Story at a glance
- The poll found 47 percent of people said they were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned while 25 percent said they were only a “little concerned” and 28 percent said they were not concerned at all.
- According to the poll, 36 percent said they or someone they know has been displaced due to some kind of natural disaster.
- In recent years, the frequency, intensity and impacts of some types of extreme weather events have accelerated partly due to climate change.
As hurricanes, wildfires and heat waves are occurring more often and with more intensity in the U.S. a growing share of Americans fear they could be displaced by extreme weather events and believe the federal government is falling short in providing adequate disaster relief.
A recent poll from progressive think tank Data for Progress found most Americans are concerned about becoming displaced from their home due to a hurricane, flood or wildfire. The poll found 47 percent of people said they were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned while 25 percent said they were only a “little concerned” and 28 percent said they were not concerned at all.
When asked whether the federal government provides enough disaster relief to Americans who are forced out of their homes when severe weather strikes, 52 percent said the government does not provide enough support, while 35 said it does provide enough relief and 3 percent said the government provides too much support.
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According to the poll, 36 percent said they or someone they know has been displaced due to some kind of natural disaster. The survey of 1,418 likely voters nationally was conducted June 15-21.
In an NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health survey released just last month, 78 percent of U.S. adults said they have been affected by a severe weather event in the last five years, which has led to health and financial problems for many.
Most surveyed in that poll said they believe the government should be doing more to tackle climate change, and those who have had personal experiences with severe weather are more likely to say climate change is a crisis and needs to be addressed.
In recent years, the frequency, intensity and impacts of some types of extreme weather events have accelerated partly due to climate change. Heat and drought have plagued large swaths of the Western United States resulting in explosive wildfires, while the Atlantic hurricane season has been above average for several consecutive years.
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