Hidden Toll of US Hurricanes Revealed in New Study

Strategic Insights -

The study, published in Nature, provides a devastating look at the long-term consequences of hurricanes in the United States, finding that they contribute to an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 deaths over a 15-year period. This staggering number far surpasses the average of 24 direct deaths reported immediately after a hurricane. The researchers, led by climate economist Solomon Hsiang and University of California Berkeley researcher Rachel Young, examined 501 different storms hitting the US between 1930 and 2015, discovering a persistent "bump" in death rates following each storm.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hurricanes in the US contribute to an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 deaths over a 15-year period.
  • The average storm results in a 15-year "bump" in death rates, far exceeding the initial 24 direct deaths reported.
  • The study's authors, Hsiang and Young, used a long-term public health and economics-oriented analysis, known as excess mortality, to assess the impact of storms.
  • The researchers found that the "death bump" persists for up to 15 years after a storm, with some individuals dying earlier than they would have otherwise.
  • The attributed deaths were not immediately reported as hurricane-related, but rather listed as heart attacks, strokes, or respiratory failures.
  • The study's findings suggest that the long-term health effects of stress, environmental toxins, reduced healthcare access, infrastructure damage, and government spending changes may be contributing factors.
  • The researchers discovered a "trickle of mortality" over 15 years, with an estimated 5-10 individuals dying earlier than they would have otherwise each month.

Statistics:

  • 7,000 to 11,000 deaths attributed to hurricanes over a 15-year period.
  • 24 average direct deaths reported immediately after a hurricane.
  • 501 different storms examined in the study.
  • 15-year average "bump" in death rates following each storm.
  • 5-10 individuals dying earlier than they would have otherwise each month.
  • 1930 to 2015: the time period examined for the study.
  • Nature: the journal in which the study was published.

Sources:

  • Nature: "Hurricanes contribute to tens of thousands of excess deaths in the United States" (September 16, 2022).
  • Hsiang and Young: "Excess mortality after a massive hurricane" (2022).
  • Study co-author Solomon Hsiang is a climate economist at Stanford University.
  • Researcher Rachel Young is from the University of California, Berkeley.