The Sea Level Rise Toolbox app developed by FIU’s School of Journalism and Communications and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allows users to enter an address and visualize how up to a six-foot rise in sea level can affect Miami-Dade neighborhoods.
Of Florida’s 5.5 million residents, 75% live on coasts where sea levels have risen by 23 centimeters since 1900 and flooding is expected to triple over the next 15 years.
“We did numerous user tests during the development of the app, and found that giving South Florida residents the ability to visualize how sea level rise might affect their homes is a very powerful way to engage them and get them thinking about the importance of sea level rise.” Susan Jacobson, an assistant professor at FIU’s journalism school and in charge of the project, told EFE.
Constant flooding and rising sea levels are issues that concern residents, even catastrophic visions place, for example, the city of Miami under the sea for the next century.
The app, which can be viewed on eyesontherise.org/app will also include a database with flood reports from government and citizen sources in South Florida.
“The first reaction (when using the app) is always one of astonishment because many people didn’t know that if they don’t live on the coast, they can also be affected by sea level rise,” Jacobs added.
