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Articles on Hurricanes 2017

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Hurricane Irma passes Cuba and approaches southern Florida on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, with Hurricane Jose at lower right. NASA

Understanding hurricane risks: 5 essential reads

The 2018 hurricane season starts on June 1, with some communities still recovering from 2017 storms. Scholars offer insights about where the risks lie and who is most vulnerable during and after hurricanes.
Hurricane Harvey flooded one-third of Houston and displaced more then 30,000 people in the region. Janelle Rios

How Texas is ‘building back better’ from Hurricane Harvey

After disasters, communities often push to rebuild as quickly as possible. A public health expert says they should aim higher and fix problems that exist pre-storm.
People in the U.S. and the Caribbean share vulnerability to climate change-related disasters, but only in the Caribbean is the public truly worried. Why? US Navy

Caribbean residents see climate change as a severe threat but most in US don’t — here’s why

New research suggests politics and risk perception may explain why the US and Caribbean see climate change so differently, though both places are ever more vulnerable to powerful hurricanes.
Breezy Point, New York off the coast of Long Island after the storm surge from Superstorm Sandy. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Storms hit poorer people harder, from Superstorm Sandy to Hurricane Maria

Five years after Superstorm Sandy, we see how disadvantaged social groups suffered more from the storm before and after – much as we’re seeing in Hurricanes Harvey and Maria.
Coastal wetlands are an effective first line of defense and act by slowing down storm surges and reducing flooding. Kelly Fike/USFWS

As communities rebuild after hurricanes, study shows wetlands can significantly reduce property damage

New research by scholars, conservationists and the insurance industry shows that coastal wetlands provide hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of protection from flooding, boosting the case for protecting them.
Satellite image on Sept. 7, 2017 shows three hurricanes: Irma in the center just north of the island of Hispaniola, Katia on the left in the Gulf of Mexico and Jose in the Atlantic Ocean on the right. NOAA via AP

Do hurricanes feel the effects of climate change?

What scientists know – and don’t know – about the linkage between climate change and hurricanes.
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused widespread power outages. AP Photo/Eric Gay

Should the US put power lines underground?

Would putting power lines underground avoid hurricanes knocking out electricity service for millions of people? The answer is not as straightforward as it seems.

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