It's not your imagination. Hurricanes are getting more severe.

It's not your imagination. Hurricanes are getting more severe.

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  • Episode
      1699
  • Published
      Aug 21, 2025
  • Publisher
0 Ratings
0
Episode
1699 of 1744
Duration
8min
Language
English
Format
Category
Non-fiction

In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, leaving more than 1300 people dead and becoming the most expensive hurricane in history with overall economic losses estimated at $125 billion.

It was also a harbinger of what would happen to hurricanes in the years to follow, as climate change would make them an increasingly powerful and a regular threat.

NPR Alejandra Borunda explains how the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina spurred a better understanding of these intensifying storms and a improved storm preparedness.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt. It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Sadie Babits. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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