14 DISASTER RECOVERY The Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific academy, reports that flooding events are becoming more severe, more intense, and more damaging. And, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information, these disasters have cost US taxpayers more than $850 billion since 2000 and are responsible for two-thirds of the cost from all natural disasters. Golf facilities built on or near floodplains, next to bodies of water or in valleys, are at high risk from these catastrophes. But with the support of experts, clubs can build extra resilience to storm events, or rebuild better after disaster strikes. Seizing the chance to improve “One of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50-to-60 years,” is how Italy’s civil protection agency described the events that transpired across the country in October and November 2018. Over seven days, a combination of severe storms After the storm Flooding can cause devastation for golf courses and their communities. Richard Humphreys considers four examples of how clubs have responded and rebuilt stronger.
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