“A Climate-Changed World”: Vermont Confronts Historic Flooding Again, 12 Years After Hurricane Irene

Parts of Vermont experienced their worst flooding this week in nearly a century after two months’ worth of rain fell over the course of 48 hours. Nearly 100 people have been rescued, and locals are deeply concerned for the unhoused residents. “The state has really been hammered,” says journalist David Goodman in Waterbury. The host of the public affairs podcast and radio show The Vermont Conversation explains how the town adapted to flooding caused by Hurricane Irene, and calls for the state to adapt rather than simply replace damaged infrastructure: “​​In a climate changed world, that doesn’t work.”