The Shocking Cost of Florence

Hurricane Florence has been devastating—the economic damage alone could cost billions of dollars. It’s going to take a Mindful recovery for the Hurricane Florence survivors to get back on their feet, and, fortunately, we can all help.

The Devastation of Hurricane Florence

On September 14th, Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina and flooded large portions of the state. In fact, some areas of North Carolina have been drenched with over 36 inches. The storm also hit two other states, South Carolina and Virginia, and caused flooding there as well.

In the wake of the storm, many people were left scrambling for assistance. Power outages affected many neighborhoods and some homes and business were damaged or destroyed. The death toll continues to rise and forty-three people have died.

Hurricane Cleanup

The recovery process is expected to be a long one. There’s lots of property damage, especially in North Carolina. Pollution is also a major concern as pig waste and coal ash have leaked and spread due to floodwater. Plus, the potential costs of the storm could make Hurricane Florence one of America’s costliest storms. Moody’s Analytics preliminary estimate is between $17-$22 billion. But others such as CoreLogic and AccuWeather have estimated that the economic toll could be $5-$21 billion or $50-$60 billion, respectively.

3 Tips for Helping Hurricane Florence Survivors

Either way, our Mindful family in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia need our help. Listed below are a few Mindful ways you can lend a hand.

1. Donate cash. Lots of organizations helping Hurricane Florence survivors need monetary donations. The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) list charities you can trust and donate to. Some of the national NVOAD members include DirectRelief, AmeriCares, and the American Red Cross. For more information click here.
2. Donate items. If you prefer to donate items to local NVOAD branches or a charity, be sure to call and ask what they need first. Unsolicited items can be a burden for organizers and not what survivors in the area really need. If you would like to donate to the North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, check out the contact information listed here.
3. Volunteer. Lots of volunteers will be needed at this time. If you have the time to assist with distributing aid, helping at housing shelters, or cleaning up debris, please consider volunteering. You can sign up here. But remember to wait until you are contacted and do not self-deploy.

Bonus. It’s been over a year since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory and the people there are still feeling the effects. While you’re helping survivors of Hurricane Florence, consider helping the Hurricane Maria survivors as well. You can find more information in this article.