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Date Published: August 17, 2004
Charley serves as reminder for coastal residents
Hurricane Charley was a sobering reminder that
the season of high winds is upon us in full force.
And it
reminded us here in Sumter of the pending 15th anniversary of that
unwelcome visitor in September 1989 — Hurricane Hugo. Lest we
forget, there was another one before Hugo with an “H” letter in its
name, that being Hurricane Hazel in October 1954, with its damage
confined to the South Carolina coast along the Grand
Strand.
Hugo was not as cooperative to our region of the
state as it blew through the coast and kept going inland into
Sumter, Clarendon and Lee counties, inflicting damages of close to
$1 billion.
Charley caused catastrophic damage to
southwestern Florida, with the most recent figures within a range of
$12 billion to $20 billion, plus the loss of at least 17 lives. News
reports indicate that Charley is likely to become the second most
devastating hurricane in U.S. history, behind Hurricane Andrew in
1992 that also hammered Florida to the tune of $20 billion in
insured losses and approximately $15 billion more not covered by
insurers. And it killed 26 people.
The eastern coastal
regions of the United States will continue to be vulnerable to
immense property damage and loss of life because of the influx of
more and more people attracted to those regions. In spite of Hazel
and Hugo, South Carolina’s coast continues to grow with people,
homes and new businesses pouring in, from the Grand Strand to Hilton
Head Island. And with the growth comes congestion on roads unable to
keep pace with the influx of population. Progress always brings
problems.
The biggest challenge now and in the future will be
the establishment and implementation of stringent building codes.
Most of the homes destroyed by Charley were older structures,
including mobile homes in poorer areas unaffected by Andrew when it
struck the lower part of the Florida peninsula 12 years ago. South
Carolina will also have such pockets of vulnerability until all
structures are up to code.
Economic fallout from Charley, as
it is after every catastrophic hurricane strike, will be a dramatic
elevation of property-casualty insurance rates nationwide, not just
along the Eastern seaboard.
But that is the price that must
be paid because of Americans’ (and South Carolinians’) love affair
with the coast. There is always a trade-off between the charm and
allure of the coast and the clear and present danger of hurricanes.
No matter what the downside is to coastal living, the risks seldom
deter those who continue to migrate toward the ocean, along with
those who lose a home or business and rebuild. History is consistent
in that regard.
Mother Nature can’t be expected to
cooperate, and she won’t. Charley was another sad example of that
lack of cooperation. To live on the coast, you’ve got to be
resilient — and have plenty of insurance.
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August 17, 2004 
