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Limited access to broadband only increases the vulnerabilities of Nebraska’s mobile home parks, a new report has revealed.

By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

The chaotic floods that brought devastation to parts of Texas this summer could someday be a scene repeated in Nebraska, recent research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln warns.

The findings, which were summarized on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College of Architecture’s website, also included a warning that a lack of broadband and connectivity access in some Nebraska areas could compound the issue.

Additionally, the research found that some manufactured housing communities (MHCs), also known as mobile home parks, are most at risk.

According to the research, around 20% of mobile homes in Douglas County, and closer to half in Dodge County, are located within zones considered very risky for floods.

Further, as summarized on the UNL College of Architecture’s website, researchers behind the study noted why many mobile home parks faced an enhanced risk.

It’s not just because of location, researchers said, it’s because of a lack of infrastructure.

“Vulnerabilities are compounded by limited access to reliable communication, as spotty cellular coverage and limited broadband in some areas can hamper emergency warnings,” the UNL College of Architecture’s website stated.

Floods have been at the forefront of minds this summer across the United States following a series of devastating flooding events, including in Texas and New Mexico.

Nebraska experienced its own catastrophic flooding in March of 2019.

The 2019 flooding, worsened by the breakup of river ice, led to a federally declared disaster in Nebraska.

Dodge, Douglas, and Sarpy counites were named the most impacted by the flooding, according to data published by UNL and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

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