurricane Katrina’s destruction on ‘Cancer Alley’
Remember the devastation and losses that people experienced in Louisiana from Hurricane Katrina?
A Harvard study underscored that hurricanes disproportionately impact marginalized communities, including Black, Native American, Latinx, and low-income populations.
According to the Harvard Political Review, when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in the summer of 2005, it caused significant death and destruction, particularly affecting low-income residents in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.”
These predominantly Black communities faced longer recovery periods, higher displacement rates, and greater mental health challenges compared to other populations. Additionally, it took a long time for residents in those areas to receive assistance with rebuilding and cleanup.
Poor infrastructure
Infrastructure is also a problem in some communities, including a lack of infrastructure resistant to flooding and hurricane-force winds.
For instance, during Hurricane Andrew, which severely affected Florida and Louisiana, Black and Latinx people were less likely to receive adequate insurance settlements for their losses compared to white residents.
While state and federal emergency officials continue to provide resources for storm recovery, Black and Latinx people face long-term economic losses.
Another 2019 Harvard study highlighted that Black and Latinx residents in American counties with $10 billion in hurricane damages between 1999 and 2013 lost an average of $27,000 and $29,000, respectively. That’s compared to white residents in similar situations, who gained an average of $126,000.
FEMA’s guide for recovery
Ongoing efforts by federal emergency officials to push for equity in recovery responses and form partnerships could lead to better outcomes for communities disproportionately impacted by storms.
In 2023, FEMA released “Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post-Disaster Guide for Local Officials and Leaders” to help rebuild communities more inclusively. The guide aids local leaders in understanding their roles, promoting equity, and ensuring accountability in disaster recovery.
“This new guide offers fresh insights and strategies for local officials and leaders to ensure the work they are doing to rebuild their communities is done with inclusivity, accountability, and equity top of mind,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
