The Financial Toll of Flooding—Part 1

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In this episode

It’s hurricane season—and extreme weather events are on the rise. Along with the catastrophic losses that families face after the flood is the economic burden on taxpayers through the National Flood Insurance Program. It’s the financial lifeline for those who carry flood insurance and an essential funding source for both disaster preparation and recovery efforts. However, the program is also $25 billion in debt, and more than a quarter of that total is from properties that flood repeatedly. It’s a growing issue affecting more than just coastal cities. Host Dan LeDuc discusses the flood that devastated Nashville, Tennessee, in 2010 with Roger Lindsey, chairman of the Tennessee Association of Floodplain Management and practice leader for Stormwater and Floodplain Management for Nashville’s Metro Water Services, and Laura Lightbody, who directs Pew’s flood-prepared communities work. To listen to the second episode, visit “The Financial Toll of Flooding—Part 2."

Related Pew Research

Tennessee Flood Risk and Mitigation

Vulnerable Communities Are Using Innovative Financing to Prepare for Natural Disasters

Before the Flood: The Value of Mitigation

Repeatedly Flooded Properties Cost Billions

Flooding Disasters Cost Billions in 2016

Shoring up Communities: Investing in resilient infrastructure

Episode transcript (PDF)