. Earth Science News .
SHAKE AND BLOW
Extreme floods to hit US cities 'almost daily' by 2100
By Patrick GALEY
Paris (AFP) April 16, 2020

Coastal cities in the United States could experience "once in a lifetime" extreme flood events almost daily by the end of the century if sea levels continue to rise at current rates, new research showed on Thursday.

Emissions from burning fossil fuels have already warmed Earth more than one degree Celsius above pre-industrial times, melting polar ice sheets and boosting global sea levels.

With oceans predicted to rise by one to two metres by 2100, researchers in the US looked at the frequency of extreme water levels measured by 202 tide gauges along the US coastline.

They combined this data with various modelled pathways of sea-level rise to predict the rate at which flooding events may increase in future.

The results were stark: at nearly three-quarters of the gauge locations the difference between average high tide and a once-in-50-years flooding event was less than a metre.

Most temperature scenarios predict sea-level rises higher than that.

The team also found that the risk of extreme flood events will double every five years on average as seas get ever higher.

This likely means profound impacts on major US cities including Miami, Atlantic City and Charleston in the decades to come, the authors concluded.

"In the absence of adaptation measures, the rate of coastal hazard impacts will likely double every five years, and this is indeed quite problematic," lead study author Sean Vitousek, from the United States Geological Survey, told AFP.

"Miami, Honolulu, Charleston, Atlantic City, and many other US cities currently experience minor flood levels during tides exacerbated by any storm conditions.

"If sea-level projections hold, and in the absence of adaptation by 2050, this flooding will become much more widespread, frequent, and severe."

A special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year concluded that oceans could rise 1.1 metres by century's end.

But Vitousek said rising oceans would cause "widespread disruption of transportation due to road closures during spring tides" much sooner, perhaps by 2050.

On current rising trends, by 2100 some areas of coastal cities would become "practically uninhabitable", he warned.

"However, even before this point, large storm events plus sea-level rise would likely exceed the infrastructure's design conditions resulting in widespread damage," Vitousek said.

"We're not ready, mentally or physically, for one metre of sea-level rise, but it's coming and probably sooner than we think."


Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


SHAKE AND BLOW
Iran floods leave 21 dead
Tehran (AFP) April 1, 2020
Flooding in Iran caused by heavy rainfall has left 21 people dead and one missing, an emergency services spokesman said Wednesday, even as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic. Mojtaba Khaledi told Iran's ISNA news agency that 22 people had also been injured, with most of the casualties in southern or central provinces. He said 11 people had died in Fars province, three each in Hormozgan and Qom, two in Sistan and Baluchistan province, and one each in Bushehr and Khuzestan. Khaledi s ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SHAKE AND BLOW
China offers reward for catching Russia border crossers over virus fears

Hong Kong starts standing down riot police after budget hike

Under-fire Trump defends coronavirus response

Hong Kong to give big cash handouts as economy reels from virus

SHAKE AND BLOW
Supporting small airports using virtual reality

Russian cosmonauts begin 3D bioprinting experiment on ISS

Creating custom light using 2D materials

Raytheon awarded $17 million for dual band radar spares for USS Ford

SHAKE AND BLOW
74 mn in Arab world lack hand-washing facility: UN

What is the origin of water on Earth?

Additions to resource industry underwater robots can boost ocean discoveries

GeoSpectrum Technologies launches game changing LF active VDS deployable by USVs

SHAKE AND BLOW
The Arctic may influence Eurasian extreme weather events in just two to three weeks

Canada deploys Arctic Rangers to Inuit villages amid pandemic

Experiments lead to slip law for better forecasts of glacier speed, sea-level rise

How horses can save the permafrost

SHAKE AND BLOW
Wuhan's 'wet markets' struggle after virus lockdown

Rights group welcomes draft rules that could end China dog meat trade

Kenya bans controversial donkey slaughter trade

DR Congo latest victim of locust swarms: experts

SHAKE AND BLOW
Florida's nightmare: a hurricane during the pandemic

Timing of Earth's biggest earthquakes follows a 'devil's staircase' pattern

Pacific clean-up after homes 'blown to smithereens' by superstorm

A new tool to predict volcanic eruptions

SHAKE AND BLOW
Hungry South Africans clash with police over food aid in Cape Town

S. Africa's explosive cocktail: coronavirus and AIDS

Anger in Africa over coronavirus 'stigma' in China

Chinese virus medics arrive in Nigeria despite protest

SHAKE AND BLOW
Long-overlooked arch is key to fuction, evolution of human foot

Analysis reveals prehistoric migration from Africa, Asia, Europe to Mediterranean

The evolution of arthritic knees

Our direct human ancestor Homo erectus is older than we thought









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.