Storm surge: Could it happen here?

The Thai government is spending large amounts of money to protect inland areas from flooding from the north, but experts say another flood disaster could come from the sea.

Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning

People walk through water on the beach near the time of high tide as Hurricane Sandy approaches in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFP

Click button to listen to At risk and rightclick to download

Bangkok in top 8 cities most at risk from storm threats

AFP

The hammer blow dealt to New York City by superstorm Sandy should raise the alarm for coastal mega-cities in Asia which are more exposed but less equipped to deal with such threats, experts said on Tuesday.

New York was able to draw on top-level civil engineering, good governance and the world’s richest economy as it faced a once-in-a-century event.

But that is not the case for many cities that have risen on a coastal arc from China to the Arabian Sea, luring millions in search of a better life.

‘‘These cities are undergoing very rapid expansion and they are not only exposed to sea-level rise, they are also exposed to tropical cyclones,’’ said Bob Ward, director of policy at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment in London.

‘‘It is clear there isn’t any urban planning going on, and they have a lot of poor people living in very low-quality housing who are going to be especially vulnerable and exposed.’’

A 2007 study identified 20 port cities which, in terms of population, would be most exposed to flooding by 2070. Fifteen were Asian, with the first eight places headed by Kolkata followed by Mumbai, Dhaka, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Bangkok and Yangon.

Cars are seen on a street flooded by superstorm Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey. REUTERS

‘‘The cities with the highest protection are European countries, places like Holland have got really high [flood] defence standards, whereas some of the American cities, their defences are not that high,’’ said Susan Hanson, an expert in coastal engineering at Britain’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research who co-wrote the report.

Several factors combine to make the new mega-cities so vulnerable, she said.

One is a rise in mean sea levels, which according to the study’s model will be around 50cm by 2070 as warmer temperatures cause oceans to expand.

Then there is the thrust, or windwhipped storm surge, from cyclones, which also dump vast amounts of rain.

Some scientists say these storms could become more vicious and frequent with time, but others disagree.

Tom Mitchell, head of climate change at Britain’s Overseas Development Institute, said:
‘‘There is some evidence to suggest that with climate change we might see stronger windspeeds but that the overall number of tropical cyclones will show no change or maybe even go down a little bit.’’

The impacts of superstorms are hugely amplified when cities strip away their natural defences and people are allowed to settle in places of risk.

storm surge – a sudden increase in the height of waves in the sea during a storm น้ำทะเลหนุน
tide – the regular rise and fall of the level of the sea (the tides) ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้นน้ำลง, กระแสน้ำขึ้นน้ำลง
high tide – the times of the day when the sea level is highest ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้น
at risk – in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
threat – a danger อันตราย
hammer – a tool consisting of a piece of metal with a flat end which is fixed onto the end of a long thin usually wooden handle, used for hitting things ค้อน
blow – a sudden event which has damaging effects on somebody/something การโจมตี, การชก,การต่อย
hammer blow – a powerful and destructive event เหตุการณ์รุนแรงและทำให้เกิดความเสียหายร้ายแรง
deal a blow to – to cause serious damage to ทำให้เกิดความเสียหายร้ายแรงกับ
alarm – fear and anxiety that somebody feels when something dangerous or unpleasant might happen or has happened ความกังวล 
coastal – of an area of land beside the sea แนวชายฝั่งทะเล
mega- – very large or impressive  ใหญ่มา
exposed – open, uncovered or unprotected ซึ่งเปิดออก
equipped – having what is necessary to do something ครบครัน,  ซึ่งมีเครื่องประกอบพร้อม
deal with – to take action to solve a problem จัดการปัญหา
expert – someone who has a particular skill or who knows a lot about a particular subject ผู้เชี่ยวชาญ
draw on – to use a supply of something that is available to you ใช้
top-level – of the highest quality or standard มีคุณภาพสูง, มีมาตรฐานสูง
civil engineering – the design, building and repair of roads, bridges, canals, etc; the study of this as a subject วิศวกรรมโยธา
governance – the activity of governing a country or controlling a company or an organisation; the way in which a country is governed or a company or institution is controlled วิธีการปกครอง 
century – a period of one hundred years ศตวรรษ
arc – a curved shape ความโค้ง
lure – to attract someone/something ล่อใจ, หลอกล่อ, ยั่วยวน
undergo – to experience a process of change เผชิญกับ, ประสบ
rapid – happening quickly อย่างรวดเร็ว
expansion – when something increases in size, number or importance การขยายออก
sea level – the height of the sea  ระดับน้ำทะเล
tropical – relating to the hottest area of the Earth, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn ในเขตร้อน
cyclone – a violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle พายุหมุนไซโคลน
policy – a set of plans or action agreed on by a government, political party, business, or other group นโยบาย
research – a careful study of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts or information about it การวิจัย
climate – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place สภาพอากาศ , อากาศ, ภูมิอากาศ
environment – the place in which people live and work, including all the physical conditions that affect them สภาพแวดล้อม, สิ่งแวดล้อม
urban – connected with towns and cities เขตเมือง
quality – the standard of something when it is compared to other things like it; how good or bad something is คุณภาพ
vulnerable – easily damaged or harmed ซึ่งถูกทำลายได้ง่าย
protection – the act of protecting somebody/something; the state of being protected  การปกป้อง
defence – protecting somebody/something from damage, attack, etc.  การป้องกัน, การต้าน, การพิทักษ์
standard – a (high) level of quality มาตรฐาน
factor – a fact or situation which influences the result of something ปัจจัย
combine – to mix or be put together รวมกัน
mean – an amount that is calculated by adding several numbers together and dividing the total by the original number of things that you added together ค่าเฉลี่ย, ตัวกลาง, มัชฌิม
model – a simple description of a system, used for explaining how something works or calculating what might happen, etc แบบจำลอง
temperature – a measurement of how hot or how cold a place or object is อุณหภูมิ
expand – to make or become larger ขยาย
thrust – a sudden strong movement that pushes something/somebody forward ,แรงผลักดัน, กำลังดัน
windwhipped – hit by high winds
storm surge – a sudden increase in the height of waves in the sea during a storm น้ำทะเลหนุน
vast – extremely large in area, size, amount, etc.  กว้างใหญ่, มหาศาล
vicious – violent and cruel, aggressive and dangerous ร้ายแรง, ดุร้าย
frequent – happening often เกิดขึ้นบ่อย
overseas – connected with foreign countries, especially those separated from your country by the sea or ocean เกี่ยวกับต่างประเทศ, ข้ามทะเล
development – the gradual growth of something so that it becomes more advanced, stronger, etc การพัฒนา
evidence – facts, signs or objects that make you believe that something is true หลักฐาน,ข้อแสดง
suggest – to show that something is possibly true ชวนคิด
overall – total; including all the things or people that are involved in a particular situation; general  ทั้งหมด
impact – an effect or influence  ผลกระทบ
amplify – to increase something in strength ขยาย, ทำให้เพิ่มขึ้น
strip away – to remove something ถอด
natural – existing in nature; not made or caused by humans เป็นธรรมชาติ, ตามธรรมชาติ
settle – to go and live somewhere, especially permanently เข้ามาอาศัยอยู่