A hurricane is one of the deadliest types of storm that occurs on planet Earth. They rage on both land and sea, and form powerful winds that can create massive waves and shatter glass all at once. Whether on a boat or on a coastline, a hurricane is something to steer clear of – its destructive force can travel hundreds of miles, ravaging everything in its path. And as ocean levels continue to rise, they have the potential to destroy more and more property situated on coastlines. While it is unknown if climate change will cause more hurricanes in the future, what is almost certain is that they will grow in both size and intensity. Despite hundreds of scientists making this prediction, cities continue to build on land that may soon be underwater. 

When Hurricane Harvey struck the United States in 2012, it caused over $125 billion in damages, making it the costliest hurricane in United States history. In fact, the five costliest hurricanes on record occurred within the past fifteen years. As climate change continues to change the ocean’s temperatures as well as raise water levels, hurricanes will have more of a chance of reaching catastrophic sizes. As temperature’s increase, winds will become faster, and precipitation will increase. Rising sea levels means more coastal flooding, and higher storm surges when hurricanes do hit land. This spells trouble for the US population, 40% of which occupies coastal counties. 

Cities are making an effort to counteract hurricanes and reduce the possible amount of damage. Boston has $80 billion worth of infrastructure which stands to be demolished if trends continue the way they are. The city is considering taking action against future hurricanes, by building a massive sea wall, along with a number of coastal parks which will minimize damages. However, with forty-seven miles of coastline, it’s a tall order. There is currently no exact estimate on how much such measures would cost, but with the property values and length needing to be covered, experts are certain that it would at least be in the billions of dollars. 

Superstorm Sandy alone cost New York City over $19 billion, and roughly $71 billion in the US overall. Affecting much of the east coast, it struck down power lines, damaged roads, and tore down branches. While cleanup services such as Palmetto Tree Service enjoyed a temporary bump in earnings, most businesses were not so lucky. Besides hurricanes, coastal erosion costs the United States over $500 million a year in property damage, not to mention an additional $150 million in beach nourishment. But in addition to lost money, coastal wetlands are also being lost at a rapid rate. These wetlands are crucial to the conservation of hundreds of species of wildlife. Without them, species already endangered and cramped into these areas by human habitation will be lost to the ocean. If something isn’t soon done to protect these areas, or to relocate wildlife in them, then more and more species will be lost every day. As is, things are only going to get worse.

The following recording is recommended for consumption: