Recovery

After pounding the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, killing at least 20 people, the erratic storm weakened early in the week only to pick up strength briefly overnight Wednesday and then weaken again.

On the coast, the gusts could get as high as 75 to 85 mph, and for eastern Virginia and inland northeastern North Carolina gusts as high as 55 to 65 mph, the National Weather Service said in its morning briefing.

Some tropical storm winds and heavy rainfall are likely to begin in the Myrtle Beach area Wednesday night. The most severe forecasts, including storm surge to 8 feet, are likely late on Thursday.

The Category 2 hurricane’s 105 mph sustained winds and 10 to 15 inches of predicted rain promise to cause widespread flooding and power outages across large parts of North Carolina and South Carolina.

At least seven people have died and many more have been reported missing as a result of Dorian, which decimated most of the homes in Marsh Harbour, the capital of Great Abaco, and wiped out a shantytown called The Mudd.

Real estate development continues in floodplains, but at higher elevations mandated by new city and county rules, and the region is setting new records for home sales, including many properties that flooded during Harvey.

The fund provides qualified homeowners in Greene, Miami and Montgomery counties with grants up to $20,000 to repair, rebuild or replace homes and renters up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a new home.

Hurricane Irma grazed the Golden Isles in September 2017, and nearly two years after the fact, some are still feeling the aftermath. HUD set aside roughly $8 million to help residents in three ZIP codes with new repairs.

The study is part of emerging research to understand how climate change can alter the way wildlife and insects evolve. Another hurricane-specific 2018 study found that lizards with longer legs survive hurricanes better.

County officials say years of excessive precipitation — including 11-15 inches of rain that fell in August 2018 — have left the groundwater tables so high that the soil can’t drain, making low-lying areas prone to flooding.

A Housing Recovery Resource Fair for tornado survivors revealed confusion over FEMA letters and worry over high fees for rental applications and higher rents — for places not hit by the tornado but that are barely livable.

Registration for FEMA aid ends Wednesday. Survivors who have discovered holes in their insurance coverage should contact FEMA for potential help. Statewide, FEMA has dispensed $14.5 million to over 5,000 registrants.

It was the fifth day since the severe storm and EF-1 tornado tore through the South Dakota town. Sunday marked the chance to appreciate the progress, and a chance to recharge for another week of cleanup.

More than 65,800 residences were impacted by flooding in August 2016, according to federal data. Of the 15,634 who were offered grants through Restore Louisiana, 12,980 homeowners have been sent checks as of July 26.

While it never grew more than 400 acres, the Montana Creek Fire threatened the historic town of Talkeetna and drew a large response from firefighters in the Northwest continental U.S., including eastern Washington.