Florida’s geography makes it uniquely vulnerable. As a peninsula that extends south into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida claims the most coastline of any state besides Alaska
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskSome areas, including Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, south of Tampa, were told to expect tsunami-scale storm surges reaching as high as 18 feet, nearly the height of a two-story building. It is too early to tally the devastation, but it will be vast. As this article was published, more than 2m Floridians had no power.
As the storm pushed north, the governors of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia also declared states of emergency, but Florida will accrue the most damage. It has experienced around 40% of hurricanes in America, more than any other state. . Around three-quarters of the state’s 22m residents live in coastal areas, which are exposed to hurricanes and rising sea levels.The only peace the violent storm brought was a temporary reprieve from political fighting ahead of.
In addition to the clean-up, Mr DeSantis will have to contend with Floridians’ unease about their already dysfunctional and expensive property-insurance market. Even before Ian, lawsuits and fraud had been pushing home-insurance costs up. Florida has among the highest prices of any state. Over the past two years the average premium increase for Florida’s homeowners rose by 25% compared with 4% nationally.
There is also a broader risk to Florida’s economy. The development, sale and leasing of real estate generates around a fifth of the Sunshine State’s GDP. It is fuelled by. Between 2010 and 2020 Florida’s population grew by nearly 15%, double the national rate. Mr DeSantis has heralded the population boom as a validation of his governing strategy and the state’s ascendance.
Home values are likely to decline in the aftermath of Ian. That could, in theory, stimulate demand. But more likely, it will halt in-migration, at least in the short term. This will carry an economic toll.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Florida’s Logistical Disruptions Could Last For Weeks Following Hurricane Ian | OilPrice.comAs of 11:54 a.m. EDT, more than 2.6 million Floridians were without power, with some counties, including Hardee, almost completely in the dark. Nearly 20% of Tampa gas stations have reported fuel shortage and access issues.
Read more »
At least 30 people dead after Hurricane Ian leaves trail of destruction in FloridaAt least 30 people have died after Hurricane Ian flooded homes in Florida and left a trail of destruction in its wake.
Read more »
Hurricane Ian: They stayed for the storm - what happens now?Florida residents are facing tough choices about whether to stay or leave in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
Read more »
Florida Death Toll Rises to 47 After Hurricane IanRescuers evacuated stunned survivors on a large barrier island cut off by Hurricane Ian and Florida’s death toll climbed sharply, as hundreds of thousands of people were still without power
Read more »