Flood insurance is rare in Western North Carolina

State of play: Experts say that the FEMA's existing flood maps, which show where people are required to buy flood insurance, underestimate the risks that storms like Helene can bring.

• FEMA's maps, for instance, do not take into account intense rainfall events or sea level rise that is becoming more common due to climate change, according to N.C. State researcher Georgina Sanchez.
• Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at the First Street Foundation, told the Washington Post they also don't take into account flooding from smaller water sources, like creeks and streams.
• That leads to many people not on the coast or directly next to a river to be excluded in flood maps, even if the risk could be growing, Reuters said.

Of note: People who have been affected by Helene without flood insurance can apply for up to $30,000 in federal disaster aid, Reuters noted. That, however, is just a fraction of the $250,000 worth of coverage available in the federal flood insurance program.

• Para asistencia en español contacte al servicio de emergencias de FEMA. Más información aquí.

How to help: Support western N.C. communities devastated by Helene