When massive hurricanes strike, immediate destruction, including power outages and damaged property, is often just the beginning.

Hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, is not quite over. In 2024, several record storms have already caused significant destruction and loss of life.

In majority-Black communities, the impacts of massive storms can linger for years, exacerbating existing inequalities and creating new challenges.

Recent studies have shown that hurricanes disproportionately impact communities of color, particularly Black populations.

In fact, Black Americans are three times more likely to die after a hurricane than their white counterparts, according to one study. study published in Nature.

The study highlighted inequities in disaster response efforts. Marginalized groups are more likely to experience “insufficient resources, slower recovery and poorer health outcomes.”

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida before devastating parts of North Carolina, causing several deaths and hundreds of thousands of power outages, according to the Florida Phoenix.

It appears that vulnerable populations, including low-income neighborhoods and people of color, were most affected by the Category 4 storm. Helene is considered the deadliest hurricane to hit the continental United States since the Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In North Carolina, where recovery efforts are underway, these communities could face years of health and economic hardship due to the storm.

Hurricane Ian impacts the Black family

Florida has seen its share of storms that have caused significant damage to homes, leading to long-term consequences for residents.

The Gavin family, descendants of one of the first black families to settle on Sanibel Island, was forced to leave their historic home on the west coast of Florida due to Hurricane Ian.

The ferocity of the storm plunged entire neighborhoods underwater and knocked out power to more than two million people.

“Our family has been an integral part of this community for a very long time,” Phoebe Gavin said the BBC. “The idea of ​​losing that is losing a big part of who we are.”

Havoc on health and employment

For Black communities, hurricanes often result in long-term economic hardship, housing instability, and job losses.

The health impacts are also devastating, with increased mortality rates due to lack of access to healthcare and increased stress levels. Hurricanes also cause thousands of additional deaths in the years following the storm, often due to lack of access to health care and increased stress, the Nature study notes.

“Every month, people die sooner than if the storm had not hit their community,” Solomon Hsiang, study author and professor of environmental social sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, said in a statement. report.

“A big storm will hit, and there will be all these cascades of effects where cities will rebuild, households will be displaced or social networks will be broken. These cascades have serious consequences for public health.

The impacts of climate change

Climate change disproportionately affects Black communities, exacerbating existing inequalities. Black Americans are more likely to live in areas vulnerable to extreme weather.

A article by Forbes highlighted how systemic factors, such as economic disparities and lack of access to resources, make these communities more vulnerable to climate change.

According to the Forbes article by Shelley Stewart, “Black neighborhoods are more exposed to flooding and other climate-related disasters, leading to significant economic and health impacts.”

“About half of all black people in the United States reside in 11 southeastern states, where exposure to extreme heat, hurricanes, and flooding is particularly high,” Stewart writes.

Hurricane Katrina Destruction on “Cancer Alley”

Remember the devastation and loss people suffered in Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina?

A Harvard study highlighted that hurricanes disproportionately impact marginalized communities, including Black, Native American, Latino and low-income populations.

According to the Harvard Political Review, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in the summer of 2005, it caused widespread death and destruction, particularly affecting low-income residents of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.”

These predominantly Black communities have faced longer recovery periods, higher rates of displacement, and greater mental health challenges than other populations. Additionally, it took a long time for residents in these areas to receive reconstruction and cleanup assistance.

Bad infrastructure

Infrastructure is also an issue in some communities, including a lack of infrastructure resistant to flooding and high winds from hurricanes.

For example, during Hurricane Andrew, which severely impacted Florida and Louisiana, Black and Latinx people were less likely to receive adequate insurance for their losses than white residents.

As state and federal emergency managers continue to provide resources for storm recovery, Black and Latinx people face long-term economic losses.

Another 2019 Harvard study highlighted that Black and Latino residents of U.S. counties that suffered $10 billion in hurricane damage between 1999 and 2013 lost an average of $27,000 and $29,000, respectively. That compares to similarly situated white residents, who earned an average of $126,000.

FEMA Recovery Guide

Continued efforts by federal emergency officials to promote equity in recovery responses and form partnerships could lead to better outcomes for communities disproportionately affected by storms.

In 2023, FEMA issued “Achieving equitable recovery: a post-disaster guide for local officials and leaders» to help rebuild communities in a more inclusive way. The guide helps local leaders understand their roles, promote equity and ensure accountability in disaster recovery.

“This new guide provides new perspectives and strategies for local officials and leaders to ensure that the work they do to rebuild their communities is done with inclusion, accountability and equity in mind,” said Administrator of FEMA, Deanne Criswell.