7/19/2020 Environmental

Impact of
Hurricanes
A White Paper

Kelly McLaughlin
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
Contents
Figures ............................................................................................................................................. 2

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 3

Environmental Impacts of Hurricanes ............................................................................................. 3

Flooding ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Pests ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Energy ......................................................................................................................................... 4

Chemical Exposure ...................................................................................................................... 4

Trees and Forests ........................................................................................................................ 4

Coastal Erosion ............................................................................................................................ 5

Current Measures to Reduce Environmental Impact ...................................................................... 6

Proposed Measures to Reduce Environmental Impact ................................................................... 6

Structural Fortifications ............................................................................................................... 6

Preparation Before Storms .......................................................................................................... 6

Coastal Protections ..................................................................................................................... 7

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 7

References....................................................................................................................................... 8
Figures
Figure 1 images taken of islands off Louisiana’s coast. It shows the coastal erosion as a result of
hurricanes between 2001 and 2005. Source: USGS ........................................................................ 5
Abstract
Hurricanes are deadly storms that cause catastrophic damage to life and property. According to
the Insurance Information Group, Hurricanes account for the top 13 most costly catastrophic
insurance events in US history, followed by Earthquakes. (Shirley, 2009) These damages to life
and property are widely known even to those that have never experienced a hurricane, but the
environmental impacts are a lesser known aspect of hurricanes that needs to be addressed.
Technology has allowed scientists to predict the path of these storms in hopes that the affected
regions can evacuate residents and secure property to mitigate the potential damage from the
hurricane. While it is important to continue to prioritize mitigating the loss of life, the short-term
and long-term effects of hurricanes on the environment is quickly becoming a matter of urgency.
Many of the short-term environmental impacts of hurricanes coincide with major public health
and safety concerns that need to be addressed immediately, but it is important to plan for the
possible long-term impacts of hurricanes as well. This paper will outline the environmental
impacts of hurricanes, how environmental impacts are currently being addressed, and solutions
to mitigate future impacts.

Environmental Impacts of Hurricanes

Flooding
Flooding is one of the initial impacts of hurricanes that causes catastrophic damage to property
and infrastructure. Systems designed to protect the environment from contamination such as
waste disposal services and water treatment plants can be severely damaged from floodwaters.
In addition to damaging infrastructure, floodwaters have a direct impact on the ecological
systems in the affected area. According to the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium,
freshwater surges from excessive rainfall can reduce the salinity levels of saltwater bodies,
harming the animal and plant life that depend on this environment to survive (2018).

Pests
An increase in pests is another short-term environmental result of Hurricanes that has an impact
on public health. Common pests, especially insects like mosquitos, are attracted to standing
water. The flooding caused by catastrophic hurricanes leads to an increase in mosquito
populations. Besides being a nuisance, Mosquitos can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and
other dangerous infectious diseases. Rats and mice, another animal that has the potential to
carry disease, are forced to higher ground due to flooding and loss of food sources (IOM, 2007).
In order to protect against the public health concerns of disease, immediate pest control
measures are required. Widespread pest control measures will help with the increase in disease-
carrying pests, but also has the potential to expose the environment to excess chemicals or
destroy wildlife that is important to the ecosystem.

Energy
The damaging winds and downpours that come from hurricanes often result in a loss of electrical
power for a significant portion of the inhabitants in the disaster area. Gas-powered generators
are frequently used in place of electricity supplied by the power grid when those systems are
interrupted. Carbon Monoxide poisonings as a result of personal generator use rise after
catastrophic hurricanes as seen during Hurricane Katrina in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana
(IOM, 2007). These poisonings are usually associated with use in indoor spaces, but personal
generators are having an impact on the outside environment as well. A study conducted by
engineering students at Cornell University found that these generators have high emissions of
nitrogen oxide which is a precursor to ozone concentrations (Friedlander, 2014). Current
electrical infrastructure, it can take days to weeks for electrical grid power to be restored to
most of the residents, which means longer use of these personal generators.

Chemical Exposure
Many buildings and dwellings are destroyed as a result of a catastrophic hurricane, which initially
is considered a short-term impact. The more damage that a hurricane causes, the longer it will
take to clean up and rebuild these destroyed structures. The debris from older houses and
buildings has the risk of exposing the environment and people to harmful chemicals and particles
such as asbestos. Containers used to transport toxic chemicals can become damaged or
destroyed during the hurricane as well, which can contaminate the ground and air if left for
extended periods of time.

Trees and Forests

Trees and forests are another aspect of the environment that suffers long term effects due to
catastrophic hurricanes. In the short-term, trees are knocked down by forceful hurricane winds.
This can cause animal habitats to be destroyed, and damage to life and property from the tree
itself. Studies are beginning to show long-term effects to these forest regions after catastrophic
hurricanes as well. The extreme winds from a hurricane can damage not only the tree itself, but
the structures trees and other plant life use to reproduce and grow. Future generations of trees
showed slower initial growth rates, and overall decreases in size (Tanner, 2014). Deforestation is
already a large environmental concern for many regions of the world because of the important
job that trees have of removing excess carbon in the atmosphere.

Coastal Erosion
Flooding is listed as a short-term environmental impact of hurricanes but leads to long-term
problems such as coastal erosion. The gulf coast is another area that has experienced severe
coastal erosion, especially during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Figure 1 images taken of islands off Louisiana’s coast. It shows the coastal erosion as a result of hurricanes
between 2001 and 2005. Source: USGS

Coastal erosion can destroy animal and plant habitats that rely on the protection from coastal
barrier islands. Research on coastal erosion conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey showed
that sediment deposited from storm surges caused by hurricane Andrew destroyed around 80
percent of the Oyster population off the coast of Louisiana (Shirley, 2009).

Current Measures to Reduce Environmental Impact

Research has shown that the rate at which hurricanes occur has been steadily increasing and will
continue to increase, which means that the environmental impacts will grow if left unchecked.
Many of the current solutions to lessen the impacts of hurricanes are focused more on the short-
term than the long-term effects. Loss of life and property is an immediate concern that
government agencies have solutions for such as evacuation plans, flood insurance assistance,
disaster recovery, etc. Disaster recovery and cleanup currently focuses on removing debris from
areas, which can lessen the impacts of exposure from building materials such as asbestos. Lining
areas with sandbags can help prevent floodwaters from reaching dwellings but does not provide
any protections for the coastline. Solutions for the short-term environmental impacts are
important, but measures to protect against the long-term impacts is an area that needs focus
and planning.

Proposed Measures to Reduce Environmental Impact

Structural Fortifications
Special attention needs to be paid to the buildings that handle hazardous pollutants in areas that
experience frequent hurricanes. Concrete barriers are one way to prevent hazardous materials
from leaking into the environment. Barriers like these should be standard in any facility
operating with hazardous materials in hurricane zones (Folk 2018). New facilities that are built
should be constructed as far as possible from the direct path of hurricanes and floodwaters.

Electrical power is another infrastructure that can be fortified to help mitigate some of the
environmental impacts of hurricanes. Fortifying the electrical grid so that damage can be
contained to small areas will help with mass power outages (Folk 2018).

Preparation Before Storms

If a hurricane is predicted to impact a certain area, precautions should be taken to protect the
environment. Containers storing hazardous materials should be moved, if possible and safe to do
so, to a location that is not in the direct path of the hurricane.
Coastal Protections
Research into coastal protections should be funded in areas that are impacted by hurricanes.
Universities in areas impacted by hurricanes should receive government grants to conduct this
research to discover additional ways to protect the coastline from erosion.

Conclusion
Hurricanes cause catastrophic damage to people, property, and the environment. Many of the
short-term effects of catastrophic hurricanes will eventually have long-term environmental
impacts. Governments should continue to create solutions to the immediate dangers to human
life that are associated with hurricanes; evacuation procedures, public health measures, and
disaster relief have come a long way in aiding people directly impacted. Focus on these
immediate issues will always be important, but measures need to be taken to help with the long-
term environmental impacts of hurricanes. As the occurrence of these violent storms increases,
so does the impact these storms have on future generations and the planet.
References
Friedlander, B. (2015, January). Generators that relieve power grid worsen ozone
pollution. Cornell Chronicle. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/01/generators-relieve-
grid-worsen-ozone-pollution

Folk, E. (2018, July 14). How Countries Can Prepare for the Environmental Impacts of
Hurricane Season. Retrieved from https://earthmaven.io/planetwatch/climate-earth-
sciences/how-countries-can-prepare-for-the-environmental-impacts-of-hurricane-season-
Z3DZbbMy80WOhkl4xNpugA

Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium. (2018) How Do Floods Impact the Environment?
Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-
comparisons/chandeleur.html

IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2007. Environmental Public Health Impacts of Disasters: Hurricane
Katrina. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Roundtable, on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine, et
al. Environmental Public Health Impacts of Disasters: Hurricane Katrina: Workshop
Summary, edited by Lynn Goldman, and Christine Coussens, National Academies Press,
2007.

Shirley, J. S. (2009) Hurricane Impacts on the Coastal Environment.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/hurricane-impacts/.

Tanner, E., Rodriguez-Sanchez, F., Healey, J., Holdaway, R., & Bellingham, P. (2014). Long-
term hurricane damage effects on tropical forest tree growth and
mortality. Ecology, 95(10), 2974-2983. Retrieved July 20, 2020, from
www.jstor.org/stable/43493923

U.S. Geological Survey. Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms. Retrieved
July 20, 2020, from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/photo-
comparisons/chandeleur.html