The NOAA, NASA, and U.S. Geological Survey partnership is flying again, this time in response to Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd. Using satellites and airplane-mounted lasers, scientists are documenting shoreline erosion along North and South Carolina beaches and looking for water quality change indicators in the flooded coastal areas. It isn't easy.
Experts are very adept at assessing structural damages.
Hidden losses include those associated with interruptions to businesses, reductions in property values, disruption of social services, psychological trauma, and damages to natural systems. A book that addresses this topic, The Hidden Costs of Coastal Hazards , is the result of an intensive two-year study by the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment. The book takes a structured approach to the problem of coastal hazards, offering a new framework for community-based hazard mitigation, along with specific recommendations for implementation. The book is a unique source of new information and insights from lenders, investors, developers, insurers of coastal property, and others who are involved with the business of hazard mitigation. The NOAA Coastal Services Center helped initiate and fund this study.