On July 4, the nation looked on in horror at Texas flooding that has since claimed more than 130 lives. Six days later, several Vermont communities sustained infrastructure damage and loss of houses due to severe flooding from heavy rains — the third year in a row local officials had to deal with flood recovery. Also on July 10, Boston’s South Shore was hit with a “1 in 200 years rainfall event,” a deluge that flooded Interstate 93, stranded motorists, and closed part of the Red Line. And on July 14, flash floods hit the New York-New Jersey area, closing subway lines in the city and roads in New Jersey, and killing two people whose vehicle was swept away.
These incidents are becoming more frequent and more expensive. Global reinsurer Swiss Reestimates that natural catastrophes around the world have created insured losses of more than $100 billion annually for the past five years. States look to the federal government in the face of disaster, but the Trump administration is withdrawing almost all climate-related funding.
Read more in The Boston Globe
