Be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice, and keep an emergency kit in your car. Maines cost of living is slightly cheaper than the national average, but only by a small margin. Subcategories This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total. Maine has a low population density, with roughly 1.33 million people, and no cities with populations over 100,000 people. Many large cities in the USA are on significant fault lines. Other contributing factors include ice jams, river overflow, ground and soil saturation, and erosion. Snowstorms are the most common natural disasters, and they can completely immobilize some parts of the state. The areas of Skowhegan, Rumford, Bangor, Portland, and Sanford have the highest crime rates. The areas closest to the coast in the south and southeast receive the most rainfall and snowfall. Not to mention, other likely existing factors, such as extreme heat, flooding, etc. The gap of time before it makes landfall can give us great insight into the strength of the storm as well as whether or not its safe to shelter-in-place or if its best to evacuate. Remember: "When the thunder roars, go indoors!". Most Common Natural Disasters in the USA From 2000 to December 2022, there have been approximately 2,800 Disaster Declarations in the United States. Due to its mountainous terrain, landslides can occur statewide but theyre most common in river corridor areas and coastal bluff. But planning is something you should do long before a hurricane occurs. Some ideas are knowing where to take cover until the shaking stops, as well as how to inspect your home for possible property damage. Major disasters since 1953: 96. Practice DROP, COVER and HOLD ON with everyone in your household. Nevada. In the long 36 hours between February 8 and 9, Maine got buried in heavy snow Gotham reported the most amount of snow at 35.5 inches. As of the writing of this article, 26.9% of the state is under a D1 drought intensity (moderate) and 38.5% of the state is under D0 drought intensity (abnormally dry). When I say that they are preparing for winter, they are gathering as much firewood as possible, performing any necessary maintenance during the summer, and even stockpiling food for the winter. (United States Geological Survey), Ice deposited by floodwaters on Kennebec River. In this winter preparedness guide, we discuss mitigation strategies and safety tips to help guide you through a crazy winter storm. For example, if a magnitude 8 earthquake occurred on the San Andreas Fault (known as the Big One), thousands of people would be killed by debris and fires. If you want to see how this state compares to one of its neighbors, I recommend reading my recent post Off Grid Living in Vermont. Stay aware of the heat and heat index. Maine has 17.5 million acres of woodlands, but luckily, it has a low risk of wildfires. Disaster preparedness is like opening a big can of wormsit can be difficult to know where to begin! A handful of hurricanes have traveled through the state, but the most memorable hurricanes slammed the state in 1954. By contrast, the USAs South Atlantic region known for its mild weather was more likely to have devastating winter storms or freeze events. The weather moved up the coast, causing a storm surge of about ten feet in some places. Almost nowhere is safe: 99% of US counties are impacted by flooding. of declared disasters since 2007: 294. If you live in Maine, you should have a plan in case of the threat of a flood. While many people might think of Canada in relation to this flood, it seriously damaged many areas in Northern Maine. Not only were clean-up efforts nearly impossible, but even attempting to open the door to leave the house was extremely challenging. Click on the map below to learn about possible disasters in your area. We want to make the process as easy as possible for you, so weve created unique guides based on each disaster type.
most common natural disasters in maine