Dr DUAN Huanfeng, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), and his research teams in Hong Kong and on the inland are working on a project to investigate the patterns and characteristics of joint occurrences of coastal rainstorms and storm surges, thereby assessing the flooding risks in the GBA. The project was awarded funding of HK$1.24 million under the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/Research Grants Council (RGC) Joint Research Scheme (JRS) 2022/23.
About 15–28% of coastal residential areas in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) are expected to be flooded in 2100 due to extreme weather events associated with climate change. This situation highlights the significant need for flood risk assessment in the GBA.
The project aims to study the underlying patterns of rainstorm-storm surge joint occurrences in the coastal regions of the GBA, and the physical mechanisms of coastal flooding caused by compound climate and weather events in the area. A comprehensive methodology including statistical analysis, numerical simulation, and laboratory and field tests will be used. The project is expected to facilitate flood management plans in the GBA, and provide useful references of urban flooding mitigation and prevention for other coastal regions.
City cluster (9+2 cities) in the GBA of China
Predicted land areas below flooding water level in the GBA in 2100
(The blue and pink colors refer to current land areas that are expected to be below water level when different factors are considered.)
