Coastal Cities Brace for Catastrophic Flooding as Sea Levels Rise

According to a recent study, the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change is more severe than previously thought. Researchers from McGill University in Canada have found that millions of buildings and even more Americans could be at risk of sinking underwater by the end of the century.

The study, which is the first large-scale assessment of how long-term sea level rise could affect coastal infrastructure across the Global South, reveals that even in the best-case scenarios, where sea levels rise just 1.6 feet by 2100, three million buildings in the Southern Hemisphere alone would be underwater by then. The data also suggests that if emissions are unchecked, sea levels could rise by as much as 65 feet in the examined timeframe, submerging major US cities like New York, Washington DC, Miami, and Houston.

While the researchers did not focus on the Northern Hemisphere, their maps paint a grim picture for America's most famous metropolises. New York City, home to over 8.5 million people, could see much of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx end up below the higher sea level. Similarly, the nation's capital, Washington DC, would also be dramatically affected, with the White House and other government buildings potentially submerged.

The study's authors warn that there is no escaping at least a moderate amount of sea level rise, and the sooner coastal communities can start planning for it, the better chance they have of continuing to flourish. Climate change advocates believe that using cleaner energy sources, planting more trees, and building sea walls could help prevent this potential global flooding event.