Daniel Swain says economic cost of a California ‘megaflood’ could approach trillions of dollars | Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Katerina Jowid
September 07, 2022
SLAGC News and Events

Publication: PBS

UCLA Expert: Daniel Swain: Assistant Researcher and Climate Specialist, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Synopsis: Scientists call it a megaflood or megastorm — 30 days of continuous moderate to severe rain and snow covering wide swathes of land. They haven’t had one of these in California since 1862. But a new study says climate change is increasing the likelihood of another one hitting the state. Swain is interviewed.

UCLA News: “I think that's the billion- and perhaps even trillion-dollar question,” Swain answers PBS’s question, “Is California and other Western states prepared for this [megastorm]?” According to him, the storm will affect “most of California's major economic sector simultaneously… The last time that there was an economic analysis done for a flood of this magnitude, it was estimated that it could approach a trillion-dollar disaster in California.”