10 FASTEST SINKING CITIES IN THE WORLD THAT WILL BE UNDERWATER BY 2050

Hey guys, welcome back to the Genius Tomato where you can count on to learn something new, every time. The world is vast and there are many cities that one can visit in a lifetime.

However, there are some cities that you will probably want to visit first as they are in danger of disappearing entirely in the next 50 to 100 years or so. Not saying that you will live to see these cities disappear under water in your lifetime unless your one of the Dunedain from Aragorn’s crew but perhaps your next of kin would.

Coastal cities are some of the most beautiful cities of the world offering an ocean view and laid beach vibe but these cities across the world are affected due to rising sea levels caused by climate change.

In this post, we will cover the top 10 cities that might disappear underwater within a century. Before we go any further please make sure to smash on the subscribe button and like the post. Also leave your comment below on what you city you think is in danger of disappearing.

Number 10 – New York City. It is no surprised that city that is predominately an island and by the coast will be in threat of being submerged underwater due to rising sea levels. The effects of climate change have been apparent in the Big Apple as there had been two major hurricanes alone in the past decade with Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Ida.

In fact, New York City is the most at risk with rising sea levels of the all the coastal cities on the East coast of the United States.

Now  put this into perceptive, when Amazon was considering opening a headquarters in Long Island City – a neighborhood in the borough of Queens – they considered the fact their headquarters was potentially in the danger zone for frequent flooding that was projected to start as early as 2020 and by 2050, extreme projection’s will have low lying buildings under water. One will have to question if this was one of the factors of their decision of not opening their office in New York city.

According to study by the Penn State University, New York City can be completely underwater by 2300 if the effects of climate change go unchecked.

Number 9 – Bangkok, Thailand – According to the Bangkok Post, this popular tourist attraction in South East Asia is sinking at a rate of 2-3 centimeters per year. Bangkok itself is just a mere 0.5 – 2 meters above sea level which is just about 2 to 8 feet. The city was built on soft clay and the sinking of the city is probably accelerated with the sheer weight from expansion and built up of the city as well as uncontrolled ground water extraction.

With the rising sea levels globally due to climate change, this doesn’t offer much protection from ocean.

Evidence of the vanishing coastline can be seen in the low lying coastline communities to the south of the city such as Bang Khun Thian – where the village had to be relocated inland.

Prediction suggests that most of Bangkok will be underwater by as early as 2030, with the worst of it by 2050. To put that in context, 2030 is less than a decade from now. This is a must visit city on my list and better get there before things really start changing with Tsunamis and flood, similar to the one that took place back in 2004

If you want to book your trip to Thailand before it sinks , there are many websites available such as TripAdvisors where you can read reviews from real travelers leaving their real opinions on hotels, travel sites, etc. You can also use websites such as Expedia, Priceline, Booking.com, and Kayak for cheaper prices air flights and hotels.

Number 8 – Rottentam, Netherlands – Here is a Genius Tomato fact for you. Did you know that 90% of the Dutch city of Rottendam is already underwater? The city is located on the Rhine River and has the largest port in all of Europe but being the largest port also exposes them to rising sea levels and floods.

Rottentam is sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 centimeters a year and with seal levels expected to rise 1 to 2 meters and by 2100, the combination of rising sea level and sinking city can only mean that things can really wet around there.   

Knowing this, it should be no surprise that Rottentam is one of the most vulnerable European cities when it comes to be submerged underwater.  

Number 7 – Lagos, Nigeria – The most populous city in the entire African continent with up 24 million people was built a partly on the mainland and partly on the surrounding islands. The low lying coastlines already made the city vulnerable to floods and during the months of March to November, this coastal city is engulfed with floods.

With coastlines eroding because of rising sea levels, poorly maintained drainage system, and the ever increasing weight of the city due to its large population and urban expansion puts this city at risk of sinking.

Due to existing low lying coastlines, a study from the UK’s University of Plymouth found that if sea levels were to only rise a mere 3 feet, it can have severe impact on Lagos.

With predictions of global sea levels rising above 6 feet by the end of this century, that can only mean that Lagos will be submerged underwater if nothing is done to combat this coastal city from going under.

Number 6 – Shanghai, China. Most of the cities on this endangered list are coastal cities, so it should not be any surprise that this city on the central coast of China is also in danger of being submerged by water. Matter fact, Shanghai is one of the world’s fastest sinking cities.             

It is ironic because in the past 50 years, Shanghai has seen some of the biggest urban expansion and now the weight of its own development and a population of more than 26 million is one of the reasons on why the city is sinking. Groundwater extraction, soft soil, global warming also contribute to why China’s most populous city is sinking. Matter of fact according to an article by the Time, Shanghai has sunk about 6 feet since 1921.

It is said that sea levels near Shanghai are expected to rise up to 17 inches by 2100, and half of Shanghai is projected to be flooded and 46 percent of seawalls will be overtopped if nothing is done to stop the incoming tide. 

Number 5 – Miami, Florida – All of the east coast of the United States is in danger of sinking in the next 50 years and Miami is unfortunately not an exception but is actually one of the most vulnerable cities due to rising sea levels. Most recent evidence of this was the collapsing of the condo building by Miami beach in 2021.

The building has been said to be sinking due to long term water corrosion of the reinforcing steel and weakening the structural support. The water corrosion might have been likely a result of the rising sea levels and the constant floods and that Miami experiences frequently.

To make matters worse, Miami’s sea level is expected to rise an average of 1 inch for every 3 years and Scientists believe they in the next 15 years the sea level will rise even faster at 6 inches and will be up to 10 inches in 30years.

At this rate, most of Miami will be inhabitable in the next 50 years unless more is done to combat the rising sea levels. It may best to get your fix of the Miami vice lifestyle before it is too late. 

Number 4 – Manila, Philippines – It is said that the capital city of the Philippines is staying above water on borrowed time. This is because Manila is sinking at a rate of close to 4 inches per year while the city has an average elevation of approximately 197 inches.

This is happening of course again due to ground water extracting, overpopulation, and climate change. Also the sea level at Manila Bay is rising at a rate 4 times faster than the rest of the world.

If these projections are accurate that means that parts of Manila is threatened to be submerged underwater in about 50 years or so if nothing is done to combat this.

According to a study by the environmental group Greenpeace East Asia – it can even happen sooner by 2030 – up to 87% of Manila’s land area can be submerged should a massive flood occur. This will effect the highly populated areas such as commercial and residential areas, historical landmarks, and popular tourist destinations.

Number 3 – New Orleans, Louisiana - Another American coastal city makes this list and New Orleans have seen their fair share of the water element with storms, hurricanes, and floods with most notably, Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.

New Orleans is sinking at a rate of 2 inches per year and a 2016 Nasa study found that parts of New Orleans will be underwater by 2100. This is caused by humans and the environmental factors. The city’s location being surrounded by water from the north, east, and south and because of the city’s low elevation makes it especially susceptible to hurricanes and floods

Since the beginning of the 20^th century it is estimated that the state of Louisiana has lost up to 2000 square miles of its eroding coast which includes small barrier islands and wetlands that once offered protection to New Orleans against storms and flooding. 

Like all the other cities on this list, much of New Orleans will be underwater by the end of the century if nothing is done to combat the sinking city.

Number 2 – Venice, Italy. In a city that is famous for their waterways and canals, it is on track to be completely submerged by water if nothing is done to combat the rising sea levels of the Mederitean sea which is projected to rise by 4 feet in the coming years. This beautiful coast city is sinking at a rate of 0.08 inches per year and is said to be potentially completely underwater by 2100 if global warming continues.

In recent years, Venice has experienced severe floodings including the major flooding of the monumental St Mark’s square with upwards of up to 4 to 5 feet of water. The flooding has gotten so bad that a catwalk was constructed in order for people to get around in severe flood water.

The future is looking grim for this city as the floods, sinking, and the rising ocean levels will only get worst. It’s probably best to visit this beautiful floating city before the romantic charm is washed away.

Number 1 – Jakarta, Indonesia. This city in South East Asia is in danger of being swallowed up by the Pacific Ocean. According to BBC news, Jakarta is actually the fastest sinking city in the world and there’s a good chance that much of the city will be underwater by 2050. With almost half the city already sitting below sea level, that is one sure way to make number one on this list.

Jakarta is sinking up to a whopping 6.7 – 10 inches per year due to rising sea levels. Now this might not seem like much at first but just imagine at this rate in a couple of decades those inches will add up really quickly.

Additionally, The digging of illegal wells to access ground water since the surface water is considered too contaminated for consumption. With the extraction of groundwater and there is not enough rain water to replenish the water in the soil due to the fact that up to 97 percent of the city is covered in concrete. Ground water extraction and the weight of the buildings is causing Jakarta to sink faster and rising sea levels only add to the situation.

Jakarta is home to about 10 million residents and the Indonesian government has built walls in attempt to combat the rising sea levels and flooding. (insert wall video) They recently made plans to give the residents of Jakarta a new zip code by moving them to the island of Java. This plan alone will cost up to 33 billion and can take up to 10 years. If you have any plans to visit Jakarta, probably best to do it soon before it becomes a real life version of water world.  

Thanks for reading! If there is a city you think should make this list, let us know in the comment box below. If you found value in this post, please consider subscribing and clicking on the bell icon to be notified for new updates. Smash the like button and share this with your friends. Stay informed, Genius Tomato out! 

 

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