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Coastal Chaos: Homes Threatened by Rising Tides and Extreme Weather
9 Nov
Summary
- Increasing frequency of flooding and disasters damaging homes worldwide
- Poorest neighborhoods in New Orleans still recovering from Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago
- NASA projections show vast areas of London at severe risk of flooding by 2030
As world leaders gather in Brazil for the COP30 climate summit, the impacts of climate change are hitting closer to home than many realize. Homes across the globe are being repeatedly damaged or destroyed by flooding and other extreme weather events, with the poorest neighborhoods often bearing the brunt.
In the past two decades, devastating hurricanes like Katrina in the US and Haiyan in the Philippines have literally overwhelmed entire coastal communities, leaving lasting scars. Even in the UK, cities like York and London have experienced severe flooding, with NASA projecting that vast swathes of the capital will be at severe risk by 2030.
The frequency and nature of these flooding events are changing, with spring tides and storm surges penetrating further inland. Coastal defenses are being overwhelmed, and the unprecedentedly wet weather over the past 18 months has set new high-water marks. Experts warn that ignoring the harsh realities of climate change is short-sighted and dangerous, as the shifting ground under people's feet threatens the very foundations of their lives.
