(Atlanta, GA, Tuesday, September 21, 2021) – Peak hurricane season runs through late October, and as severe storms intensify across the country, residents in the Atlanta area need to understand their flood risk and take well-informed action to be prepared for the next storm.
In June, Tropical Storm Claudette broke a 50-year old record for a single day of rain in Atlanta and the next Tropical Storm could have a significant impact on the city and surrounding counties.
Atlanta’s unique metropolitan flooding risk, also referred to as “urban flooding,” is due to the area having more development, more concrete, and fewer places for water to drain. This means that heavy rain during a severe weather event can overwhelm drainage systems and cause flash floods.
The last time that Atlanta saw significant flooding was in 2009, and the flooding episode that year was catastrophic:
- Several counties in north Georgia were affected, with most of them in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area.
- This had a large impact on the community and the local economy, with $500 million in property damage in Georgia and more than 20,000 homes, businesses and other buildings significantly impacted, the majority of which were uninsured.
With flood insurance, residents have one less thing to worry about when a flood damages their home and destroys their contents. People can learn more about the risk to their community and how to secure flood insurance by visiting FloodSmart.gov.
Background:
- Flooding can happen anywhere, even far from a water source. Towns, cities, and their suburbs have hidden flood risks that can put homes and businesses in danger. Changing weather patterns, new housing development, small streams, and limited drainage can turn a heavy rain into a flash flood in just minutes.
- Flood insurance policies typically take 30 days to go into effect. If you wait to purchase a policy until after a flood event begins, your property won’t be protected from the damage caused.
- Just an inch of water in your home can cause up to $25,000 in damage.
Interviews are provided by FEMA.