Scientists have unveiled a map pinpointing the US regions most at risk from climate change catastrophes, which is especially pertinent as wildfires rip through California , with an iconic LA museum catching fire.
The map highlights counties prone to flooding, pollution, chronic illness, and other climate-related issues, as Los Angeles battles wildfires, which California Governor Gavin Newsom described as “growing rapidly in a matter of minutes.”
As other states were hit with an extreme snow warning , researchers at Texas A&M University developed a Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) that assesses “environmental, health, social, economic and infrastructure effects on neighborhood-level stability.”
- Wildfire map shows 10 US states at risk – with experts issuing urgent advice as LA burns
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They ranked 70,000 neighborhoods based on factors such as housing, poverty, and climate threats like severe weather and extreme temperatures. Louisiana is home to over half of the top ten most vulnerable counties, with the remainder in Texas, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
The Northeast and almost all of the Western US face dangers from storms and heavy rainfall. The ten most vulnerable counties are: John the Baptist, Louisiana; Iberville, Louisiana; Knox, Kentucky; Landry, Louisiana; Dillon, South Carolina; Tangipahoa, Louisiana; Acadia, Louisiana; Floyd, Kentucky; Jefferson, Texas; and Whitley, Kentucky…