According to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, damage caused by carbon emissions could spark Hurricane Sandy level flooding in NYC on a much more regular basis.
Rising sea levels could spell cataclysmic disaster for NYC. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released a report
Rising sea levels due to carbon emissions could cause New York City and Long Island’s coats to regularly experience the kind of flooding levels that were last seen during Hurricane Sandy, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists NYC should be preparing for, what they call “chronic inundation” in the coming years.
“Chronic inundation” is when an area experiences flooding 26 or more times per year. The study analyzed a variety of US coastal communities, highlighting the expected flooding in 2030, 2045, 2060, 2080, 2100 if there is no attempt made to curb climate change. The outlook was grim for NYC.
Whereas the worst of the flooding wouldn’t hit new york city until the year 2100, the chronic flooding would start in 2060 in Long Beach then the spread exponentially affecting almost the whole city by 2100.
Although tidal flooding isn’t as destructive as a storm surge from a hurricane (like Sandy), the destruction would come about over the regularity of these floods. The city could see regular flooding happening twice a month, affecting the very same areas as the infamous hurricane:
The outlook looks grim indeed for future generations of New Yorkers. Unless by some miracle of evolution we develop gills, it may be time to start planning for the future.
Featured image Source [Wikimedia Commons]