Sea level rise over the North Carolina Coast.
Credit: www.biogeocreations.com

A set of standard apartment buildings line Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica, California, a small beach town just south of San Francisco. They’re not much to look at: two stories high, with chipping taupe paint and rickety staircases. Inside are cookie-cutter units with shaggy carpet and outdated kitchens. But residents refuse to move out of this place. And it’s hard to blame them: Just beyond each apartment’s sliding glass doors are cliffs that drop to the Pacific Ocean. Residents’ balconies overlook miles of sea, providing a serene backdrop and sunset view.

At least it was serene until January, when a strong El Niño storm surge suddenly caused a giant chunk of the cliffs to crumble into the ocean, leaving a section of apartments teetering over the edge. Pacifica declared a state of emergency and 20 families were ordered to evacuate. This month, the building was demolished and tenants in the neighboring dwellings were told to search […]