New York, New Orleans and Miami are among the eight cities along the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts facing the highest flood risk, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Scientists developed a new AI-driven framework and combined it with historical flood-damage data to not only identify high-risk coastal areas but also pinpoint the underlying factors driving that risk.

Severe flooding events have become increasingly common in the United States, partly due to rising sea levels and intensifying hurricane activity fueled by climate change. In addition to the risk to life, these disasters result in billions of dollars of property and infrastructure damage.

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The results revealed that eight cities face severe threats: New York, NY; Norfolk, VA; Charleston, SC; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; Mobile, AL; New Orleans, LA; and Houston, TX.

New York City and New Orleans were the most vulnerable, though for different reasons. New York has the highest number of people at risk, with 4.75 million exposed under the GFD scenario and 4.40 million in the EFD scenario. This is because massive urban development has replaced natural soil with impervious surfaces such as concrete. Land subsidence further increases the city's vulnerability.

However, nearly 99% of the population and infrastructure of New Orleans are at risk under both scenarios. This is primarily because much of the city sits below sea level, so water cannot drain by gravity.

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