WHY YOU COULD SOON BE IN A FLOOD ZONE

摘要

Back in 2001 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched an ambitious effort to bring its maps of the U. S. into the digital age. Many of the maps, meant to show flood-prone areas, hadn't been reviewed for 20 years or more, even as two trends intensified: a pattern of more severe storms nationwide and stepped-up real estate development that made water absorption more difficult in certain regions. Updated maps are starting to come online, with many more due to be approved over the next three years. By the time FEMA is finished, homeowners could find they are living in a new flood zone with financial risks they hadn't anticipated. Here are answers to key questions about the FEMA changes.