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During The Storm: How Hazards Impact Your Community

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The community no longer looks like a postcard. A hurricane is headed this way. The sky is darkened, the winds are increasing, and rain batters structures from all angles. The waves thrash about, and beaches are bare. Looking about, you see people busily boarding up their homes and businesses, emptying store shelves of plywood and groceries. Folks wonder whether to leave or stay. This is a stormy day on the coast.

Whether it has been many years or a few weeks since the last hurricane, one thing is sure: man is no match for nature’s power. Structures that seemed so sturdy snap like twigs. Steel drums burst and leak. Cargo containers and shipping crates are torn apart. Chemicals are washed into nearby rivers and streams, and the roads themselves resemble rivers. Boats of all shapes and sizes are tossed about, and debris flies through the air.

What can be done in the days leading up to a storm? When will the storm strike? Are there other hidden dangers in coastal communities? Do more people die of storm surge or inland flooding? How do you know if everyone is evacuated? What routes should people take? Who should leave first? The Coastal Storms Program (CSP) can help communities plan for and lessen the impacts of storms through preparation.

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