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Scientists are growing concerned over the tropical-cyclone-sized consequences that the northeastern U.S. might face in the near future.
What’s happening?
The study, published in Advancing Earth and Space Sciences, focused on how flooding would impact states from Connecticut to Virginia. It concluded that coasts will face “historical 100-year” flood levels every year by the end of the century.
And 500-year flood levels may occur every one to 60 or one to 20 years, depending on the amount of air pollution in our atmosphere.
According to Live Science, the research team adjusted a simulated storm’s angles based on how past storms have hit the coast. While most run parallel, Hurricane Sandy in 2012 smacked straight into it and caused a lot of damage.
“Those are extreme but rare,” said Amirhosein Begmohammadi, the study’s lead author, per Live Science.
Why is increased flooding during hurricanes concerning?
Many areas along the East Coast are heavily populated. Even for the ones that are not, evacuation and proactive behaviors can be hard to practice if people aren’t prepared.
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WTIC reported that Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection urged people to be ready. This warning came after deadly floods in Oxford killed two people and damaged roads and homes.
“Most of the homes that were affected in the August flooding last year were not in a designated flood zone,” DESPP Deputy Director Brenda Bergeron said, per WTIC.
Bergeron also recommended prepping “something as simple as an old-time transistor radio with fresh batteries and a flashlight with fresh batteries in it” in case other technologies aren’t available.
A transistor radio might be a little too “Fallout” for your taste, but it could save your life.
Unfortunately, extreme weather events are becoming more common because of increased air pollution. It heats up our atmosphere and supercharges natural disasters, wreaking havoc on people around the globe. These aren’t isolated weather events either; they’re becoming a part of a larger, more destructive climate pattern.
What’s being done to mitigate hurricane flood risks?
Thinking about extreme weather events can make a lot of people uneasy.
Jeff Ollerhead offered some of his concerns to Live Science. He’s a coastal geomorphologist at Mount Allison University in Sackville, Canada.
When talking about how political leaders might act, Ollerhead said: “We don’t know what people are going to do. That’s the biggest uncertainty.”
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
One of the biggest things you can generally control is how prepared you and your loved ones are. If you have extra financial resources, you can help community members who don’t have as much with preparing for the worst.
In the meantime, fighting for local and statewide legislation that provides aid and protects people during natural disasters can help. This can also include legislation for updated infrastructure that can safeguard communities from flooding, regardless of their risk.
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