New York City at risk of flooding every two decades, climate study suggests

Hurricanes could start flooding New York City's coastline as often as every 20 years due to the effects of climate change on sea-level rise and hurricane activity, scientists say.

Water could surge some 2.8 metres in hurricanes occurring anywhere from three to 17 times more often than today, they said.

"That's approximately — worst case scenario — once every 20 years," said Benjamin Horton, a sea level research at New Jersey-based Rutgers University and part of the team of US scientists who published their findings in a study.

The projections act as a reminder of the human cost of climate change, Professor Horton said, in particular after Hurricane Matthew ravaged the south-eastern United States over the weekend.

Read the ABC story - “New York City at risk of flooding every two decades, climate study suggests.”