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Environment

Supercharged hurricanes will cause more blackouts across the US

Some US states may see the number of power cuts caused by hurricanes jump by 60 per cent by 2100 in a high-emissions scenario, affecting tens of millions each decade

By Madeleine Cuff

30 January 2025

A lineworker repairs a power line in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in South Carolina

Artie Walker Jr./AP Photo/Alamy

When Hurricane Helene hit the south-eastern US in September 2024, almost 5 million homes and businesses across Florida, South Carolina and Georgia were plunged into darkness. Some residents were without power for weeks.

Such widespread blackouts are set to become more common as the world warms, according to new research that suggests that vast swathes of the US could become vulnerable to power outages from hurricanes.

When a hurricane hits, high…

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