The majority of extreme weather disasters that occur globally every year floods.
Of 399 disasters tracked by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) in 2023, 164 were floods. These floods killed 7,763 people, affected more than 30 million people, and caused $20.4 million USD in losses.
Across the country, there has been a seemingly unceasing onslaught of severe weather this year. For many parts of the U.S., 2024’s severe storms led to extensive flooding. Ongoing drought conditions exacerbated the flooding, and an early start to hurricane season brought even more wet weather.
This profile focuses on the most impactful flooding events across the U.S., especially those that affect marginalized and at-risk populations. Other events that reached the level of FEMA assistance will be listed in the section named FEMA Declarations. While there is significant overlap between the profiles, this profile will focus only on the impacts that aren’t addressed in our 2024 U.S. Tornadoes profile and the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season profile, which will cover storms and floods directly connected to tornadic and tropical systems, respectively.
(Photo: Weiss Creek flooded over and washed out parts of Minnesota State Highway 1 near Isabella on June 19, 2024. Credit: NWS)
For more information of floods, please see our Floods Issue Insight.
Key issues
- As of July 12, 2024, there have been 35 deaths directly associated with floods in the U.S. There may also be indirect deaths, or deaths associated with events that caused the flooding. The deadliest month was February with eight deaths, followed by May and June with six deaths each. Of the deaths, 71% were male, 29% female. The majority – 19 – of the deaths occurred while driving.
- Through June, there have been 15-billion-dollar disasters, with three additional events (Central Severe Weather, Midwest Flooding and Hurricane Beryl) under investigation. The 15 events are all storms – two winter storms and 13 severe storms. Collectively, preliminary estimates of insured losses put these disasters with a total damage cost of $37.8 billion.
- While a normal storm can be predicted by weather forecasters, rain bands can often stall or drop large amounts of rain in a short period, leading to unpredictable and devastating flooding and other damage.
- Many areas of the U.S. have been dealing with some level of drought in the past few years. When the ground dries out it cannot easily absorb the influx of water from an intense storm. This means water builds up and causes flooding.
- Similarly, when water falls on saturated ground, it is not absorbed. Additionally, tree roots and soil can be weakened, leading to mudslides. When an area has been damaged by a wildfire, the rainfall cannot be absorbed and tends to cause debris flows, where the fire-damaged debris and water mix and begin moving like an avalanche.
Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri flooding – July
On July 16, approximately 200 homes in Nashville, Illinois, about 50 miles east of St. Louis, were evacuated due to water overtopping a reservoir dam. On July 15-16, about 6 inches of rain fell and homes filled with several feet of water. The dam has been assessed and a secondary dam reacted as designed, helping to prevent complete failure. Repairs will be needed.
Throughout the St. Louis region, interstates were closed due to intense rain and flooding. In Bellville, Illinois, 40 dogs were rescued from the St. Clair County Animal Services as floodwaters inundated their facilities. In Hollister, Missouri, Turkey Creek rose 12 feet in two hours on July 17 and a mobile home park was evacuated.
In Northwestern Arkansas at least one bridge was washed out by flooding in Marion County after 6 to 11 inches of rain fell in just five hours. Eighty-six people were rescued from a nursing home in Yellville, Arkansas, and in Flippin and Greenbrier, residents were forced to evacuate as floodwaters rose.
Wisconsin flooding – July
Communities in Northeastern Wisconsin are recovering from heavy rainfall that prompted evacuations and caused a breach in a dam on July 5. A state of emergency was declared by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers for four counties.
The community of Appleton, included in evacuations on July 5, was also inundated by additional rainfall on July 13. Flash flooding remains a concern for the area as the ground remains saturated and the rivers are full.
Iowa flooding – Late June
Like many other states, Iowa was hit by multiple disasters this spring. Several tornado outbreaks were followed by record amounts of flooding. In total, two-thirds of Iowa’s 99 counties were affected. At least 2,000 homes were destroyed in the state and an additional 3,000 homes were damaged. Infrastructure damages are at least $130 million.
Rock Valley in Sioux County, Iowa was one of several communities in the area that were submerged after the heavy rains raised river levels causing water to overtop the banks. The town of Spencer, Iowa was flooded by the Little Sioux River on June 22 after the river level reached what the mayor called “epic proportions”, surpassing the record set in 1953.
A significant transportation link – a railway bridge that connects Sioux City, Iowa and North Sioux City, South Dakota – collapsed and fell into the Big Sioux River on June 23.
Because of the interlinked river watersheds, the flooding that occurred in Iowa is linked to flooding that happened in Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota. At least three million people were affected. This flooding is under investigation to see if it qualifies to be a billion-dollar disaster.
A federal disaster declaration (DR-4796) was issued on June 24 for Iowa Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds and Tornadoes beginning June 16. Two counties received individual assistance (IA) only, two counties received public assistance (PA) A and B only, and seven counties received PA (A and B) and IA. As of July 12, 3,224 applications have been approved for a total of $36.24 million combined individual and household program dollars.
Louisiana flooding and storms – April and May
A series of storms hit Louisiana this spring, bringing several tornadoes to the state and causing damage from high winds and rain.
A flash flood hit New Orleans on April 10. Since much of the city sits below sea level, pumps are required to pump the water out of the streets but can only remove a small amount per hour. At least 8 inches fell in a few hours, leading to floods that impacted homes, businesses and vehicles.
Because almost all of New Orleans is below sea level, flash flooding is common even in a typical rainstorm.
Minnesota
A slow-moving storm dumped several inches of rain on already saturated ground in northeastern Minnesota on June 18. Flash flooding and river flooding threatened and devastated many communities.
The National Weather Service said, “These reports of 5-7.5+ inches were 500 to 1000+ year rainfalls, with only a 0.1-0.2% chance of happening in any given year. Elsewhere, rainfall over 3 inches in a 6-12 hour period were 100-200 year rainfalls (0.5-1% chance in any given year).”
March through May was one of the top 10 wettest periods in this area and rain was consistently heavy throughout early June. Fairbault, Minnesota, received 17.64 inches of rain during June. The yearly total for the city averages 17.11 inches, per the Department of Natural Resources. As of July 1, Faribault received 30.95 inches of precipitation in 2024, making it the wettest year to date on record.
There was partial damage to the Rapidan dam, including the destruction of a house sitting at the edge of the dam, and concerns that it would collapse completely. As the street flooding got absorbed into rivers and lakes, many rivers rose significantly and reached flood stage, with the Rainy, Littlefork, Cloquet and St. Louis rivers rising as much as four to 20 feet. By the end of June, over half of Minnesota was underwater.
Minnesota received a disaster declaration (DR-4797) on July 1 for flooding that occurred on June 16. This is only for public assistance – categories A-G – in 22 counties, which means that individuals will not receive any support for their damages.
New Mexico - Late June and July
New Mexico faced a convergence of multiple disasters simultaneously in mid-June, including drought, wildfires, a haboob (major dust storm), flash floods and debris flows. Already in a state of drought, two devastating wildfires began to burn in New Mexico on June 18. On June 20, extremely heavy rain hit New Mexico complicating the work to contain the fires and leading to some emergency crews evacuating. There was extensive flash flooding leading to mudslides and blocked roads. The heavy rain in burn scars of previous fires created debris flows as fallen and charred trees were picked up by rushing water.
The newest fires’ burn scars are also causing concerns. Source NM stated, “Since June 29, the National Weather Service has received reports of 41 flash flood events that stranded drivers, carried houses and destroyed bridges, among other destruction in southeast New Mexico.” Those 41 calls came on just four days – June 29-30 and July 9-10.
Burn scars can be as solid as water resistant as pavement, leading rainfall to run off very quickly into the rivers or cause flash flooding.
The Community Foundation of Lincoln County has provided 120 families with $1,000 each in the first round of assistance through their shelter fund, primarily connected with losses from the South Fork and Salt fires. It has not yet been confirmed whether future rounds will also provide funding for flood losses.
FEMA has provided both a fire management assistance grant and a major disaster declaration. The disaster declaration was originally for fires and then expanded to include those affected by flooding. The New Mexico South Fork Fire and Salt Fire major disaster declaration (DR-4795) was approved on June 20. Four counties and the Mescalero tribe were approved for IA and PA categories A-G. As of July 14, the individual assistance program has approved 239 applications for a total combined individual and household program dollars expense of $2.4 million, an average of $10,042/household.
Additional flooding occurred on July 21, with local officials noting that it may have been the most destructive flooding day so far. Additional and ongoing bridge and road closures, along with ongoing debris removal, mean some areas haven’t been fully assessed for damages. Assessments and cleanup continue throughout Brady Canyon.
South Dakota flooding
In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem also declared an emergency after heavy rain caused flooding, shutting down several highways in the southeastern part of the state in mid-June. The state’s largest city, Sioux Falls received seven inches of rain in three days. Canton, about 30 miles from Sioux Falls, received 18 inches of rain. A railroad bridge connecting North Sioux City, South Dakota and Sioux City, Iowa collapsed and portions of Interstate 29 were closed for several days.
The heaviest property damage was in Union County where the Big Sioux River crested 7.28 feet higher than previous records. Twenty-one of South Dakota’s 66 counties experienced flooding and the NWS in Sioux Falls reported it as the wettest two-day period ever recorded in Sioux Falls and Mitchell, South Dakota.
Texas, Houston and Southern Texas floods – late April/early May
Back-to-back storms in late April and early May led to extensive flooding in several communities across Texas. As rivers swelled from the rain, so did water in reservoirs, and the opening of these reservoirs caused downstream flooding in low-lying areas. More than 200 people (and 150 animals) were rescued in early May after flash flooding hit Houston and Harris County.
While there are many immediate needs in the wake of floods, funders should consider holding back funds in anticipation of the intermediate and long-term needs of the affected communities. Some of the needs will depend on the type of damage, as flood damage clean-up is different than wind damage clean-up.
Immediate needs
After floods, needs will depend on the type and amount of damage. Immediate needs may include temporary repair of damaged homes and businesses. This includes debris clean-up and waste management (which also continue into long-term recovery).
There will be a need to replace vehicles, personal belongings, appliances and furniture destroyed in the disaster.
Infrastructure issues
Power outages cause concerns related to food preparation and preservation, personal hygiene, lighting and maintaining temperature control.
While rebuilding the infrastructure is usually a government responsibility, smaller communities may not have the resources to provide their cost share or to support writing state or federal grant applications. This is an area that funders can support by providing low-interest or forgivable loans for the cost share or supporting the completion of the applications.
Rural communities
Recovery in rural communities is slower and requires “patient dollars.” Funders must understand that progress will not occur as quickly as it does in larger, more well-resourced communities. Investments should be made over time: Pledges of multi-year funding are very helpful, as is support for operating costs and capacity building.
Over 50% of all manufactured homes are located in rural areas around the U.S. Rural communities, in many cases, do not have access to social services, particularly disaster recovery assistance support. Many rural families are more vulnerable to the impact of low-attention disasters that do not garner much media interest or donor support.
That said, while many rural communities do not have access to the same level of assistance as urban areas, the social fabric and human capital available in rural communities can be a powerful force multiplier of assistance investments.
Housing
People whose homes were damaged need new housing that is safe and affordable and/or support repairing their damaged homes. After flooding, displaced residents may face challenges finding housing that meets their needs and is affordable.
In many parts of the country, demand for housing outpaces supply, complicating recovery efforts. The ability to rebuild in rural communities is particularly challenging due to reduced economies of scale and the cost of transporting goods.
Affordability
Long-term repair and rebuilding of housing and businesses require additional funding beyond the initial infusion of funds to address temporary shelter and immediate needs. Without an additional injection of assistance, at-risk community members may not be able to recover.
Manufactured housing
Although manufactured housing can be physically vulnerable to storms, it also represents an affordable and accessible housing option. While 71% of mobile homes are owner-occupied, depending upon the location of housing, the homeowner may only own the building, not the land. Additionally, insurance is limited for manufactured housing, especially based on the age of the building.
CDP hosted a webinar about the increased risks manufactured homes face and their role in disaster recovery. Additionally, the Manufactured Home Disaster Recovery Playbook, created by Matthew 25 in 2023 for CDP, has videos, lessons learned and other information to assist funders in supporting manufactured home disaster recovery.
Insurance
After a disaster, even those with insurance may not be covered depending on the type of storm and the damage caused. For example, in the recent derecho on the Gulf Coast, people in Louisiana who had wind damage may be covered by their normal insurance policies, however, those in Houston who have flood damage need to have a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Numerous companies have withdrawn from the home insurance market in states across the country, including Louisiana and Florida. Finding insurance is increasingly difficult and more expensive.
CDP recently hosted a webinar about the insurance coverage crisis in an age of increasing disasters and the role of philanthropy in helping fill the gap. The recording is well worth watching in this current climate of multiple severe weather events and declining insurance coverage in high-risk areas.
Cash assistance
A critical ongoing need will be unrestricted cash donations to support affected individuals and families. Direct cash assistance can allow families to secure housing, purchase items and contract services locally that address their multiple needs. It gives each family flexibility and choice, ensuring that support is relevant, cost-effective and timely. Cash assistance can also help move families faster toward rebuilding their lives. Cash also provides a much-needed jolt to local economies, which can also be a major boon to recovery.
Education and children
After a flooding event with significant damage, schools may be closed for a few weeks to help with recovery. Unfortunately, this comes at a time when students need the social support of their friends and teachers, especially as their families may be busy with their recovery activities.
Child care and child support programs are particularly helpful during this time and can reduce the need for child trauma counseling in later months. Funder investment in these programs has long-term benefits for children and their families.
Health care
There are often immediate health needs after floods related to injuries that arise as people are hit by falling trees or debris, spend time in flood water or lose access to services because of damage to health centers and hospitals.
Roads may be blocked by debris or flooding, preventing health care workers from reaching their jobs or patients from reaching their providers.
It is important to think about more than storm-related injuries. Some people may need access to medical care to address acute or chronic, pre-existing health issues. Surgeries or treatments such as dialysis may be delayed, further worsening conditions.
Funders can help rebuild medical facilities, including equipment, or support temporary staff who can help meet the increased needs of the community.
Emotional and spiritual care
Emotional and spiritual care will be critical, especially for families of people killed in the floods or related storms and first responders. Long-term mental health and trauma support will also be required. Some of the affected communities may have been impacted by previous events, which has left them with increased trauma from natural hazards.
There is also the severe risk of poor emotional health, suicide or self-harming behaviors among people with pre-existing mental health issues. Farmers or ranchers also have unique needs that require support after disasters. The loss of generational family property is often devastating. CDP’s Midwest Early Recovery Fund made a video to help funders understand this issue.
Supporting locally-based and culturally competent mental health resources is an excellent way for funders to build individual and community resiliency and support mental health.
Business recovery
Business recovery is always critical to helping communities rebuild. When floods damage or destroy businesses, it negatively impacts people’s livelihoods. Given the higher costs of living and ongoing recovery from COVID-19, this is particularly challenging for small businesses.
Funders can support small businesses with grants and loans. Some businesses may need help meeting their insurance deductible. Others may want to take the opportunity to improve their building to prevent damage in future events. Loans with minimal interest could be an opportunity for funders to support the enhancement or expansion of a small business.
FEMA’s new Individual Assistance program now supports self-employed individuals with recovery from disasters, but there are always people who will not get the assistance they need. This is another opportunity for funders to use the flexibility of their funding to address gaps.
Navigating the disaster assistance process
Disaster assistance may be available in various forms and from different sources. People often need help navigating the assistance process, particularly undocumented people and people whose first language is not English. Government assistance is vital but can also be cumbersome and confusing for households and communities.
For example, Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans are part of the federal sequence of assistance for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program (IHP). Many people may not understand that the loans, though they originate from the SBA, can be made to individuals/families. FEMA also recently set equity as a strategic priority and changes to the Individual Assistance program are helping get more support into the hands of people who need it the most.
Funders can support organizations that work to help people complete their submissions and file appeals.
Disaster case management
In most situations, disaster recovery navigation services – also called disaster case management – can be a valuable and hugely impactful resource in expediting the recovery process, especially if governmental disaster assistance is available. Disaster case managers can provide essential support and guidance in accessing resources and navigating the road to recovery.
In some disasters, case management is provided with funds from the federal and/or state government, but the timing does not always align with the needs of the community. Funders can fill the gap from the time immediately after a disaster until a government-funded case management program starts.
CDP has a disaster case management toolkit that can be helpful for communities and funders looking to create local case management programs.
To support storm recovery efforts, please donate to CDP’s Disaster Recovery Fund or Midwest Early Recovery Fund, depending upon the geography you wish to support.
Contact CDP
Philanthropic contributions
If you have questions about donating to CDP’s Disaster Recovery Fund or Midwest Early Recovery Fund, need help with your disaster-giving strategy, or want to share how you’re responding to this disaster, please contact development.
(Aerial view of extensive major flooding in the city of Cook, Minnesota on June 20, 2024. Photo credit: Matt Olson/St. Louis County Emergency Management)
Recovery updates
If you are a responding NGO, please send updates on how you are working in this crisis to tanya.gulliver-garcia@disasterphilanthropy.org
We welcome the republication of our content. Please credit the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
Resources
Derecho
A derecho is a line of intense, long-lived and widespread thunderstorms that move quickly across a long distance.
Tornadoes
The National Weather Service defines tornadoes as “a violently rotating column of air touching the ground, usually attached to the base of a thunderstorm.” The U.S. is home to more tornadoes than any other country in the world, with approximately 900 to 1,700 tornadoes occurring a year throughout the country.
Floods
Flooding is our nation’s most common natural disaster. Regardless of whether a lake, river or ocean is actually in view, everyone is at some risk of flooding. Flash floods, tropical storms, increased urbanization and the failing of infrastructure such as dams and levees all play a part — and cause millions (sometimes billions) of dollars in damage across the U.S. each year.