More US Homes Collapsing Into The Atlantic
For several years, homes have collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean. Over two dozen have toppled into the Atlantic along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, particularly in Rodanthe and Buxton, due to severe coastal erosion and rising sea levels.
The collapse along North Carolina’s coast has been caused by rising seas and violent storms. On the whole, hurricanes in the region, which stretch from the South Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico, have been more powerful than in the past due to higher surface temperatures. In the Caribbean, they have reached 84 degrees F
In the Gulf of Mexico, surface temperatures have reached over 90 degrees. This has caused most hurricanes to rapidly intensify from Category One to Category Three or Category Four. It has even led meteorologists to consider a new destination for Category Six hurricanes. (which would likely be based on sustained winds over 175 MPH).
The effects of these large storms that form in the Caribbean are often felt along the Carolina coast as they move north, but the northward movement has endangered other areas in the direction of the Northeast
Recently, 1,200 miles north of North Carolina, homes along the west coast of Nantucket are at extreme risk of collapsing into the ocean as well. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Erosion has already forced homes to be demolished or moved back over the years.” Dredged sands dropped along the shore have only pushed back the date when homes will be in trouble.
The danger to Nantucket homes is no different from that in North Carolina. Seas are rising. While the risk of violent head-on storms is lower, large Atlantic hurricanes moving out to sea have caused significant storm surges and winds. A storm like Hurricane Sandy in 2012 would be enough to cause extremely destructive erosion, wind, and high seas, as it did that year
Recently, the U.S. The Geological Survey division of the Department of the Interior released a scientific paper titled “National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards: Mid-Atlantic Coast.” It pointed out that Nantucket and North Kelowna are not the only areas along the Atlantic coast that have a grim future. Wind, rain, and currents would menace the coast from the border between Virginia and North Calina and the area around Boston.
The storms won’t top. The only open question is where they will destroy homes next.
