36 cities are at risk of submerging in the wake of rising sea levels
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Unfortunately, most of the coastal settlements are under the threat of coastal flooding due to rising sea levels. Some cities are building walls to prevent the land from being flooded, while some of them are coming up with alternative solutions.
Climate Central, an independent organization working on the changing climate and its impacts, created an interactive map called Coastal Risk Screening Tool and it shows the areas at risk of being submerged. By choosing the "water level" option, you can see which areas are under threat of being flooded up to 30 feet with the rise of sea levels.
Some cities are in danger
According to a research published in The Swiftest, more than 226 million people in 36 cities are expected to be impacted by rising sea levels. In relation to this fact, they also prepared a visual that demonstrates the 36 largest cities at risk of being flooded if the sea level rises up to 5 feet. In such a scenario, many world cities seem to be in danger including Amsterdam, New York City, Bangkok, and unfortunately but not surprisingly Venice. Very significant landmarks located in these cities are also in danger. Let's have a look at some.
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St. Mark's Basilica in Venice
St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice has already suffered from several flooding in recent years. Venice’s topography makes it especially vulnerable to sea-level rise. The city is only 3.2 feet above the waterline and has been sinking for many centuries. It is expected to see a sea-level rise of 120 centimeters by the end of the 21st century, and this is 50 percent higher than the average predictions for worldwide sea-level rise by 2100.
Miami Beach in Florida
Miami is one of the cities that is not very above the waterline as well. It is only 7ft. above the waterline. Particularly Miami Beach, a popular tourist destination, has been experiencing serious flooding for years. Some measures are being taken such as installing pumps, raising roads, and restoring wetlands. Additionally, the state of Florida is investing $4 billion in preventing further damage, but considering the rapidly rising sea level, it's appropriate to say that the city is racing against time.
Statue of Liberty in New York City
The frequency of floods in New York City has increased severely and last year, the city faced its first flash flood emergency. The city is 32 feet above the waterline and is also at risk from rising sea levels. The sea level is expected to rise up to 7-29 inches by 2050. As a method of prevention, New York City has started the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project in order to protect its residents from extreme weather conditions in the future. And unfortunately, the Statue of Liberty carries a huge potential of being damaged from sea-level rise and extreme weather conditions.
What has been done to reduce the sea-level rise?
We have already witnessed some preventional trials from countries. For example, Jakarta, the sinking capital of Indonesia, is constructing a sea wall to tackle the tide. Hudson River Storm Surge Barriers is also another plan to protect the shorelines around New York City from extreme weather conditions and sea-level rise.
Time will show if these methods will do well enough to tussle with mother nature. But one thing is sure that it'll take great engineering and technology.
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