Rising sea levels and fierce storms have failed to stop relentless population growth along U.S. coasts in recent years, a new Associated Press analysis shows.

The latest punishing hurricanes scored bull’s-eyes on two of the country’s fastest growing regions: coastal Texas around Houston and resort areas of southwest Florida.

Nothing seems to curb America’s appetite for life near the sea, especially in the warmer climates of the South.

Coastal development destroys natural barriers such as islands and wetlands, promotes erosion and flooding, and positions more buildings and people in the path of future destruction, according to researchers and policy advisers who study hurricanes.

“History gives us a lesson, but we don’t always learn from it,” said Graham Tobin, a disaster researcher at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

That city took a glancing hit from Hurricane Irma – one of the most intense U.S. hurricanes in years – but suffered less flooding and damage than some other parts of the state.

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In 2005, coastal communities took heed of more than 1,800 deaths and $108 billion in damage from Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst disasters in U.S. history.

Images of New Orleans under water elicited solemn resolutions that such a thing should never happen again – until Superstorm Sandy inundated Lower Manhattan in 2012.

Last year, Hurricane Matthew spread more deaths, flooding and blackouts across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

From 2010-2016, major hurricanes and tropical storms are blamed for more than 280 deaths and $100 billion in damage, according to data from the federal National Centers for Environmental Information.

Harvey, another historically big hurricane, flooded sections of Houston in recent weeks.


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