Scientists, lawmakers calling for change after report on deadly flooding from hurricanes

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A report out this month from the National Hurricane Center shows rain and water are the top killers when hurricanes hit. That new data is getting the attention of some lawmakers and climate scientists.

The grim NHC report reveals more people died from inland flooding than were killed by initial storm surge between 2016 and 2018.

“We have greater and greater confidence that, in fact, climate change is having an impact on the amount of rainfall that we are experiencing here in the United States and globally,” said Steven Hamburg, the chief scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund.

Hamburg says climate experts have worried for decades about hurricanes that produce more and more rain because of the changing climate.

“The probability of flooding associated with hurricanes has increased and we could expect to see it increase dramatically over the future as well,” he said.

The report also has some members of Congress hoping to pass more legislation to address the changing climate.

“Florida is in the crosshairs,” Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) said. “I’m hearing from people who live on the coast but who live inland that they are dealing with this expensive flooding more often.”

Castor worries that flooding will continue to cost more money and more lives unless there’s a change in climate policy.

“What we’ve got to do is transition to more clean energy and make our hometowns more resilient,” she said.