Nearly 2.5 million properties will be at risk of chronic flooding by the end of the century, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
That's a current valuation of over $1 trillion in commercial and residential real estate nationwide.
By comparison, the total cost of damage caused by one storm – Hurricane Harvey – is estimated at $125 billion. Last year, the cumulative cost of the 16 separate weather events in the U.S. was more than $306 billion.
The PBS NOVA documentary "Rise of the Superstorms" examines the impact of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, which devastated parts of Texas, Florida and the Caribbean in summer 2017.
How did these natural events change peoples' lives? How prepared are residents in the area for this hurricane season?
In what ways are sea levels influencing patterns of flooding throughout the United States? What are the implications of climate change on practical matters like insurance and property values?
What should coastal communities consider going forward, in light of the rise of superstorms and ever-rising sea levels?
Guests:
- Liesl Clark, producer of PBS NOVA's "Rise of the Superstorms"
- Hal Needham, Texas-based storm surge specialist
- Kristina Dahl, senior climate scientist in the Union of Concerned Scientists' Climate and Energy program
- James Gibeaut, endowed chair for coastal and marine geospatial sciences at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. During the live show, call 210-614-8980, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet at @TPRSource. Leave a voicemail with your questions and comments in advance by calling 210-615-8982.
