Colby College, a private liberal arts college in Waterville, is launching a program based in Port Clyde indended to better prepare Maine communities for the impacts that natural disasters have on infrastructure and local economies.

The Center for Resilience and Economic Impact will use interdisciplinary research to search for solutions before and after natural disasters like severe storms, flooding and wildfires, college officials said in an announcement Wednesday.

It is set to open in 2026 — four years after the average rate of natural disasters in Maine increased from one to nearly five a year, according to the state .

Colby built the program in response to a state report that identifyied an urgent need to prepare for climate-related disasters. Nine natural disasters swept over

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