Before-and-after satellite images illustrate the significant changes to the coastline caused by Hurricane Milton's recent destruction of Florida's Gulf Coast.
What's happening?
As reported by CBS News, coastal communities along the western part of the Florida peninsula and near the Sarasota barrier island of Siesta Key are still trying to recover from the damage brought by Milton, which occurred just two weeks after Hurricane Helene leveled the region.
The images were captured one day after Milton struck and showed beaches in Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island damaged and covered with dark sand that appeared to push inland toward nearby streets and buildings.
Images of other areas showed the scope of the destruction, such as the fishing village of Cortez, which had buildings reduced to "piles of rubble," per CBS News. Some areas were left covered in debris and heaps of sand reaching as high as six feet tall.
CBS News' Tom Hanson, who was reporting from Manasota Key on the western coast of Florida just south of Sarasota, called it "a devastating scene" and said the sand was similar to "snow drift from a blizzard" covering both the inside and outside of homes.
Hanson added that the beach was "diminished" after Milton, and "Gulf waters were much closer to shore than they had been before the storm."
Why is this important?
Coastline reduction is already one of the most concerning results of our changing climate, as warmer global temperatures have led to rising sea levels that can cause erosion and eventual disappearance of coastlines around the world.
However, extreme weather events like Hurricane Milton exacerbate the problem even more, as intense rainfall and resulting flooding accelerate the rising sea levels. The continued warming of the planet also creates conditions for extreme storms like this to become more frequent and intense.
At the time of CBS News' reporting, 24 deaths were blamed on Hurricane Milton, and that number has since increased to 25.
What's being done about this?
United States President Joe Biden authorized an additional $612 million in federal aid to help the affected areas in Florida and North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
However, no mention was made of an effort to help restore the coastline. There are other restoration projects like those in California and other parts of the world that can be adapted to the area if necessary.
Reducing air pollution that causes rising global temperatures and fortifying coastal communities for extreme weather events are other necessary steps that can help mitigate these issues.
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