Climate change poses a dire threat to several coastal cities in India, with predictions of rising sea levels potentially submerging them by the end of the century.
Mangaluru, a culturally rich coastal town in Karnataka, is expected to be submerged by 1.87 feet of water by 2100, according to reports by NASA and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This puts its unique cultural and artistic heritage at severe risk.
Mumbai, Maharashtra’s bustling metropolis, could see significant portions of its low-lying areas—such as Worli, Nariman Point, and Colaba—flooded by 2050. Increased cyclones and storm surges, driven by the warming Arabian Sea, further endanger the city.
Kolkata, with its proximity to several rivers and the Sundarbans, faces continuous flooding due to rising seas and river overflow. A large part of this West Bengal capital could eventually be underwater.
Chennai is already battling severe flooding due to poor drainage systems and excessive groundwater extraction. The city’s vulnerability to both rising sea levels and intense rains continues to grow.
In Puducherry, human activities like sand mining compound the risks posed by cyclones and storm surges, threatening its coastal survival.
Surat, in Gujarat, located along the Tapi River, is at risk from both river flooding and erosion, potentially submerging its lower sections.
Lastly, Kochi in Kerala is predicted to sink by 2.32 feet due to rising seas, melting glaciers, and increased rainfall.
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