High tide on the beach
Scientists have permanently been given warnings about the effects of global warming, and how this is a fact. Another consequence of climate change arose: high tides will wipe away the grounds of U.S. states.
American states placed by the sea should take into consideration the warning released by Zillow, the estate web site which doesn’t advise buyers to invest in Maryland.
The actual data was gathered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Scientists don’t point only to Maryland, but also to 22 other states in America. Only six of them rank higher than Maryland regarding being threatened by high tides.
Other “hot-spots” on the map are New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, Hawaii and South California.
Economically speaking, only in Maryland, the high tides could flood and eventually wash away houses and estates worth $20 billion. The statistics also show that about two percent of the United States’ population is in danger of losing their homes to raw nature and untamed waves.
Researchers Robert Deconto (University of Massachusetts) and David Pollard (Pennsylvania State University) estimate that the flood will take place in almost one hundred years (by 2100). They blame it on the greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere. Their study can be found in Nature (journal).
Officials at Zillow report on the apocalyptic scenario:
“If sea levels rise as much as climate scientists predict by the year 2100, almost 300 U.S. cities would lose at least half their homes, and 36 U.S. cities would be completely lost”
The prediction concerning high tides is that the water level will be six feet above the ground. Zillow informs further:
“Why six feet? Some estimates suggest sea levels will rise that much by the year 2100 if climate change continues unchecked. Using that data in conjunction with our database of information on more than 100 million homes nationwide, we determined which properties were at risk of being submerged (at least their ground floors) in the next century or so and what they’re currently worth.”
The calculation were made according to the following data provided by NASA, as CNSNews puts it:
“(…)since 1993, global sea levels have risen 87.4 mm overall, and are currently rising at an average rate of 3.5 mm a year. If sea levels continue to rise by 3.5 mm each year from now until 2100, there would be a total increase of 294 mm – 11.6 inches – over the next 84 years.”
We have to keep in mind that the deadline is 2100. By then, authorities and scientists have plenty of time to come up with a solution.
Image source: Wikipedia
