Florida is home to the most cities facing devastating storm damage in the United States.
Of the top 10 endangered cities, five are located in the Sunshine State, according to the CoreLogic report.
- Miami
- Tampa
- Fort Myers
- Bradenton
- Naples
The above list makes only the top five facing devastating storm damages. Florida is home to many other climate-endangered cities. Parts of the Sunshine State could be flooded underwater, while others sustain high wind damage and frequent wildfires.
Let's take a closer look at the storm damages, as millions of single-family homes come to terms with concerning future.
"A storm surge is a rise in sea level that occurs during tropical cyclones, intense storms also known as typhoons or hurricanes. The storms produce strong winds that push the water into shore, which can lead to flooding. This makes storm surges very dangerous for coastal regions. ... They form over warm, tropical oceans," per National Geographic.
1. Miami is the most endangered Florida city
Miami suffered the most H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5 storms in America.
The city lives in the middle of the largest hurricane hotspot in the United States. More than 738k single-family homes face the risk of storm surges in Miami, according to the CoreLogic report. Rebuilding this many homes would cost around $149 billion.
2. Tampa is right behind Miami
This economic powerhouse of Western Florida is facing a similar reckoning as Miami.
Over 540k single-family homes face the extreme danger of storm damage. In addition, the financial side of these events could accumulate up to $100 billion in damages, according to the CoreLogic report.
3. Fort Myers overlooks extreme hurricane risk
Fort Myers is one of the fastest developing American cities, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
However, this great metropolitan area is under the looming danger of violent storm surges. Some 322k single-family homes are at imminent risk in the events of hurricanes and extreme weather.
4. Bradenton is another danger zone
Bradenton is also coming to terms with extreme storm surges. This rich and ethnically diverse city has over 284k single-family homes facing storm surges.
The cost to rebuild these homes would cost an estimated $57.46 billion. In addition, hurricane winds infuse complexity of $79.19 billion in repairs, creating a total estimate of $136.65 billion in storm damages.
5. Naples is highly vulnerable to storm damage
Naples tops the charts in a high number of categories. Most of them are a cause for celebration:
- #7 most beautiful place to live
- #1 in best places to live in Florida
- #1 healthiest city in America
- #2 in the safest place to live in America
- #3 in best places to live for quality of life
- #4 in best places to retire
- #4 in fastest-growing places
However, Naples is also among the most vulnerable cities in the Sunshine State.
This famous destination is home to 197k single-family units at risk of storm damage. Rebuilding and reinforcing Napels would cost up to $45 billion, according to the CoreLogic report.
Bellow the line
Florida cities are facing extreme risk of storm surges. Over 2.9 million single-family units are in danger.
The Sunshine State is second to none for its risk of extreme weather and climate disruptions.
"As hurricanes grow stronger, property losses will continue to mount and the insurance industry will see increased financial implications as wind damages are covered by standard homeowners insurance policies," as per CoreLogic report
Where is the government?
Gov. DeSantis is taking a different approach to tackling climate issues compared to his predecessor.
The Senate Bill 1954, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law, aims to invest over $640 million to combat the environmental and climate dangers in Florida.
- $500 million for Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan
- $100 million for Resilient Florida Grant Program
- $29 million for Resilient Florida Grant Program
- $12.5 million for Resilient Coastlines Initiative
Are you worried about Florida's future?
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