Lansing is a rural town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, tucked in the northwestern corner of North Carolina. Many would call it an anachronism––a place out of sync with time.

In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene ravaged Central and Southern Appalachia. Over three days, historic rainfall and extreme wind gusts caused massive flooding and landslides which decimated roads, homes, businesses and parts of communities. 

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 isn’t prepared to be a climate haven. Maybe such havens don’t actually exist, but as the region is projected to be one of the more livable regions of the country as climate change continues, there are much-needed investments that must occur in order to help this new wave of projected residents thrive here.

Hurricane Helene ripped through six southern states by the time her fury dissipated, hammering the shores of Florida’s Gulf Coast with a 15-foot storm surge and winds that reached 140 miles per hour and spawning tornadoes.

The devastation from Hurricane Helene continues to unfold across the southeastern U.S.

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.

Press Release - ReImagine Appalachia, Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center and the National Wildlife Federation were joined by local elected officials and advocates today to detail a four-pillar flood resilience policy roadmap for Appalachia. Nearly forty groups have endorsed the platform.