The Use of News Information Published in Newspapers to Estimate the Impact of Coastal Storms at a Regional Scale

Vicente Gracia,Ana Carlota Rodríguez-Gómez,Jorge Guillén,Belén Rubio-Nicolás,Amanda Sancho-García

doi:10.3390/jmse9050497

Abstract

The evaluation of coastal damage caused by storms is not straightforward and different approaches can be applied. In this study, damage caused by extreme storms is evaluated at a regional scale based on news information published in regional newspapers. The data derived from the news are compared with hydrodynamic parameters to check the reliability of this methodology as a preliminary” fast approach” to evaluate storm damage and to identify hotspots along the coast. This methodology was applied to the two most extreme storms ever recorded along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, which occurred in January 2017 and January 2020, severely impacting the coast and causing significant community concerns. The news information from different media sources was processed and weighted to describe the resulting erosion, inundation, sand accumulation, and destruction of infrastructures. Moreover, an accuracy index for scoring the quality of the information was proposed. In spite of some limitations of the method, the resulting regional coastal hazard landscape of damage provides a rapid overview of the intensity and distribution of the damage and enables one to identify the location of potential hotspots for the analyzed extreme storm events. The results show that estimated damage intensity is better related to maximum wave energy than cumulative wave energy during a storm, and that beach characteristics should also be included for understanding the distribution of coastal damage.

Highlights

IntroductionThere has been an increase in the impact of coastal hazards because of the high degree of coastal occupation and a reduction in sediment riverine inputs
During the last decades, there has been an increase in the impact of coastal hazards because of the high degree of coastal occupation and a reduction in sediment riverine inputs.In the future, the expected rise in sea level will make the coast one of the most vulnerable areas
An adequate assessment of impacts caused by extreme storm events, as part of the strategy for evaluating coastal risks, is crucial and urgent to address the effects of climate change [3]

Summary

Introduction

There has been an increase in the impact of coastal hazards because of the high degree of coastal occupation and a reduction in sediment riverine inputs. The expected rise in sea level will make the coast one of the most vulnerable areas. For the 21st century, the predicted climatic change will increase storminess and sea level rise rates and a significant increase in coastal damage is expected [1]. Extreme storm events damage infrastructures and ecosystem services, and have economic, social, and cultural impacts. An adequate assessment of impacts caused by extreme storm events, as part of the strategy for evaluating coastal risks, is crucial and urgent to address the effects of climate change [3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion