Homes are collapsing into the ocean in Florida. Here’s what’s behind the dangerous situation

[jerrymahoney]

27 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

1 hour ago, jerrymahoney said:

It's simple. How many times on here have you read in reference to Thailand or anywhere else:

 

And I get to live close to the Beach!!!

Expand  

Any signs that your house is going to flooded by "rising sea levels"? 55555555555555

No -- just this:

 

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

No -- just this:

 

Nothing like being prepared. Dib dib dib.

[jerrymahoney]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Nothing like being prepared. Dib dib dib.

And my line while living non-coastal in Florida is that those signs never point TOWARD the ocean or gulf.

[placeholder]

21 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Quite right. Same as building a house among trees in a fire zone and complaining when it gets burnt, or building next to an airport and complaining about the noise.

Sometimes I wonder how people can be so stupid now when we know so much more than we did a hundred years ago.

 

If I were going to build on a waterfront property in an area regularly affected by hurricanes, I'd make sure it was behind a sea wall designed to withstand storms, just like an ex president has done with his waterfront property.

I got news for you: It wasn't just beachfront homes or even only coastal towns that got flooded:

 

Hurricane Ian’s Path Goes Inland With a Long Tail of Flood Risk
Tropical storms strengthened by climate change are creating new flood seasons in regions far from the coast

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-30/hurricane-ian-s-path-goes-inland-with-a-long-tail-of-flood-risk?leadSource=uverify wall

[jerrymahoney]

To the above, sure. But this is a bit more dramatic:

 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

To the above, sure. But this is a bit more dramatic:

 

IMO the condo didn't collapse because of one particular hurricane. If not that one the next or the one after that.

If one is daft enough to build next to the coast in a hurricane zone, best have a really good sea wall. Hopefully the insurance companies will stop covering buildings on the coast not protected by sea walls, and that'll be the end of that foolishness.

[jerrymahoney]

27 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the condo didn't collapse because of one particular hurricane. If not that one the next or the one after that.

If one is daft enough to build next to the coast in a hurricane zone, best have a really good sea wall. Hopefully the insurance companies will stop covering buildings on the coast not protected by sea walls, and that'll be the end of that foolishness.

There are reports that recently built structures near the beach fared pretty well at least for some of the 15 million daft Floridians.

 

Me? I have never lived other than about an hour's drive to either coast.

Edited November 12, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO the condo didn't collapse because of one particular hurricane. If not that one the next or the one after that.

If one is daft enough to build next to the coast in a hurricane zone, best have a really good sea wall. Hopefully the insurance companies will stop covering buildings on the coast not protected by sea walls, and that'll be the end of that foolishness.

Storm surges in excess of ten feet/3 meters are common along the Gulf of Mexico coast.  How many sea walls are built that high?

 

People should not build in storm surge areas (which can extend many miles inland) unless they are prepared to pay insurance rates that reflect the true cost, or accept the complete loss of their house.  The government definitely should not help these people rebuild in high-risk areas, but it will.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/12/2022 at 7:51 PM, jerrymahoney said:

There are reports that recently built structures near the beach fared pretty well at least for some of the 15 million daft Floridians.

 

Me? I have never lived other than about an hour's drive to either coast.

Perhaps the other 15 million have good seawalls or coastal protection.

[jerrymahoney]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps the other 15 million have good seawalls or coastal protection.

Their problem. Not mine. I have never lived in Florida other than about an hour's drive to either coast.

[heybruce]

10 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps the other 15 million have good seawalls or coastal protection.

Look at a topographical map of Florida.  The only significant coastal protection are the barrier islands, and they have been built (overbuilt) upon.  As already posted, storm surges of more than 10 feet/3 meters are common all around the Gulf coast.  Sea walls are not built that high because they spoil the view rich people have of the water.

 

The only way to build a house that can survive a ten foot storm surge it to build it 11 feet above sea level.  In Florida that doesn't mean build on a hill (excluding unstable sand dunes there are no hills near Florida's coasts), it means putting the house on tall, sturdy piles.  However this increases the cost of construction and is unpopular with home builders and buyers, so Florida, being a "business friendly" state, usually will not require it.

 

In 2018 Hurricane Michael and its ten foot storm surge destroyed most of the housing in the Florida coastal town of Mexico Beach.  The local government is allowing people to rebuild on foundations 1 1/2 feet above sea level; so the next ten foot storm surge will wipe out the town again.  https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/mexico-beach-city-council-votes-on-new-building-requirements/

Edited November 14, 2022 by heybruce