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Impact of
Hurricanes
A White Paper
Kelly McLaughlin
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
Contents
Figures.............................................................................................................................................2
Abstract............................................................................................................................................3
Flooding.......................................................................................................................................3
Pests.............................................................................................................................................3
Energy..........................................................................................................................................4
Chemical Exposure......................................................................................................................4
Coastal Erosion............................................................................................................................5
Structural Fortifications...............................................................................................................6
Coastal Protections......................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................7
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Pests.........................................................................................................................................2
Energy......................................................................................................................................3
Chemical Exposure..................................................................................................................3
Coastal Erosion........................................................................................................................4
Mitigating Risk................................................................................................................................5
Structural Fortifications...............................................................................................................5
Coastal Protections......................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6
Figures
Figure 1 images taken of islands off Louisiana’s coast. It shows the coastal erosion as a result of
hurricanes between 2001 and 2005. Source: USGS........................................................................4
IntroductionAbstract
Hurricanes are deadly storms that cause catastrophic damage to life and property. According to
the Insurance Information Group, Hurricanes account for the top 13 most costly catastrophic
insurance events in US history, followed by Earthquakes. (Shirley, 2009) These damages to life
and property are widely known even to those that have never experienced a hurricane, but the
environmental impacts are a lesser known aspect of hurricanes that needs to be addressed.
Technology has allowed scientists to predict the path of these storms in hopes that the affected
regions can evacuate residents and secure property to mitigate the potential damage from the
hurricane. While it is important to continue to prioritize mitigating the loss of life, the short-term
and long-term effects of hurricanes on the environment is quickly becoming a matter of urgency.
Many of the short-term environmental impacts of hurricanes coincide with major public health
and safety concerns that need to be addressed immediately, but it is important to plan for the
possible long-term impacts of hurricanes as well. This paper will outline the environmental
impacts of hurricanes, how environmental impacts are currently being addressed, and solutions
to mitigate future impacts.
Flooding
Flooding is one of the initial impacts of hurricanes that causes catastrophic damage to property
and infrastructure. Systems designed to protect the environment from contamination such as
waste disposal services and water treatment plants can be severely damaged from floodwaters. In
addition to damaging infrastructure, floodwaters have a direct impact on the ecological systems
in the affected area. According to the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium, freshwater
surges from excessive rainfall can reduce the salinity levels of saltwater bodies, harming the
animal and plant life that depend on this environment to survive. (2018).
Pests
An increase in pests is another short-term environmental result of Hurricanes that has an
impact on public health. Common pests, especially insects like mosquitos, are attracted to
standing water. The flooding caused by catastrophic hurricanes leads to an increase in mosquito
populations. Besides being a nuisance, Mosquitos can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and
other dangerous infectious diseases. Rats and mice, another animal that has the potential to carry
disease, are forced to higher ground due to flooding and loss of food sources. (IOM, 2007).
In order to protect against the public health concerns of disease, immediate pest control
measures are required. Widespread pest control measures will help with the increase in disease-
carrying pests, but also has the potential to expose the environment to excess chemicals or
destroy wildlife that is important to the ecosystem.
Energy
The damaging winds and downpours that come from hurricanes often result in a loss of
electrical power for a significant portion of the inhabitants in the disaster area. Gas-powered
generators are frequently used in place of electricity supplied by the power grid when those
systems are interrupted. Carbon Monoxide poisonings as a result of personal generator use rise
after catastrophic hurricanes as seen during Hurricane Katrina in Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana. (IOM, 2007). These poisonings are usually associated with use in indoor spaces, but
personal generators are having an impact on the outside environment as well. A study conducted
by engineering students at Cornell University found that these generators have high emissions of
nitrogen oxide which is a precursor to ozone concentrations (Friedlander, 2014). Ccurrent
electrical infrastructure, it can take days to weeks for electrical grid power to be restored to most
of the residents, which means longer use of these personal generators.
Long Term Impacts
Chemical Exposure
Many buildings and dwellings are destroyed as a result of a catastrophic hurricane, which
initially is considered a short-term impact. The more damage that a hurricane causes, the longer
it will take to clean up and rebuild these destroyed structures. The debris from older houses and
buildings has the risk of exposing the environment and people to harmful chemicals and particles
such as asbestos. Containers used to transport toxic chemicals can become damaged or destroyed
during the hurricane as well, which can contaminate the ground and air if left for extended
periods of time.
Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion can destroy animal and plant habitats that rely on the protection from
coastal barrier islands. Research on coastal erosion conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey
showed that sediment deposited from storm surges caused by hurricane Andrew destroyed
around 80 percent of the Oyster population off the coast of Louisiana. (Shirley, 2009).
Structural Fortifications
Special attention needs to be paid to the buildings that handle hazardous pollutants in
areas that experience frequent hurricanes. Concrete barriers are one way to prevent hazardous
materials from leaking into the environment. Barriers like these should be standard in any facility
operating with hazardous materials in hurricane zones (Folk 2018). New facilities that are built
should be constructed as far as possible from the direct path of hurricanes and floodwaters.
Electrical power is another infrastructure that can be fortified to help mitigate some of the
environmental impacts of hurricanes. Fortifying the electrical grid so that damage can be
contained to small areas will help with mass power outages. (Folk 2018).
Conclusion
Hurricanes cause catastrophic damage to people, property, and the environment. Many of
the short-term effects of catastrophic hurricanes will eventually have long-term environmental
impacts. Governments should continue to create solutions to the immediate dangers to human
life that are associated with hurricanes; evacuation procedures, public health measures, and
disaster relief have come a long way in aiding people directly impacted. Focus on these
immediate issues will always be important, but measures need to be taken to help with the long-
term environmental impacts of hurricanes. As the occurrence of these violent storms increases,
so does the impact these storms have on future generations and the planet.
References
Friedlander, B. (2015, January). Generators that relieve power grid worsen ozone
pollution. Cornell Chronicle. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/01/generators-relieve-
grid-worsen-ozone-pollution
Folk, E. (2018, July 14). How Countries Can Prepare for the Environmental Impacts of
Hurricane Season. Retrieved from https://earthmaven.io/planetwatch/climate-earth-
sciences/how-countries-can-prepare-for-the-environmental-impacts-of-hurricane-season-
Z3DZbbMy80WOhkl4xNpugA
Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium. (2018) How Do Floods Impact the Environment?
Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-
comparisons/chandeleur.html
IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2007. Environmental Public Health Impacts of Disasters: Hurricane
Katrina. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Roundtable, on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine, et
al. Environmental Public Health Impacts of Disasters: Hurricane Katrina: Workshop
Summary, edited by Lynn Goldman, and Christine Coussens, National Academies Press,
2007.
Tanner, E., Rodriguez-Sanchez, F., Healey, J., Holdaway, R., & Bellingham, P. (2014). Long-
term hurricane damage effects on tropical forest tree growth and
mortality. Ecology, 95(10), 2974-2983. Retrieved July 20, 2020, from
www.jstor.org/stable/43493923
U.S. Geological Survey. Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms. Retrieved
July 20, 2020, from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-
comparisons/chandeleur.html