In recent years, coastal North Carolina experienced increasing severe weather events. This issue is critical in the Cape Fear Region of the state, where two devastating hurricanes caused significant damage in the past five years. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused massive flooding in the region, resulting in $1.5 billion in damages affecting over 100,000 buildings. In 2018, Hurricane Florence produced massive storm surges, closing off major sections of I-40 and effectively isolating Wilmington and New Hanover County from the rest of the state for several days. These types of storms and events are not going away and residents will continue to experience their effects. The challenge for local governments is responding to the increased frequency of these storms to protect the safety of their residents and strengthen their infrastructure.
ncIMPACT hosts a town hall on the campus of UNC Wilmington to explore how communities can bounce back and plan ahead for future storms.
