This was due to greater numbers of people moving to the coastal margins and into harm's way. Despite advances in warning strategies and reduction in track forecast error, this increase in fatalities is expected to continue for as long as people migrate towards the shore.
The main cause of storm-related fatalities had been shifting away from storm surge and towards freshwater (rain) flooding. However, the median death rate per storm had increased through 1979, with a lull during the 1980–1995 period.