Storm surge could cost LI $99B, study says

A study of 10 U.S. metropolitan areas shows that Long Island could be hardest-hit financially by hurricane storm-surge flooding, with $99 billion in potential damage.

The study looked not at the possible number of lives that would be lost but primarily at flooding damage.

In part due to high real estate prices, Long Island's potential damage represented nearly one-third of the total for the 10 metropolitan areas, according to the CoreLogic report. The 10-region total possible damage was calculated at $300 billion.

CoreLogic, a provider of consumer, financial and property information and business services, on Tuesday released a report detailing potential exposure to storm-surge property damage in 10 major urban areas along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts.

"Storm surge is triggered primarily by the high winds and low pressure associated with hurricanes, which cause water to amass inside a storm as it moves across the ocean and release as a powerful rush over land when the hurricane moves on shore," CoreLogic said.

"Long Island was found to have the highest exposure to risk, valued at $99 billion, followed by the Miami-Palm Beach region and Virginia Beach," the study said.