Fast-forward 33 years.
The sea level has risen 4.2 inches since then.
Last year, the city’s low-lying areas saw 50 days of nuisance flooding, a record.
Three mega storms in the past three years turned the city of Charleston’s largest medical district into a virtually inaccessible island.
And some city officials still talk about the “generational challenge” that rising seas present.
That doesn’t sit well with Mike Seekings, a city councilman who spent the past few days tromping around city streets as nuisance tides once again cut off thoroughfares in his district.
“Last night between 8:30 and 9 o’clock, there was a foot of water at Broad and Lockwood,” he said. “You can’t live in a city when roads are closed on good days and roads to hospitals are closed on bad days.”
This is no longer a generational challenge, he added. “We’ve been talking about doing things for so long. Let’s start these projects now.”
Some leaders say the time is now 2 act 2 save Charleston #SouthCarolina from rising seas-In 33 yrs, sea level +4.2" https://t.co/5C6zAYOrkv
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) September 19, 2017