Rising costs, widening protection gap in the spotlight after Hurricane Melissa’s wrath
Berger cited the transformation of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as a landmark example. The US government invested $14.6 billion in levees, pumps, and flood walls, alongside stronger land-use and building codes. When Hurricane Ida struck in 2021, the system “passed its first major test,” preventing catastrophic flooding, he said.