The climate crisis and rising global temperatures are making the glaciers at the poles melt rapidly. Gradually, the melting glaciers will result in a rise in the seawater level around the world. Studies and research claim that large cities that have flourished across the world by the seashore shall slowly submerge in water.
But little did we know that the climate crisis has accelerated earlier projections.
Recent research by Nature Communications has found out that cities like Mumbai, Ho Chi Minh, Basra among others will be wiped out by the rising sea levels by 2050, reports NY Times.
The researchers figured out an accurate way of calculating land elevation and the effect of rising sea levels on land. As per the data thus collected, around 150 million people are presently living on land that’ll be below the high-tide line by 2050.
To begin with, the south Asian country of Vietnam will be among the worst affected countries due to rising sea levels in the world. Currently, around one-fourth of its total population lives on the land that is likely to get submerged in 2050. Ho Chi Minh City would disappear too.
Talking about Thailand, 10% of its population currently lives on land (including Bangkok) that will drown by 2050. The current estimate is 10 times more than what was indicated in the previous research.
Moving towards the Arabian sea, Mumbai, one of the most popular and populous cities of the country is expected to be inundated with water by 2050. Iraq’s Basra, could also possibly be submerged by then.
The migration caused as a result of submerging cities might also lead to regional conflicts. Farmers from the submerged areas will be forced to look for a shift in occupation. It would also result in a loss of cultural and historic heritage. Egypt’s Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, could be wiped out due to rising sea levels.
We still have around three decades in hand to turn the fate around.Â