As rescue and recovery teams dig through the rubble of the collapsed condo building in Surfside, Florida, scientists and engineers are starting to consider what could have possibly caused the deadly tragedy… Hamed Moftakhari, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Alabama, said that South Florida experiences nuisance flooding, or high-tide flooding, on a regular basis. Higher sea levels increase flood hazards and vulnerability, exposing critical infrastructure to saltwater.