Emergency Response Accessibility in Coastal Cities: An analysis of the Impact of Storm Surges and Sea Level Rise

抄録

Coastal cities face growing risks from rising sea levels and storm surges, which jeopardize critical infrastructure and hinder emergency response accessibility. This study examines the impact of storm surge-induced disruptions on emergency services, with a focus on hospital access and emergency vehicle mobility. By employing a hazard modeling framework that combines typhoon simulations, wave dynamics, and overtopping calculations, we analyze changes in travel times, network connectivity loss, and reductions in population coverage under various typhoon scenarios. Findings reveal that while travel times may not always increase due to isolated nodes, the population reachable by emergency services consistently decreases compared to normal conditions. Severe scenarios highlight the urgent need for resilience measures, such as adaptive infrastructure, enhanced flood defenses, and strategic emergency planning. These insights underscore the necessity of integrating climate adaptation strategies into urban and transportation planning to safeguard emergency accessibility during extreme weather events.