What Does Florida Condo Collapse Have To Do With Louisiana Coast? More Than You Think.
The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South Condo that collapsed in Surfside, Fla. (Amy Beth Bennett /South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
How does the tragic collapse of a beachfront condo in Florida impact Louisiana’s coastal survival plan?
It increases the already stiff competition the state faces in its desperate search for funding that plan.
Let me explain.
The dust was still rising from the horrible condo collapse when the search for a cause began turning to climate change. However, we quickly learned a building inspector had warned of foundation problems in 2018 — and climate experts said they would wait on a complete forensic engineering investigation to claim any links.
But the climate suspicions kept coming, not from “climate hawks” but from local residents and political leaders. And their questions were not based on political affiliations, but on what they have experienced in their seaside lives over the past decade.
You see, much of the Florida coast, world-famous for soaring and pricy beachfront condos, rests on a layer of porous limestone. Worse, in some areas, the limestone was covered with sand pumped over drained mangrove swamps. None of this seemed to matter until about 10 years ago, when sea level began its rapid rise due to warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
The sheer weight of the ever-larger ocean now routinely pushes water through the hole-strewn limestone and sand underlayers. Residents now find streets and underground parking areas flooding on blue-sky days. They watch beaches steadily surrendering width to the Atlantic. And they see storm surge from even minor hurricanes becoming higher and reaching further inland.
The increased flushing action of the tidal flows burrows away at soil layers under buildings and streets, which can cause dramatic and sudden sinkholes. And the heavy salt content from the Atlantic causes corrosion in the iron rebar used to give strength to concrete pilings and other supports. Engineers have been finding signs of this damage for years, setting off calls for help from the affluent owners of the expensive beachfront investments.
Read the rest of the article at The Times-Picayune.
