Storm surges represent a major hazard for many coastal regions
worldwide. The 1953 and 1962 catastrophes are well remembered in
Europe, and recent incidents in Bangladesh and Myanmar caused over
100,000 casualties. Developing innovative responses and overcoming
the frequently fragmented discussion about this global phenomenon
and its regional implications call for improved knowledge of
present risks and future conditions based on sound
interdisciplinary approaches.
This selection of articles presents multiple scientific and
management oriented perspectives on current and future storm
surges, covering the fields of observing, modelling and
forecasting, risk and vulnerability analysis, planning and
innovative coastal protection concepts. It originates from the
international "2010 Storm Surges Congress - Risk and Management of
Current and Future Storm Surges, "initiated and organized by the
Institute of Coastal Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
(formerly the GKSS-Research Centre) in collaboration with the
KlimaCampus (CliSAP) of the University of Hamburg, Germany. The
Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) co-sponsored
the event and its international project office (IPO) provided the
necessary organizational support. The congress was generously
supported by international and national partners. Some
highlights:
Remote sensing surveillance and mapping of storm surge extent based
on NASA MODIS sensors may ultimately provide new global insights
into the vulnerability of deltas where human pressures outbalance
natural land-ocean forcing. Up-scaling hazard lines and risk
mapping from local to full continental scale is the ambition in
India. From an insurance risk perspective, its societal perception
and economic issues determine societal response options. In urban
contexts flood risk is anticipated as a combination of climate
change-induced sea level rise and socio-economic drivers. A
cost-benefit analysis of flood defence in London underlines the
fact that future investment will be highly beneficial; thoughtful
planning rather than rushing to new engineering solutions is
preferable.
Several modelling case studies and approaches are presented,
covering the effects of individual storms, the development of
analytical models that can help us to understand relevant processes
and mechanisms, and sensitivity studies that test the impact and
relevance of various physical processes for storm surge generation
and evolution. Hydrodynamic models applied to different emission
scenarios suggest that the threat of extreme storm surges in the
North Sea may increase but strong decadal fluctuations and internal
variability need to be considered. A Korean study suggests that
future global warming may not always lead to an increase in the
number of intense cyclones or the magnitude of associated storm
surges.
Past and recent storm surges arising at the dune coast of France
call for improved assessment and management of a growing flood risk
in future sea-level rise projections. In the same context rather
than deterministic approaches, considering the uncertainties that
influence extreme water levels can significantly improve the design
levels of coastal structures and flood defences. The innovative
Dutch Building with Nature concept employs natural processes for
coastal flood protection.
Previously published in Natural Hazards, Volume 66, No. 3, 2013
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