Storm Surge: Physical Processes and an Impact Scale

摘要: Tropical cyclone-generated storm surges create natural disasters that are among the most deadly and costly global catastrophes. Individual have inflicted hundreds of thousands fatalities billions dollars in damage. In 1970, a tropical cyclone Bay Bengal generated 9.1-meter surge which killed approximately 300,000 people Bangladesh (Frank Husain 1971; Dube et al. 1997; De 2005). More recently, well into age satellite meteorology, 1991 140,000 (Dube 1997). Although magnitude heights loss life highest along shores India, such not limited to countries with developing economies. The 1900 Galveston Hurricane 6.1-meter (Garriott 1900), between 6,000 8,000 Galveston, Texas (Rappaport Fernandez-Partagas 1995), producing disaster United States history (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration 1999). Katrina (2005) an 8.47-meter (Knabb 2006), claimed more than 1,800 lives coasts Louisiana Mississippi, $81 billion damage (McTaggart-Cowan 2008). While is hazard, it also scientifically complex, because meteorological, oceanographic geographic factors influence height, extent duration flooding. Such include maximum sustained hurricane wind speed at landfall offshore, size, forward speed, angle approach coastline, bathymetry coastal waters, coastline shape presence barriers or obstructions waters on land. relationships some these resultant may seem intuitive (e.g. assumption stronger hurricanes always generate higher surges), observations reveal combination physical characteristics. As result, weaker sometimes hurricanes. For example, Ike (2008) 5.33-meter Upper Coast, although winds were only 175 km/ hour (Berg 2009), whereas Charley Western Florida had 240 landfall, but 2.13-meter surge, partly rapidly intensified just before making (Pasch 2004). complex nature makes this phenomenon difficult forecast for populations understand. cases where extents