Flood Hazards In Miami

They found that various socio-demographic predictors of flood risk impact the difference across flood zone categories. The main residents in inland flood zones are non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic, while coastal flood zones have more higher median income and housing value residents. I considered the study a valuable reference for future flood hazard research and comprehensive public policy making. Social groups with higher vulnerability also tends to stay instead of moving away, for they do not have the affordability for moving to other neighborhood, giving up what they have and almost start from scratch. Thus, they are actually the group of people that suffers the most and paying the most towards natural events. It is also important for the government to create a official help system to improve their resilience.

Florida is a low elevation area with large population concentrations and economic

importance. These features make Florida highly vulnerable to sea level rising and its accompanying frequent flooding in its coastal communities. A study led by University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science found that due to the acceleration of sea level rising, the frequency of flood events has remarkably increased over the past ten years . Researchers analyzed tide and rainfall records, insurance claims and media reports in Miami metropolitan area since 2006. Their result points that the strong effect of sea level rising is real and affecting people’s daily life, especially for the population that lives in low-lying coastal communities. Their result also shows that the frequency of flooding has increased largely after 2006 with number of high-tide flooding events increased. The average rate of sea level rising increased from three millimeters per year before 2006, to 9 millimeters per year after 2006. The study concludes with suggestion that instead of using global projections, local bureau should use regional sea-level projections to better prepare for future flood hazards.
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck South Florida. Tough the hurricane placed its worst in New Orleans, it caused severe damage to Miami as well. Katrina first struck north part of the Miami Dade and Broward counties coastal line, flooded some homes and streets, toppled over a truck on I-595 destroyed crops and cracked a overpass under construction on a highway. It hit the densely populated part of Florida, resulting in six dead and more than 1 million out of power that night. Other than wind destruction, Katrina brought rain fell with 11 to 13 inches in the region. West part of Miami Dade was drowned by 2.5 feet water. The impact was not just as above, after the hurricane passed, local international airport and highways had to shut down dealing with flood, infrastructure damage and vigilance on the dynamic travel of the Katrina.
According to the Data Center report, Katrina Impact by Allison Plyer , the total damage reached up to $630 million dollars in the region. Katrina continued sweeping through the Gulf of Mexico and the Louisiana-Mississippi border, causing 1,833 dead and $120 billion damage. People remember Hurricane Katrina as the third deadliest and most destructive storm in the United States history. Comparing to the 2,500 deaths and damage Lake Okeechobee hurricane back in 1928, our advanced technology, modern defensing system and planning policy are not effectively alleviating the loss. Last but not least, Katrina was jus the eleventh storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, and they still have more than three month to expect. Historically, there were averagely ten hurricanes per year over the past six decades. Environmental scientists took this number as a warning for people to facing the weather change seriously.
Other than severe hurricanes, Miami has been frequently damaged by flood events.

The effect of sea level rising is especially challenging for the population that lives in low-lying coastal communities, such as Miami Beach. The city is surrounded by sea. Miami Beach is linked to the mainland city of Miami through causeways, and it is an area that allocates much of the wealth from its art decoration and former celebrity playground standing. For them, funding does not seem to be a problem. However, the threat they are facing, cannot be entirely solved by money. Its sea level rising is at 9 millimeters a year, while there is only 3 millimeters on global average acceleration. If the sea level rises for 6 feet by 2100, Miami Beach city will get swallowed. When referring about sea level rising phenomenon, Miami Beach always acts as a ground zero example. Government leaders around the world are waiting to see how this rich living laboratory experiment place can avoid drowning. Below is a figure showing the sea level rising between 1900 and 2020 in Miami and Miami Beach

area.
So far, Miami Beach is investing over $400 million on a network of pumps, sea walls and raised streets aiming to fight against rising seas and high tides. Sunset Harbor, one of its most vulnerable neighborhoods, has spent over $30 million raised its streets by 2 feet. Other wealthier neighborhoods with properties that value $10m or more on the island are also tearing up their streets preparing to raise ground level. The city commissioner thinks that since many of Miami Beach’s island was filled, they could fill the land again to beat sea level rising. Residents in Miami Beach tend to save real estates with worth of trillions of dollars at the moment. The local government believes that their budget can help them live through one or two decades, and then some new technology or land reclamation could work them out in the future. For poorer residents, they are not able to pay for the street work and further resiliency. When the costs amount increase, they might have to leave, switching schools, changing jobs and moving to areas far from the coast. This reminds me of gentrification, only that this phenomenon is caused by climate change.