10 Sinking Cities Probably Disappear by 2100

Jakarta – As climate change accelerates, several major cities around the world face an ominious fate of potential disappearance by 2100 due to rising sea levels. 

According to sea level rise projections, nearly one billion people will be exposed to much greater risks of flooding by mid-century. 

Well, here are sinking cities that are probably disappearing by 2100. 

1. Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos' low coastline continues to erode, and rising seas caused by global warming put Africa's largest city in danger of flooding.

A 2012 study from the University of Plymouth found that a sea level rise of three to nine feet would " have a catastrophic effect on the human activities in these regions." Global sea levels are expected to rise 6.6 feet by the end of this century.

2. Houston, Texas

Parts of Houston are sinking at a rate of 2 inches per year due to excessive groundwater pumping.

The more Houston sinks, the more vulnerable it becomes to increasingly frequent disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, which damaged nearly 135,000 homes and displaced around 30,000 people.

3. Dhaka, Bangladesh 

Bangladesh produces 0.3% of the emissions that contribute to climate change, but the country is facing some of the biggest consequences of rising sea levels. 

Oceans could flood 17% of Bangladesh's land and displace about 18 million of its citizens by 2050.

4. Venice, Italy

Venice is sinking at a rate of 0.08 inches every year.

Italy began building a flood barrier consisting of 78 gates across its three inlets in 2003. It's known as Mose. The barrier was supposed to be completed in 2011, but will likely not be ready until 2022.

When a series of storms hit Venice in 2018, the $6.5 billion project was still incomplete. The flooding was the worst the city had seen in a decade.

5.  Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach has one of the fastest rates of sea-level rising on the East Coast, factoring in both rising water levels and sinking land.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that Virginia Beach could experience up to nearly 12 feet of sea level rise by 2100.

6. Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is sinking at a rate of more than 1 centimeter a year and could be below sea level by 2030, according to The Guardian.

To help prevent flooding, especially during Thailand's summer rainy season, an architecture firm built an 11-acre park that can hold up to 1 million gallons of rainwater called Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park.

7. Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta is sinking up to 6.7 inches per year due to excessive groundwater pumping (which creates a change in pressure and volume that causes the land to sink). Much of the city could be underwater by 2050.

The Indonesian government recently approved a plan to move the capital 100 miles away from its current location on the island of Java in order to protect its 10 million residents from more flooding. 

8.  New Orleans, Louisiana

Parts of New Orleans are sinking at a rate of 2 inches per year and could be underwater by 2100, according to a 2016 NASA study.

Some parts of New Orleans are also 15 feet below sea level, and its location on a river delta increases its exposure to sea-level rise and flooding.

9. Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria's beaches have been disappearing as sea levels continue to rise. The Mediterranean Sea could rise as much as 2 feet by 2100. 

10. Miami, Florida

Environmental author Jeff Goodell previously told Business Insider that " there's virtually no scenario under which you can imagine [Miami] existing at the end of the century" and referred to it as "the poster child for a major city in big trouble."

Miami's sea levels are rising at faster rates than in other areas of the world, resulting in floods, contaminated drinking water, and major damage to homes and roads.

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18 Januari 2024