Hurricane Irma and Cascading Impacts

Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane on September 10, 2017, and affected all counties in the state of Florida, causing 42 deaths and about $50 billion in damages so far. In addition, Hurricane Irma caused widespread power outages, flooding, and downed trees and power lines. Irma produced moderate rainfall across much of western and central Florida. Irma produced moderate storm surge in coastal areas from the Keys north through Naples and along the eastern coast from North of Miami all the way through the northern border with the state of Georgia. The chapter provides an overview of losses and impacts associated with Hurricane Irma, and through cascading and compounding effects how these impacts exacerbated and exposed even greater vulnerabilities. It outlines how the lessons learned can uncover future risks and vulnerabilities and improve planning for disaster resilience.