The Physical and Financial Impact of Water Damage From Hurricanes | SERVPRO® of Montgomery

7/22/2021 (Permalink)

Hurricanes are damaging in a myriad ways causing 10 to 15 inches of rain in the area it impacts, causing devastating water damage.

Hurricanes are damaging in myriad ways. A storm of that size can dump 10 to 15 inches of rain in the area it impacts, causing devastating water damage to a swath of soaked businesses and homes in its wake.

We often see news coverage of physical damage, displaced families and sometimes sadly we even get reports of injuries and casualties. But when the news coverage ends, the reality of a future full of instability remains, and much of the lasting damage from a massive weather event is felt in the area of financial recovery from water damage.

Water Damage and Its Financial Impact Locally

The frequency of extreme weather events is taking its toll on many areas and industries across the nation, and North Carolina is no exception.

In fact, North Carolina has suffered the damages of 20 different hurricane disasters in the last 30 years with a financial impact that has amounted to at least a billion dollars each.

The greater Charlotte and Mecklenburg area alone has felt the effects of officially recorded hurricanes or tropical storms an average of every six years over the last century, with the latest as of this writing being 2020’s Tropical Depression Bertha, with a windspeed of almost 30 miles per hour and a diameter nearing 35 miles.

Financial Impact of Hurricane Water Damage Nationally

In 2018 and 2019, there were 28 climate and weather disasters with financial losses exceeding $1 billion (among them Hurricane Florence in North Carolina). This falls in line with the average from 2015–2019, which is 13.8 disasters of this same type and minimum impact annually, with an incredible $136 billion in damages.

Hurricanes alone accounted for over half a trillion dollars in damages between 1986 and 2015. Being a coastal state puts North Carolina in harm’s path often, relative to other states, so it’s imperative to take each hurricane season with the utmost care, and do what you can to maximize preparedness, in order to minimize financial, structural, and personal losses.

Add to the financial losses the fact that floodwater carries waste and pesticides which can cause illness, and that it promotes the growth of mold and mildew, and you’ve got an incredible amount of risk from water damage in such massive storms.

If your home or business should sustain water damage from storms or floods, SERVPRO has local technicians on standby 24 hours a day for emergencies, and we’ll be on hand to make sure your restoration needs are taken care of. Click or call today to find out how we can help when disaster strikes.