South Florida second to NY in storm damage risk

South Florida is just behind New York when it comes to homes located within dangerous storm surge zones, a new report from CoreLogic shows.

The tri-county area has more than 562,400 residential properties in areas with a serious risk of damage from storm surge. Nearly 197,000 are in “extreme risk” zones, according to CoreLogic. The combined reconstruction value of the South Florida homes at risk is $103 billion.

New York topped CoreLogic’s rankings, with more than 687,000 homes in dangerous storm surge areas and a combined reconstruction value of $251 billion. Tampa was ranked third, one spot below South Florida, with nearly 445,000 properties in surge zones and $79 billion in potential reconstruction costs.

“Though the 2013 hurricane season will be remembered for the fact that no storms made landfall along the U.S. coast, this reprieve from hurricane-related damage should not lead to complacency,” CoreLogic Spatial Solutions senior hazard scientist Thoms Jeffery said, as cited by the Palm Beach Post. “This year’s season is projected to be slightly below normal in hurricane activity, but the early arrival of Hurricane Arthur on July 3 is an important reminder that even a low-category hurricane or strong tropical storm can create powerful riptides, modest flooding and cause significant destruction of property.” [Palm Beach Post] — Eric Kalis