Gulf Coast Faces Sea Level-Sinkage Double Whammy

Hurricane Gustav has been a harsh reminder that it’s only the whim of a hurricane track, a few miles this way or that, which can make the difference between a close call and another Katrina-like catastrophe for New Orleans and other Gulf Coast communities.

With the one-two punch being delivered by sinking land and rising sea levels, and with every hurricane threatening a knock-out blow, it’s getting harder to avoid that very unpopular question: How much longer can these coastal communities survive?

To get the answer Discovery News caught up with four Gulf Coast researchers and posed the question to them. Their answers differ, but they agree on one thing: The long-term prospects are not good.

Discovery News