On Feb. 25, several Appalachian Voices employees visited the town of Pennington Gap to offer help removing flood debris from Leeman Field.

From a delay in federal assistance to insurance confusion to lingering economic uncertainty, small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene find themselves in troubling times.

Months after Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina, many residents continue the process of rebuilding with mixed support from the federal government.

Local governments are the first to respond when natural disasters hit, but many are too understaffed to ensure long-term resiliency planning and emergency management services are not yet prepared to deal with the climate crisis’ impact in Appalachia.

Flooding affects all sectors of communities, but low-income households, especially those in Appalachia, are particularly at-risk for natural disasters.

Investments in flood mapping are crucial for identifying risks and setting flood insurance rates, yet years of disinvestment have made underrepresented Appalachia’s risks to climate disasters.

From logging to mining, Appalachia’s extractive history has left many communities at risk for climate disasters, but many nature-based solutions can provide a valuable stopgap to future hazards.

Appalachia is intended to become a climate haven over the next several decades, yet systemic challenges continue to plague the region, making this potential refuge unlikely without significant policy changes.

A total of 17 lives were lost in Northeast Tennessee, including two from Cocke County, one from Greene County, one from Knox County, one from Johnson County, eight from Unicoi County and four from Washington County.

A new platform from the Appalachian Flood Resilience Coalition intends to provide a guide for policy-makers for how to strengthen regional communities to better withstand flooding disasters.