STORM IMPACT ON A LOW-LAYING KARSTIC COAST IN NORTHWESTERN YUCATÀN
We investigated the impacts of Hurricane Gamma and Hurricane Delta on the inner shelf circulation, beach morphology, the coastal aquifer, and infrastructure in the vicinity of a coastal community located in the northwestern Yucatán Peninsula. Strong winds (> 20 m/s) and high precipitation characterized these events. The along-shelf currents reached 0.5 m/s during both events but with different direction. Energetic waves (Hs > 2 m) and storm surge (0.5 m) drive an onshore sediment transport. The beach response is affected by coastal structures and macrophyte wracks. Heavy rain increased the water table and was responsible for inland flooding. Due to the coastal aquifer confinement the high-water levels remained for several days affecting road communications and forcing some species to move to other areas for feeding. Numerical models failed to reproduce the wave and water level observations; hence further research is warranted to help mitigate the vulnerability of barrier islands to high-water levels associated with storms.