CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When folks think about natural disasters, their mind immediately goes to the coast, but experts say otherwise.
New data shows inland counties across the U.S. are the most likely to be victims of natural disasters and the consequences could be much more severe when it's time to rebuild.
Rural, inland counties often cannot afford disaster repairs, so governors in those states have to ask the president to declare a disaster to free up federal money. Eight counties with the most federally declared disasters are in Kentucky and Vermont, according to WRAL-TV.
Areas in the eastern U.S. are getting a lot more rain, which leads to flooding. Experts say the problem is there's nowhere for the rain to go. Mountainous areas force water to flood narrow valley floors.
Mecklenburg County has fared better than anywhere else in the country. Charlotte's home county is the largest county in the U.S. that hasn't had a federally declared disaster since 2011.
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