How Hurricanes Disproportionately Affect Low-Income Communities of Color
Natural disasters have ravaged humans since the start, but they don’t always affect everyone the same. Communities of color are often disproportionately affected by natural disasters, especially hurricanes. Hurricanes are one of the most common and damaging natural disasters that have devastated entire cities, leaving its residents in dire need. With this year being full of these tropical storms, for some, the aftermaths are worse than ever.
The 2 major hurricanes in 2023 have been Hurricane Hilary and Hurricane Idalia. Hilary started as a Category 4 hurricane (its status was changed to a tropical storm later) brewing in the Pacific Ocean. According to CBS News, it made landfall on August 20 in Baja California,Mexico, affecting the area with flash floods, mud and landslides, and power outages. The storm moved up to Southern California in the days following, being the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years. There were up to 12 inches of rainfall in some areas and over 53,000 power outages in the areas hit. Though on a larger scale the impact of Hilary is significantly less than that of other hurricanes,, the areas affected are full of civilians not used to storms of Hilary’s caliber hitting them.With no preparation beforehand, especially in Southern California, many were forced to evacuate their homes.
On the other side of the country, Hurricane Idalia raged on the coast of Florida causing landfall on August 31 on the Gulf Coast. Idalia was a Category 3 hurricane making its way up to Category 4 status. The effects of Idalia were much greater than those of Hilary, with storm surges and destructive winds up to 130 miles per hour. The storm surges, defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as “an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide”, went up to 15 feet, causing major flooding. Though the area is one much more acclimated to hurricanes and tropical storms, the impact of Idalia was still major, with warnings being issued across Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia and over 100,000 power outages.
Racial minorities are the most vulnerable populations in the United States with its communities impacted the most. According to a 2015 study titled ‘Disaster Impact Across Cultural Groups, comparisons between Whites, African Americans, and Latinos’ after natural disasters show that minorities are less likely to receive help and resources, are at a higher risk of disaster exposure, and are more likely to experience physical hardships, personal loss, and trauma. Many communities of color in the United States are of low socioeconomic status, making it even more difficult to receive care. Additionally, many Latino and African-Americans develop mental health issues post-disasters, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, but are less likely to get the help they need for these issues. After 2006’s Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, the effects on black, brown, and low-income (often overlapping) communities were substantial. Many predominantly Black neighborhoods were strongly hit; at least 75% of damaged areas in New Orleans were predominantly African-American, as stated in an article from the Reimagine! RP&E Journal titled this ‘Environment, Disaster, and Race After Katrina’. Even in 2016, 10 years after Katrina had hit, most Black neighborhoods were only 60-85% rebuilt while white communities had received more than enough resources and support to rebuild.
These effects are echoed with every natural disaster that hits the US, whether it be on smaller or larger scales. The people who are hit the hardest by these events require the most aid and attention by federal agencies and aid groups. Recovery for all is an achievable goal and the struggle of certain communities cannot be ignored. Neglect is unfortunately common in these situations, but spreading awareness is one further step on the road to true equity.
