People are still reeling from the devastation Hurricane Helene left behind, with some wondering why the storm was so intense. At least 162 people were killed across six states, with many still unaccounted for and over $35 billion in estimated damages. One community was particularly hard-hit: Asheville, North Carolina. But this is strange, because Asheville has been painted a place more resilient to climate change than other areas affected by the global crisis.
Record-breaking flooding washed out roads, including long stretches of interstates, while knocking out electricity for days. Now mules and planes are transporting supplies to the pummeled city, where residents describe a community covered in debris and without running water. Many in Asheville are scientifically literate enough to be aware that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, can cause extreme weather events like hurricanes to become both more common and more severe. Indeed, a recent report calculated that climate change may have triggered as much as 50% more rainfall during Hurricane Helene in some parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.
