Experiences of vulnerable households in low-attention disasters: Marshalltown, Iowa (United States) after the EF3 Tornado

Tornados are among natural hazards that many towns in the Midwest region of the United States (US) experience frequently, sometimes with relatively overwhelming impacts and little attention and resources from media or government entities. Low-attention disasters that affect vulnerable populations create unique recovery challenges that are rarely addressed in the disaster literature. This paper presents a qualitative case study of impacts and recovery of housing in Marshalltown, Iowa, US after an EF3 Tornado in 2018 which affected a large portion of the town, in particular neighborhoods with high concentration of immigrant, low-income households in old and poorly maintained housing. Our analyses highlight the long-term challenges created by delayed and unsuccessful recovery of housing as a result of the intersection of pre-disaster social and physical vulnerability and inadequate housing recovery policy.