New study finds far more hurricane-related deaths in US, especially among poor and vulnerable

A new epidemiological study has shed light on a significant discrepancy in the number of hurricane-related fatalities in the U.S., revealing that such deaths, particularly among the poor, vulnerable, and minority populations, are far higher than traditionally estimated by meteorologists.

According to the research carried out by a collaboration of public health and storm experts, between 1988 and 2019, over 18,000 people likely perished due to hurricanes and tropical cyclones in the continental U.S., a number that is 13 times more than the 1,385 direct deaths recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, the authors noted that these numbers might not be directly comparable.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, went beyond just examining direct casualties like drowning or being struck by debris. It considered changes in the overall death rate in counties affected by storms, just before, during, and after a hurricane, and compared those numbers to normal years. The excess deaths were attributed to the storm, using a recognized public health methodology.

The lead author of the study, Robbie Parks, an environmental epidemiologist at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, highlighted the indirect causes of deaths, including heart and lung problems, infections, injury, and mental health issues that arise after storms, particularly during stressful clean-up and rebuilding efforts.

While meteorologists are commended for counting direct deaths during the storm, Parks emphasized that the indirect and post-storm fatalities seem to be underestimated, particularly impacting the most vulnerable sections of the American population.

The study also utilized the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s social vulnerability index to categorize American counties. In the case of the most severe hurricane winds, the most vulnerable third of the population suffered 57% of the excess deaths, whereas the least vulnerable had only 6%.

Officials like the National Hurricane Center’s Director, Michael Brennan, acknowledged the results, and the hurricane center is now working to engage more with socially vulnerable communities and improve storm warnings’ translation into other languages.

Experts not involved in the study, like MIT hurricane scientist Kerry Emanuel and former NOAA hurricane scientist Jim Kossin, echoed sentiments that the data makes sense and that the poorer individuals with limited evacuation options bear the brunt of the suffering.

Examples of gaps between official death counts and those calculated in the study were seen in the cases of 2012’s Superstorm Sandy and 2017’s Irma, among others. The National Hurricane Center’s Brennan pointed out that the center relies on information from various sources to write official reports but lacks access to longer-term statistical studies used to calculate “indirect” deaths.

In a separate report, the National Hurricane Center analyzed the causes of direct hurricane deaths over the last decade and compared them to earlier periods. While storm surge-related deaths have decreased, freshwater flooding deaths have increased, now accounting for 57% of all hurricane deaths, a figure possibly skewed by 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.

The study’s findings underscore the need to reassess the full impact of hurricanes, considering not only the immediate but also the lingering consequences that disproportionately affect the less privileged. The National Hurricane Center and other agencies must strive to create more inclusive and comprehensive measures that take into account these findings to better protect and assist the most vulnerable communities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Undercounted Hurricane Deaths

More about Undercounted Hurricane Deaths

• Study: Far More Hurricane-Related Deaths in US, Especially Among Poor and Vulnerable (source)
• National Hurricane Center (official website)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (official website)
• Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health (official website)