Flood risk in deltas and estuaries may be higher

[...]

“Many of the large and disastrous floods in deltas and estuaries are the result of a combination of coastal floods – for example, caused by storm surges – and floods from rivers and rainfall,” says Philip Ward at Vrije University Amsterdam in The Netherlands. “When they interact, the floods can be more severe than when they occur in isolation. These are examples of so-called ‘compound events’.”

With climate change set to bring higher sea levels and heavier rainfall, the threat of flooding is likely to increase in the coming decades. “Deltas and estuaries are home to a large proportion of the global population, and the number of people is expected to grow rapidly in the 21st century,” says Ward. “At the same time, they are located in areas that are prone to flooding from the sea, rivers, and rainfall. It is therefore essential that we understand how these phenomena interact, in order to improve planning of flood risk reduction and mitigation measures.”

[...]