The lingering effects of Hurricane Ian are still destroying buildings and endangering human health, Earther reports. Mold flourishes in damp and waterlogged environments (like, for example, recently flooded drywall and the lumber behind it) and can take hold in a week, but not reveal the true extent of its infestation until months later. Mold remediation is not only very difficult, and very expensive, but it’s also frequently excluded from insurance policies. S
ymptoms of mold exposure often resemble a cold. “[Mold] causes an inflammatory response in the body. You’re going to get an allergy or asthma trigger,” said Robert Maglievaz, an environmental administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County. “That’s consistently been what I hear when people call in and they say [that] their house is flooded.” Mold is a frequent, delayed impact of hurricanes, made worse by the lack of electricity to run clean up equipment and dehumidifiers in the immediate aftermath. (Earther)