When Hurricane Ian hit the Gulf Coast of Florida on September 28, 2022, the Category 4 storm created a surge of ocean water that rose by one to two stories along some 60 miles of the state\u2019s southwestern coastline, flooding thousands of homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hurricane Ian\u2019s trail of destruction has put a national spotlight on the pitfalls of building in flood-prone areas, with countless media outlets highlighting the fact that more than 80% of homes that were under evacuation orders didn\u2019t have flood insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reality is that many homeowners across the United States aren\u2019t actually aware of their property\u2019s risk of flooding, leaving them with little guidance on whether they should purchase a flood insurance policy to cover storm damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, only about 4% of homeowners nationwide have flood insurance<\/a> \u2014 a problem that can be largely attributed to the flood maps created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Georgina Sanchez<\/a>, a research associate at NC State\u2019s Center for Geospatial Analytics. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFEMA\u2019s flood maps designate areas located in the 100-year floodplain, or where there\u2019s a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Many Americans rely on these maps to make decisions about where and how to build their homes or businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cFlood maps help determine which areas are at high risk of flooding and, therefore, require flood insurance, structural adaptations, or are eligible for federal buyout,\u201d Sanchez said. <\/p>\n\n\n
FEMA\u2019s flood maps designate areas located in the 100-year floodplain, or where there\u2019s a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Many Americans rely on these maps to make decisions about where and how to build their homes or businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFlood maps help determine which areas are at high risk of flooding and, therefore, require flood insurance, structural adaptations, or are eligible for federal buyout,\u201d Sanchez said. <\/p>\n\n\n