Public Discourse, Risk, and the Construction of a “Disaster No One Saw Coming”

• In Event: 50620 - Section on Environmental Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2: Disasters, Communication, and Preparedness

Abstract

Tropical Storm Helene, which struck Western North Carolina (WNC) on September 27, 2024, caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage, resulting in over 100 deaths and an estimated $53 billion in damages. Despite WNC's historical vulnerability to flooding, the storm was perceived as an unprecedented disaster. This paper explores the social construction of risk, arguing that Helene's devastation was framed as an unpredictable event despite previous warnings and long-standing flood risks. The research identifies two key factors contributing to this perception. First, rapid population growth in WNC has hindered the transmission of local knowledge about past disasters, leaving newcomers unaware of the region’s vulnerability. Second, media and public discourse framing the storm as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event reinforced the belief that it was unforeseeable. This narrative and the perception of WNC as a climate haven further obscured the region’s true risk, leading residents to view the disaster as an anomaly rather than part of a recurring pattern. Through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, this paper examines how these discourses shaped residents’ understanding of the storm, highlighting the role of social context in disaster risk perception and response.

Author

• Paige Ambord, University of North Carolina-Asheville