Hurricane Floyd was one of the most costly storms in U.S. history, and nowhere did its impact resonate more strongly than in eastern North Carolina. The devastating floods that followed Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 affected half the counties in the state. Fifty-two people lost their lives and tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. The floods severely impacted the state's agriculture and livestock industries, eliminated 30,000 jobs, and caused countless hours of human misery for people of all ages, ethnic groups, and social classes.
The destruction and suffering resulting from a disaster often stimulates a call for change. But what happens when the visual reminders are gone? Do communities continue to work toward preventing similar impacts from occurring after future disasters? Drawing on the experience and insights of experts and the people who experienced the disaster firsthand, this ambitious volume describes the challenges that communities in eastern North Carolina faced after Hurricane Floyd. Together the contributors recommend a revision to how eastern North Carolina and other flood-prone regions plan and prepare for natural disasters.
