Louisville, Kentucky was flooded when a storm left the area with more than seven inches of rain, resulting in flash flooding, and power outages. Thankfully, no casualties or serious injuries resulted from the storm, but the rainfall overwhelmed the area’s public infrastructure and caused major disruptions to local small businesses. The mayor of Louisville estimates that the main library sustained $1 million in damages when flooding destroyed books. Firemen led water rescue efforts for people stranded as animal shelters evacuated animals to minimize casualties due to drowning.
At the same time, Texas is experiencing a severe drought with 100-degree temperatures in an area that includes Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. As a result, mandatory water restrictions have been imposed on 230 Texas public water systems, which prohibit practices such as watering lawns or refilling swimming pools. It bears repeating; prepare for the more frequent disasters, such as drought and flash flooding, as such measures will yield a more immediate benefit against a more imminent threat at more reasonable cost.