Coastal cities are increasingly vulnerable to hurricanes 

Warm waters in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico can power massive hurricanes. However, the level of destructiveness of such hurricanes does not depend only on the climate, but also on the people and properties that are in harm’s way. 

For instance, in various coastal cities, fast population growth has left an increasing number of people inhabiting areas at high risk of flooding.

Socially vulnerable communities 

Wanyun Shao, an associate professor of geography at the University of Alabama, studies precisely this human dimension of climate change and related natural disasters. 

Her research shows that socially vulnerable communities – which are least capable of preparing for disasters or recovering afterward – are usually concentrated in regions which are more susceptible to flooding, especially on the Gulf Coast.

Coastal populations exposed to hurricanes

Nowadays, almost 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal areas, many of which are increasingly exposed to hurricanes and high tide flooding that have been worsened by sea level rise.

Particularly, the Gulf of Mexico is prone to multiple climate change-induced severe weather events. For instance, when Hurricane Beryl hit Texas in July 2024 and caused heavy rain and flooding, three million homes and businesses lost power for several days – at the same time when they were exposed to an intense heat wave. 

Furthermore, over one-fifth of the population in Harris County (home to Houston), is socially vulnerable, so they are more susceptible to harm from extreme weather.

Vulnerable cities on the Gulf Coast 

Socially vulnerable populations include the elderly, persons with disabilities, people living in poverty, and mobile home dwellers. These people don’t have the necessary resources or physical ability to prepare for storms, or the means to rebuild their homes in the wake of such natural disasters.

Many cities along the Gulf Coast, including Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida, have large socially vulnerable populations. In addition, in some of these cities, land development and political decisions have increased the risks posed by hurricanes.

Extreme challenges from urban sprawl 

Houston is a clear case study that shows the extreme challenges arising from unbridled urban sprawl in coastal cities, particularly those most threatened by hurricanes.

From 2000 to 2023, Harris County grew by one-third, adding 1.3 million residents. While the economic boom related to population growth brought new jobs to the county, many of these jobs do not pay well, making Harris County’s poverty rate 16.5% (compared to the national average of 11.5%).

After Hurricane Harvey’s massive flood damage in 2017, a heated debate started. Many people pointed out a problematic reality – Houston was built on a swamp. 

In these conditions, the laissez-faire mentality of Texas politics, which prioritizes not intervening in population growth, has contributed to unbridled urban development, turning what once was a wetland to concrete land. Thus, with wetlands just paved over, heavy rain cannot be easily absorbed, making new neighborhoods highly vulnerable to flooding.

Urgent need to rethink urban development 

Previous research by Shao’s research group that focused on risk decision-making has found that, among all land use and land cover types in the county, developed land has increased fastest, from 35% of the county’s land in 2000 to 50% in 2020.

Hurricane Harvey provided a good example of the importance of planning for extreme weather events in urban development. Unfortunately, as the hurricane’s devastation fades in the collective memory, increasingly more people are now moving to Houston.

According to Shao and her colleagues, coastal communities cannot afford to wait for a natural disaster’s wake-up call to start investing in protecting themselves. To prepare for future such disasters, they must urgently rethink urban development, while keeping the realities of climate change in mind.

Hurricane resilience in coastal cities

Building resilience involves strengthening flood control systems and upgrading emergency response strategies to account for increasingly severe storms. This also requires implementing zoning regulations that restrict construction in high-risk flood zones. 

In some cases, it may even be necessary to consider managed retreat, where buyouts are used to relocate vulnerable communities to safer areas.

Raising public awareness is equally crucial. Educational campaigns can inform people about disaster risks, while accurate flood risk maps can encourage individuals to purchase insurance, select safer locations, and better safeguard their homes against local hazards. 

Effective awareness efforts often collaborate with grassroots organizations to expand their reach, ensuring that vulnerable populations are informed and prepared.

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