Climate Change Responsible for Billions of Dollars of Losses from Superstorm Sandy

Posted: April 28, 2023 8:45 am

A retrospective study is blaming climate change on at least $8 billion in damages across the tri-state area after 2012’s Superstorm Sandy.

This dollar amount represents approximately 13% of the total $62.7 billion in damages attributed to the devastating storm.

Details of Study

The study was published by Nature Communications. This group was led by scientists and researchers from Princeton University, Rutgers University, Climate Central in New Jersey, and the Steven Institute of Technology.

The group used a variety of historical data and sea-level reconstruction models paired with flood simulations to discern how much of an effect the ongoing human-caused climate change issue had on the amount of damage caused by Sandy.

Key Findings of Research

The key finding by researchers was that climate change was responsible for about four inches of additional flooding impacts. As a result of these four extra inches, thousands of people were forced out of their damaged or destroyed homes.

According to study author Dr. Benjamin Strauss, the human-caused sea-level rise can be blamed for a significant portion of the damages blamed on Sandy.

Just a little bit of additional rise has significant implications on these storms and their destruction, pointing to the catastrophic far-reaching effects of climate change.

How the Dollar Amount Was Determined

While it is not easy to attribute a set dollar amount to the effects of human activity, the scientists in this study are confident in their methods. The researchers used two independent models to estimate how much the human-caused sea-level rise affected the total cost of damages inflicted by Sandy.

It is important to note that the dollar amounts noted are based on the original estimates in 2012. When accounted for inflation, today’s numbers would be much higher.

Looking Back on Sandy

Sandy began its journey as a cyclone that intensified in the Caribbean before moving through the Greater Antilles and running parallel to the East Coast.

In late October, the storm moved to the west and northwest, putting the tri-state coastal areas in its path. The storm made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012, as a post-tropical cyclone. When it reached land, Sandy was packing winds of about 80 mph.

However, it was not the winds that were the major storyline with Sandy. Because the storm was so wide, it was able to dump an unprecedented amount of rain into the region, leading to what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) categorized as “a catastrophic storm surge.”

Because of the intense rain associated with Sandy, the New York City metropolitan area experienced its highest water level in nearly three centuries.

Losses Attributed to Sandy

There were at least 147 direct deaths attributed to Sandy. The majority of these deaths were blamed on the powerful storm surge. In addition to the direct deaths, officials attributed 87 more indirect fatalities to the storm and its consequences.

Sandy also was responsible for over $60 billion in losses nationwide. Officials estimate that over 99% of the damages were a result of coastal flooding and storm surges.

According to NOAA, there were 650,000 houses destroyed or damaged when Sandy roared up the coastline. In addition, approximately 8.5 million customers were without power, some for a significant amount of time.

Implications of Study

According to Dr. Daniel Gilford from Rutgers University, this study shows that the effects of climate change are growing “more frequent and more severe.”

By researching and noting the human impact, people can better understand how to best mitigate these negative effects.

Because sea levels continue to rise approximately one-twelfth of an inch per year, these storms will likely become even more devastating in the future if the effects of climate change are not reversed.

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