Nearly 650,000 parcels of oceanfront property in the U.S. that currently sit on dry land will be at least partially submerged within 30 years due to rising sea levels from climate change, according to a sobering research study released Thursday by Climate Central.
Sea levels are forecast to rise through the century as the planet warms. Warmer water occupies more space than cooler water, and melting glaciers only add to the rising tides.
“As a result, properties and buildings that experienced floods in the past are likely to experience more severe floods in the future,” the report stated. “It also means higher flood waters are reaching further inland, flooding properties and buildings that have never flooded before.”
The research found Florida to have the most properties vulnerable to at least partial submersion by 2050, with more than 130,000 at risk. Louisiana was second with more than 106,000 and Texas was third at just under 65,000.
Of those, more than 48,000 properties may be completely submerged during high tides by 2050.
If you expand the impact to 5% of the area affected, 54 counties and parishes make up 83% of all affected areas. Climate Central has produced an individual report of each county and parish included in the study, which you can find here: https://www.climatecentral.org/tools/sinking-tax-base
https://news.yahoo.com/rising-sea-levels-flood-nearly-130031911.html