Historic flooding in Nashville, Tennessee last week caused at least seven deaths and left homes, businesses and infrastructure damaged. The storm also caused flooding in Kentucky and Virginia.
Go Deeper: Nashville’s last record-breaking flood was in May 2010 from a rainstorm that broke nearly every conceivable record. Comparatively, this week, Nashville had its fourth-wettest day in history, according to the National Weather Service.
Big Picture: Davidson County, home to Nashville, doesn't have sufficient flood protection, but the county is not unique. Even counties that have frequent flooding lack sufficient flood protection. The task is mostly being left up to individual states and counties, which lack funds and/or resources to tackle the issue.
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For example, Florida is the most vulnerable state for flooding. Their top three counties by National Flood Insurance Program claims — Miami-Dade, Monroe (the Florida Keys) and Escambia — all struggle with flood protection.
Why it matters: Flooding is not an isolated local issue, and it is becoming a more prevalent occurrence in the U.S.
