Hurricanes cost more than you think. Here’s why that matters.

Blowing 100 mile-per-hour winds, Hurricane Francine wreaked havoc on Southern Louisiana on September 11, causing massive power outages for hundreds of thousands of people. The most damaging effect was the storm surge that inundated coastal parishes like Terrebonne and Lafourche. Preliminary estimates by AccuWeather suggest the damage could reach $9 billion. These estimates are crucial for state governments to allocate aid effectively and assist in insurance claims for faster recovery post-disaster. Different agencies provide varying assessments, each serving a specific purpose. AccuWeather’s estimates consider a wide range of costs to cover losses comprehensively. It is important to factor in all aspects of disaster costs beyond the economic data to truly understand the impact on communities, especially marginalized populations.