During the summer and autumn months, most flooding concerns are focused on coastal areas subject to hurricanes. However, floods can occur from a variety of sources other than tropical cyclones, even during hurricane season.
Tokio Marine Highland is providing a short series of “Featured Flood Events” to equip agents with information that can be shared with their clients as they consider adequate and prudent protection for their valuable assets.
Unexpected Tidal Inundation: Sunny Day Flooding
The temporary flooding of low-lying areas due to exceptionally high tides is also referred to as “sunny day flooding,” where storms are not directly responsible for rising flood waters. These flooding events can occur when tides are significantly impacted by the gravitational pull of full and new moons, but are also increasing in frequency and severity due to sea level rise. Unlike hurricanes or other tracked storm events, sunny day flooding can catch citizens by complete surprise, as clear skies provide no warning of the impending inundation of flood waters.
The city of Charleston, South Carolina is an interesting case study where tidal flooding events that used to only take place about five times per year occurred a record 89 days in 2019 alone. A University of South Carolina study indicates that the city’s vulnerability is accelerating and other eastern seaboard cities, from Miami to Boston, have been experiencing the same.
The following are useful resources to help facilitate conversations about flood protection with your coastal clients:
The Post and Courier article: “A Sunny Day in Charleston and a Flood”
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit: High-Tide Flooding
Private Flood Insurance programs managed by Tokio Marine Highland include mudflow as a covered peril, are much more robust than the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and can be placed with no waiting period. To learn more, contact us today at PrivateFloodSolution@tmhighland.com.