Beyond war, epidemics, and pollution, the rising sea levels by 2100 will force the human population to relocate from their current habitats. As per a NASA report, a rise in seawater levels by 3 to 6.5 feet will cause widespread damage to coastal areas around the globe. When asked what is causing the seawater to rise? It is the ice melting, expansion of Ocean water when it warms, storm surges and high tide inflexes. If the matter continues like this, nearly 360 million people will be subjected to the risk of annual floods by 2100.
The Countries Most Prone To Floods And Relocation By Rising Sea Levels
Recently, several nations known to be draught-prone areas have also started to undergo the flood phenomenon. As per researchers, things can worsen even more in the upcoming years. The list below offers an overview of the continents and countries at a higher risk of coastal flooding.
Africa
In Africa, certain areas of Egypt are prone to flooding in the coming years. About 95% of Egypt’s population resides along the river Nile, and a few areas are located at extremely low elevations (133 m below sea level). A rise in the sea level by a few meters will be enough to make these places flood off for the rest of eternity.
Asia
Moving on to the Asian countries, not one but many are prone to the impact of flooding in upcoming days. Countries like China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines are the most vulnerable. That brings us to the question: Are these countries doomed forever?
Some researchers have highlighted that low-lying countries with a politically stable atmosphere and a well-to-do economy can sustain for a few more decades. Because they have all the required resources to mitigate the sea water level. However, the ones with a problematic economy and political base are set to be doomed pretty soon.
Europe
Among the other European countries, the Netherlands has 17 million inhabitants living in coastal regions below sea level. In the 14th century, these places stood as highly fertile soil reclaimed from the sea. And that is why most people settled in and around the place. For centuries, the country’s sea mitigation program has prevented rising water levels from flooding the land with pumps, dikes, and polders.
But given the rising sea levels, at an average of 3 mm yearly, the situation looks alarming. Nieuwekerk aan den Ijssel town is the Netherlands’ lowest point, which stands 6.8 m below sea level. As per the government’s Delta Programme, almost 60% of the country is prone to flooding in the upcoming years.
North America & South America
The USA, Mexico, and Canada are the most expected to be impacted by the rising sea levels, owing to the population. On the other hand, the emission levels among countries in the Caribbean and Central America are also at great risk. The most vulnerable one is the Bahamas. Which, without alarming emission levels, is still expected to experience a rise in the water level and flood. The land elevation of the Bahamas makes all the difference, exposing the island country to sea threats.
South America has large coastal cities immensely packed with residents. Among everyone, Brazil’s population is the most vulnerable to getting washed by floods. Thankfully, multiple mountain terrains located at higher elevations in South America will probably safeguard the people from the risk of rising water levels.
The Case Study Of Carti Sugtupu And Rising Sea Levels
Carti Sugtupu is a tiny island in the Guna Yala province on the Panama Coast, inhabiting about 2,000 indigenous souls. While fishing is the primary occupation of the people on this island, they are also found harvesting starchy crops like plantain and cassava. With time, the locals did start venturing into tourism until the rising sea levels hit them.
Life had never been easy for the islanders! They always had to survive the discomforting, overcrowded spaces. Added now, these people are threatened by the unprecedented climate changes. Their homes get flooded almost every day. According to experts, the sea will completely engulf the island of Carti Sugtupu and nearby places by the end of the century.
Life At Carti Sugtupu
Carti Sugtupu lacks fresh drinking water, and the residents often go out in boats to collect fresh water from the nearby rivers or buy water from the mainland. Electricity is also rare, with few residents living over a few hours of power per day from a public generator. Regarding toilets, none of the houses are equipped with one, and people use public cubicles. The daily storms and floods, backed by rising sea water levels, add to their atrocities.
As already discussed, it will be easy for the countries or provinces with stable economic conditions and political backgrounds to stand strong against the rising sea levels. However, those on the weaker side will always live at the mercy of nature. And that is what one gets to see on the Carti Sugtupu island. By 2024, the government has promised that these people will move to a new place – the mainland, which includes schools and everything else. And for the other nations getting similar threats, only time will reveal their stand against the entire case.
