"Nearly 4 in 10 Americans say their communities were damaged by extreme weather events over the past year, according to a new survey released Tuesday.

The Walton Family Foundation-Gallup poll found that 38 percent of surveyed Americans said their town or city experienced extreme weather destruction in the past year.

The Trump administration has worked to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has come under fire over its handling of disasters, funding cuts and staffing issues.

The Senate earlier this month confirmed Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s departure. At his confirmation hearing, Hamilton said the agency should “strike a new balance” that prioritizes cost savings.

The survey found the disastrous effects of extreme weather were reported most often across the South. Fifty-eight percent of people in the East South Central region, consisting of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, said their communities experienced extreme weather damage"

Finya Swai reports for The Hill August 18, 2026.

Source: The Hill, 08/20/2026