Above, massive flooding in North Georgia spotlights a problem – many folks who never needed flood insurance before, are now exposed to new risks.
Flood maps used by the federal government are outdated, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or Fema, said on Sunday, considering a series of devastating floods caused by excessive rainfall induced by climate change.
Deanne Criswell told CNN’s State of the Union: “The part that’s really difficult right now is the fact that our flood maps don’t take into account excessive rain that comes in. And we are seeing these record rainfalls that are happening.”
Criswell was questioned about the situation in Jackson, Mississippi, where city water facilities failed in the aftermath of heavy flooding on the Pearl River, leaving residents without drinkable or usable water.
On Sunday, thunderstorms and heavy rain pounded parts of north-west Georgia, sparking flash floods. Local news reports showed roads under water and homeowners struggling.
The Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, declared a state of emergency in Chattooga and Floyd counties, directing all state resources to help with “preparation, response and recovery activities”.
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported rainfall of up to an inch an hour. Up to 12in was estimated to have fallen, according to Kemp’s executive order.
“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the NWS said. “Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.”
Another of my standard rants: Governments should not subsidize flood insurance long term. “One and done” arrangement where the premium is subsidized until the first payout is a humane way to deal with catastrophic climate change, but make it very clear to the homeowner that they will not be encouraged to rebuild after a major flood.
Of course, in the Summerville event it was a rain bomb, so flood plain maps don’t mean squat and premiums should be set on the basis of likelihood of a direct hit.
A gentle reminder – a giant has awoken, and we’ve seen nothing yet.
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“Just a small kick to Thwaites could lead to a big response.”
https://www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/seafloor-images-explain-thwaites-glacier-retreat/