The recent tidal surges that have hit the East Coast highlight a couple of points: namely that the current flood defences that are in place are vital to safeguarding properties, with the authorities saying that over 800,000 properties are said to have been protected, and that predicting how these surges are going to change over the coming decades is equally important for all people that live in the affected area. Predicting how these surges will change will allow for planning of the next generation of sea defences, which will almost certainly be required with the IPCC saying that sea levels are forecast to rise by 26 to 55cm by 2100 (WGI AR5, 2013) - even with the most ambitious cuts in emissions. The effects of the surges can be seen in the following video:
It's distressing to read accounts of homes destroyed along the Norfolk coast. Living by the seaside seems too risky these days..
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does, especially if your house is on top of any slope or cliff that risks being undermined by the sea. I was honestly pretty shocked by the statistic that 800,000 homes had been protected by flood defences, I didn't know that they were that widespread.
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